There are many reasons you might want to build a stud wall yourself rather than hiring a professional. You may be adding an extra room in your house, enclosing an unused space or creating a walk-in wardrobe. Whatever the reason, building the walls is easy and the most challenging part of this project is actually measuring and cutting materials.
Consider your bathroom layout
Before you start, consider your bathroom layout. If you have a standalone shower stall, the frame can be built in the same way as building a stud wall for any room. However, if your shower is located in a bathroom with access to other rooms like a master bedroom or living space, you may want to consider installing a freestanding partition instead of an entire stud wall that would cover up windows or doorways.
If your bathroom has doors leading into other areas of the house (for example: bedrooms), it’s important to build enough insulation into the frames so that sound doesn’t travel through them and wake up sleeping children or roommates. Since there will be no drywall covering these openings, one option is using foam board insulation between each layer of framing lumber for added soundproofing purposes.”
First, measure and mark out the walls you will be building
When building any stud wall, the first thing you need to do is measure and mark out the walls you will be building. This can easily be done by yourself. Simply place your tape measure on top of the area where you want your wall, walk around it a few times, take note of your measurements and then mark them out with chalk or paint. You can also use a spirit level if you prefer.
Once all of this has been done, get ready for some fun.
Start by measuring up from the floor and marking out a top plate for the wall
Start by measuring up from the floor and marking out a top plate for the wall. This should be at least 150mm above the floor, but you can go higher if you want to give yourself extra headroom.
You could measure and mark this out with a spirit level, or simply use your own sense of balance as you stand on a step ladder and look up at where you want to put it. If in doubt, err on the side of caution: better too high than too low.
Create a ledger board to house two studs at either end of the wall
Step 1: Create a ledger board to house two studs at either end of the wall. This can be done by screwing a piece of timber to the wall. Ensure that the ledger board is level and secure. The ledger board should be at least 2.4m long for added structural strength and stability.
Step 2: Create an L-shaped brace by screwing two pieces of timber together and placing on the floor with one face up and one face down, so it makes an L shape when viewed horizontally from above or vertically as you stand in front of it (think of how you would look at your own legs if they were turned sideways). Make sure that this brace is completely level using a spirit level if necessary before attaching it to the top corner of your shower base with screws or nails driven through pre-drilled holes into each piece respectively; use enough nails or screws so there aren’t any gaps left behind where water could seep through over time.
Next, measure and mark out the centre of the wall section to help with placing studs
Next, measure and mark out the centre of the wall section to help with placing studs.
Using a spirit level: Using a spirit level, mark out the height of your shower base (which will be about 1 cm higher than your tiles) and then transfer this measurement onto your studwork plan. Using a tape measure: Measure along each edge of the shower base (that’s two measuring journeys per side) before transferring these measurements onto your studwork plan. Using chalk line: Mark out each side of each beam in chalk as if they were already finished walls, then snap back together any pieces that overlap on top of each other at their corners before transferring these measurements onto your studwork plan. Using laser level or distance measurer: If you have access to one of these tools then it would be much easier for you than using any other method listed above.
Using a spirit level, place a small square of timber on the floor creating an L-shaped brace
Using a spirit level, place a small square of timber on the floor creating an L-shaped brace. Place a pencil against the timber and draw around it, measuring the distance between each face and dividing this into thirds. Ensure that when you have finished, all three studs are perfectly level with each other. If they aren’t, use a hammer to correct them until they are in line with each other (be sure not to damage your wall or ceiling!).
Cut two studs to 2.4m and place them between the horizontal plates, standing them upright onto the timber brace for support
Place a spacer between each stud to create equal gaps and then secure in place using nails or screws.
Make sure that the wall is secure by placing wedges on either side of each stud.
To ensure the wall is secure, place wedges on either side of each stud. A wedge is a small piece of wood that is cut to fit between two studs. The wedges help to prevent the wall from moving, which could cause it to come apart.
With time and patience you can build a sturdy stud wall yourself
With time and patience, you can build a sturdy stud wall yourself.
- Mark out the location of the wall using a spirit level.
- Ensure that it is straight before you start building.
- Use wedges on either side of each stud to ensure that it is secure. If necessary, add more wedges so that there is no movement when hammering in nails or screws.
Conclusion
Constructing a stud wall is a rewarding DIY project, especially in your own home. The key is to make sure that you have the right tools and materials for the job and to always double check that everything is level. If you’re not sure of yourself when it comes to measuring distances or cutting wood, then it may be worth asking someone more experienced than you to help out with this part of the job. However, with time and patience you can build a sturdy stud wall yourself without any professional assistance at all.
