How to Frame a Half Wall Room Divider

Find a stud in the wall adjacent to the half-wall with a stud finder.

Measure the length of the area where you will place the half-wall with a measuring tape. Check the floor with a carpenter's level to make sure it is level.

Measure two sections of 2-by-4-inch pressure-treated lumber to the length of the half-wall. Cut the sections with a circular saw to form the top and bottom plates.

Determine the height of the half-wall; this type of divider typically is between 30 and 36 inches tall. Measure and cut sections of 2-by-4-inch lumber 4 inches shorter than the height of the half-wall to form the studs. You need one stud for each end of the wall, plus one stud for each 16 inches of interior wall length.

Lie the top and bottom plates on their 2-inch sides. Place one stud between the plates at each end, and at 16-inch intervals between the end studs.

Drill pilot holes through the top and bottom plates into the ends of the studs with a drill; the pilot holes should be slightly smaller than the diameter of the wood screw shafts. Insert and tighten 4-inch wood screws through the pilot holes with an electric screwdriver to secure the half-wall frame.

Stand the half-wall in the desired location with one end against the adjacent wall. Drill pilot holes through the bottom plate into the subfloor at 4-inch intervals. Insert and tighten 4-inch wood screws to secure the half-wall to the floor.

Check the half-wall with a carpenter's level to ensure the wall is vertical. Drill pilot holes through the end stud into the adjacent wall stud at 4-inch intervals. Insert and tighten 4-inch wood screws through the pilot holes.