How to Build a Stud Frame on a Concrete Floor

Measure the height of the room from the concrete floor to the joists in the ceiling using a tape measure. Determine the desired positioning of the wall in the room and mark out its length with a piece of chalk. Use the tape measure to measure the wall length as well.

Cut two 2-by-4 planks to the measured wall lengths with a circular saw to serve as the top and bottom boards for the wall. Use pressure-treated planks for any board that you will connect directly to a concrete surface. Cut two more 2-by-4 planks measuring the height of the room minus three inches for the two end pieces to the wall.

Set the planks onto the floor of the room for assembly. Place the two end pieces between the top and bottom planks, and check that the pieces are plumb, forming a 90-degree angle. Create the outer shape of your wall by nailing 16D nails through the top and bottom planks into the two end planks with a framing nailer.

Mark the bottom board every 16 inches from the end piece. Cut a wall stud from a 2-by-4 for the adjusted height and position a stud at each marked point. If you’re creating door in the wall then measure the width of the door and add 6 inches to the measurement to leave room for the door’s surrounding studs. Choose a position in the wall for the door placement and leave out enough wall studs to leave room for the door’s placement. Nail the remaining wall studs into place.

Frame the door by cutting two king studs from 2-by-4s to the same adjusted wall height as the rest of the wall studs, and two jack studs to the height as the door casing. Also cut a header to run horizontally along the top of the door using the framing length minus the three inches allocated for the king studs. Place the jack studs into the wall frame spaced wide enough for the door and then place the king studs alongside them, on the opposite side where the door will sit. Nail the king studs into place to the bottom and top plank. Then nail the jack studs to both the sides of the king studs and the bottom plate. Place the header across the jack studs, spanning the door opening, and then nail it to both the jack stud tops and the sides of the king studs.

Raise the completed wall frame into position.

Drill a pilot hole through the bottom plank and into the floor using a drill containing a masonry bit. Drive 2-1/2-inch hard-cut masonry nails into the floor, using the pilot holes as guides. Place a hole every six inches along the plank.

Attach the frame to the concrete walls using the same process as that used for the floors.

Measure the space between the floor joists in the ceiling above the frame wall. Cut the 2-by-4 planks into to fit the spaces and nail them to the joists directly above the top plank. Nail the frame wall to the blocks, spacing 16D nails every 6 inches as with the floor nails.