How to Attach a Wall to a Sill Plate

Place two 2-by-4-inch boards next to each other, lining up both their ends. Use C-clamps to hold the two boards together.

Measure 1 1/2 inches in from one end of the boards. Hold a carpenter's square along the boards at this measurement location. Draw a line straight down both boards, using the carpenter's square as a straight edge, to form a rectangle on both boards' ends. Draw a large X inside the rectangle to indicate a wall stud goes there.

Measure 16 inches down from the end of the boards. Use the carpenter's square to make a line straight down both boards. Measure 1 1/2 inches over from this line and draw another line, to form a rectangle. Place a large X in this rectangle to indicate the second wall stud.

Measure 32 inches down from the boards' ends and draw a line. Measure 1 1/2 inches from this line and draw another line, then put an X between those lines. Continue down the board in 16 inch intervals to mark where each wall stud will be placed. When you reach the end of the boards, measure 1 1/2 inches from that end and draw a straight line down the boards. Place an X between that line and the end of the board to indicate a stud. This means the distance between the second to last wall stud and the last wall stud may be less than 16 inches.

Measure the height of the room the wall will be placed in or, if you are framing a basement, from the floor to the bottom of the ceiling joists. Subtract 3 inches from this measurement. This number will be the height of the wall studs. Count the number of X's on the sill plate and cut this amount of 2-by-4-inch boards to the appropriate height with a miter saw.

Lay the sill plate and the top plate on edge across from each other. Lay the wall studs between the plates, with the ends lined up with the X's on both plates.

Hammer two 16-penny nails through the sill plate and into the first wall stud's end. Place one nail above the other. Move down to the second wall stud and hammer a pair of 16-penny nails through the sill plate and into the stud's end. Continue until all studs have been secured to the sill plate with nails. Repeat this same process to secure the wall studs to the top plate.