How to Frame a Non-Load-Bearing Interior Wall on Concrete

Use a measuring tape and a chalk line to measure and mark the location for your non-load-bearing wall. Mark the overhead ceiling joists by snapping your chalk line along the length of your intended wall area. Use a plumb bob as a guide to ensure the line on your floor lies directly below the line on the overhead joists.

Cut an untreated 2-inch by 4-inch piece of lumber to form the overhead wall plate to the desired length, while using a pressure-treated piece of lumber for the bottom wall plate if you are working in a basement. Measure and mark the lumber every 16 inches to indicate the placement for your wall studs.

Attach the top plate to the overhead ceiling joists by screwing two 3-inch screws through the plate and into every joist, following the guideline you made with your chalk line.

Apply a long bead of construction adhesive along the length of the treated lumber. Place the board in place, using the chalk line on the concrete as your guide. Reinforce the adhesive bond by inserting 3-inch concrete screws into the bottom wall plate, using a hammer drill. Use the placement of the screws in the overhead top plate as your guide, placing the screws along the bottom plate in an approximate line with the screws in the top plate.

Cut the wall studs to fit tightly within the top and bottom plates. Insert one stud at a time, lining it up with the marks you made on the top and bottom plates. Attach the studs to the plates by hammering two 3-inch nails into the tops and bottoms of each stud, placing the nails at a sharp angle so they extend through the vertical studs and enter the top and bottom plates. Once you finish attaching the studs in this manner, your framed wall is ready for the drywall.