How to Build a Divider Wall in the Middle of a Room

Outline the location of the divider wall by drawing a line on the ceiling with a pencil. Don't confine yourself to what's been done before. Consider the aesthetic impact of a curved wall or of a series of short movable walls. Let your imagination take charge and create a unique wall for your home.

Cut a piece of 3/4-inch plywood into the shapes of the curves for your wall, if you have decided that a curved wall would work best. Cut two identical shapes to serve as the top plate and bottom plate of your planned wall. Create even curves by determining the radius of the curve, tying a pencil to a string and wrapping the string around a nail in the plywood. Using this method, you can create arcs and circles, which you can then cut out with a jigsaw fitted with a sharp blade.

Alternatively, cut straight lines with a jigsaw or on a table saw.

Install the top and bottom plates by screwing them into the ceiling and into the floor. Secure the top plates by driving 3-inch-long screws through the top plate, through the ceiling and into the ceiling joists. Find the joists using a stud finder. For an even and vertical wall, hang a plumb bob from the edge of the top plate at several different points, mark the locations of the plumb bob on the floor, and use these as a guide for where to position the bottom plate. Screw the bottom plate to the floor with 2-inch-long screws.

Fill in between the top and bottom plates with creative materials. Base the density of the materials on how much privacy you are trying to provide. For a decorative, non-private wall, screw in a row of hooks along the center of the top and bottom plate, placing a hook every 2 inches. Stretch string up and down between the hooks to create a stretchy, flexible screen.

Install overlapping strips of wood along the curves to create a more private wall that will divide the large room into two smaller rooms. Cut strips of wood the same length as the distance between floor and ceiling, then screw them to the top and bottom plates with 1 1/2-inch-long screws. Install strips of wood on both sides of the plates, and put sound insulation in between them to create a sound barrier.