How to Frame a Basement Wall with Door

Coach Tim shows you how to frame up a new basement wall quickly and easily! If you are remodeling a basement, you may be framing basement walls to separate the space into several rooms. Building extra walls can provide a playroom, bedroom, granny annex, or other usable space that would otherwise go to waste. If you have basic carpentry skills, you should be able to frame your basement yourself. Framing basement walls is not a complicated job, but it will be time consuming. It is something that you should consider if you are planning to do your remodeling during your free time. Follow these steps to frame basement walls. Step 1 - Create all the Sections Together If you need to work quickly, you may prefer to install your basement framing after you have built all of the sections. It can be quite complicated, but you can save time when it comes to fitting the frame to the ceiling and floor. If you feel confident about your carpentry skills, you should be able to manage it without problem. Begin by marking the boards where you plan to place the studs. These will need to be 16-inches apart, so plot out your dimensions carefully. You should then draw a line of around .75-inches. Step 2 - Cut and Fix the Wood Lay out all the pieces of wood that have been marked with a stud, and take a long piece of 1.5-inch thick wooden board. This board will be your base. Measure from the floor to the ceiling then cut your wooden boards to match. Nail each of these boards to the base board and apply vertical lines. You can do so by measuring the lines with a set square and marking the straight lines with a pencil. You now have a section of frame. Step 3 - Fit the Boards Together You can now either join the boards together, or install the sections one at a time. If you are fitting the sections together, you will need a piece of board that is 1.5-inches thick between each section. Join these on to the ends of the baseboard, then screw these two support boards together. Step 4 - Raise the Boards When you have joined the boards, you should be ready to raise them. Take your plumb, and hang it from the ceiling. When the plumb is completely vertical, use it to hang a thread along the same line. This line will be the mark by which your board is raised to a straight wall. Lift the wall (get a friend to help if necessary), then screw the top board into the ceiling. Ensure that the floor is straight and screw the base board into the floor. You should now have a frame for your basement wall.