How to Nail a Stud Wall to a Cement Floor

If you are finishing a basement or converting a garage, you will probably have to frame walls on a cement floor. When framing a wall on cement, you get the best results by framing in place. This is slightly different from the standard way of building a wall frame while it is lying down and then standing it up and attaching it to a wood subfloor. You need more power to attach the floor plate to the cement than a standard framing nailer provides. Powder-actuated fasteners are available at hardware stores,, or you can rent one from a construction rental store.

Measuring tape
Chalk line
Straight edge
Carpenter’s level
Circular saw
Powder-actuated fastener
Framing nailer
Treated studs
Framing studs

Instructions

- 1
  Measure the spot where you want the new wall and pop a chalk line to represent both sides of a treated 2-by-4 stud that will be used as a floor plate. The stud is actually only 3.5 inches wide, so measure accordingly.
- 2
  Lay the treated stud on the chalk lines and place another stud of identical length right beside it.
- 3
  Measure 16 inches from the end of the floor plate stud and make one pencil line across the width of both boards. Measure an additional 1.5 inches, and make a second line parallel to the first. These two lines indicate where the first wall stud will rest. Use a straight edge to make the lines and draw them across both studs at the same time. By marking both studs now, the marks will line up once the studs are in place.
- 4
  Continue measuring in 16-inch increments and making a set of marks on both boards until you reach the end.
- 5
  Attach the treated floor plate to the cement by aligning it between the chalk lines and shooting nails through the stud and into the concrete with a powder-actuated fastener. Shoot two nails, evenly spaced, between each set of double pencil lines.
- 6
  Measure the ceiling joists directly above the floor plate and pop two chalk lines 3.5 inches apart that match the configuration of the floor plate. To check that it is level, hold a stud on the floor plate and position the top of the stud between the two lines on the ceiling. Place a carpenter’s level alongside the vertical edge of the stud you are holding to see if the board is vertical.
- 7
  Attach the ceiling plate to the joists, lining it up between the chalk lines and inserting two nails through the plate and into each joist.
- 8
  Measure and cut the first stud to fit between the ceiling plates and attach it to both plates, using a framing nailer. Shoot the nails at a 45 degree angle through the stud and into the plate.
- 9
  Continue installing the studs, but measure and cut each one individually, since there might be a slight discrepancy in the height between the floor and ceiling plates from one end of the wall to the other.

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