How to Frame a Wall With Furring Strips

Inspect the surface of the masonry wall. Slide a cold chisel across the wall face to remove any loose cement. Strike the back of the chisel sharply with a hammer to remove stubborn material. Hit the heads of any concrete nails to set them flush with the surface of the wall.

Measure the distance from the bottom of the masonry wall to the bottom of the joists located at the top of the wall with a tape measure. Mark the measured distance on the face of a piece of 3/4-inch rigid foam insulation. Slide a utility knife blade across the insulation to create a score line where you intend to trim it. Snap the insulation along the score line.

Open the end of a construction adhesive tube with the cuter located on the base of a caulk gun. Drop the tube into the body of the caulk gun. Apply a 1/4-inch thick bead of sealant to the back of the 3/4-inch piece of rigid foam insulation. Press the adhesive coated side of the insulation against the masonry wall. Continue applying the insulation until all masonry is covered.

Measure the length of the wall. Cut a 2-by-4-inch board to the measured length with a power miter box to ensure a square cut. Place a mark with a carpenter’s pencil on one of the 3 1/2 inch faces at the board’s center. Place one mark 8 inches from either side of the centerline. Place another mark every 16 inches until you reach the board’s end.

Secure a 3/16-inch masonry drill bit into the chuck of a hammer drill. Place the board vertically – marked side out – against the bottom of the masonry wall. Drill one hole through the board and into the masonry wall at each pencil marked location. Run a 3- inch masonry screw through each drilled hole with a drill/driver equipped with a 5/16-inch hex head adapter.

Cut one 2-by-2-inch furring strip to the measurement of the wall height minus 3 1/2 inches – the height of the installed 2-by-4-inch board – for each marked line on the bottom board. Mark the center on each furring strip, then place one mark halfway between the centerline and the end of each strip. Repeat the process on the other side of the centerline.

Line the bottom of a furring strip with one of the pencil marks located eight inches off center. Set the level plumb by setting a level against a side of the strip sitting perpendicular to the masonry wall and moving the strip until the bubble in the horizontal level vial sits evenly between the two marked lines. Drill and run a screw at each of the three pencil marks drawn on the strip’s surface. Install the remaining furring strips as described.