How to Build a Closet in an Apartment

Before You Build

• You might look at it as an improvement -- the landlord may disagree. Never perform any modification or repair to your apartment without making sure you have the landlord's permission. If you have a lease or rental agreement, it likely states that "alterations" or repairs are not allowed. Even if it doesn't, cover yourself legally: Anything permanently done to the premise without the owner's consent can make you liable for damages -- money out of your pocket on top of the cost to build the closet. And when you ask your landlord for permission, make sure to get it in writing. A signed agreement holds more weight in court than your say-so, and honestly, more than a vague line saying it's okay in the lease.

Closet Design Options

• After getting your landlord's permission (in writing), take the time to plan out your closet project -- don't just grab a few two-by-fours and nails and expect to throw it all together. First, select your closet location: an area in which it fits and works with the rest of the room. Look for clearance from windows and nearby walls or walkways. Next, decide the size of closet you desire, using the room to lead your choices. You may prefer a long, slightly shallower closet running wall to wall, for instance, in larger rooms. A deep, square-shaped closet may work perfectly in a corner of other rooms, however. Keep track of the number of walls you closet requires, as well. One wall is simpler than two walls for a corner closet or three for a closet in the middle of the room. Draw your design on graph paper for simplicity.

Stud Wall Construction

• Closets are built from nothing more than stud walls. A stud wall resembles a sideways ladder, with the rungs built from two-by-fours nailed to the ladder rails -- in this case, a two-by-four top plate and another two-by-four serving as the floor plate. To build your stud wall(s), measure the wall length and cut two two-by-fours to that length. Mark each every 16 inches along the length. Then find the ceiling-to-floor height and subtract 3 1/2 inches to allow for the thickness of the plates and a little extra to allow you to tilt the wall erect. Cut two-by-fours to fit, center each over a 16-inch mark, and nail through the plates into the stud ends. Once the wall is finished, with a stud flush with either end, stand the wall erect, check that it's plumb (perfectly straight vertically), then nail through the plates into the floor and ceiling framing. Drive additional nails through the end studs into adjacent framing.

Framing The Doorway

• Of course no closet is any good if it doesn't have a door. To frame a doorway, mark the bottom plate to represent an opening equal to the actual door width plus 2 inches, which allows for jambs and shimming. Mark again 1 1/2 inches away from the door opening on either side and mark a "J" inside the space created. Make another set of marks another 1 1/2 inches away and label with a "K." The K-spaces receive full-height studs called king studs. For the J-spaces, cut jack studs to the height of the door plus 2 1/2 inches. Insert the jack studs snug against the kings and nail in place. Finally, cut a two-by-four header to the width of the door opening from king stud to king stud. Glue and nail in place. Cut a couple of short two-by-four blocks to then run from the header to the top plate to complete the doorway.

Finishing Details

• Before you get too excited, you have to install all the little things that make the closet complete and more than just an empty room as well. Finishing the walls is the best place to start. Use drywall or paneling as you prefer. Hanging drywall and taping the seams is messy work but not difficult. A pre-hung door makes filling the doorway fairly simple, just check for level as you work and insert spacers to shim it evenly inside the framing. Unless you're experienced in electrical, leave wiring to the professionals or use battery-operated lights or an extension cord if necessary. Finally, customize your closet with paint, clothes rods, shelving, drawers, peg board or anything you find most useful.