How To Frame An Interior Wall With Wood Studs

Note: If the wall must run parallel to the joists, see detailed instructions below. Lay the top plate on the floor next to the bottom plate. Mark identical spots on each board at 16-inch intervals. Hold the studs in place one at a time and nail them into place through the top plate. (If any of the studs are warped, turn them so that the imperfect end is at the bottom.) Repeat with the bottom plate, ensuring the edges of the studs are flush with the edges of the plate. Install a stud at each end of the wall, too. To stabilize the wall, nail through the top plate into the ceiling plate (hint: use 2-½-inch-long drywall screws in lieu of nails if you have a plaster ceiling). Check with a carpenter’s level that the wall is plumb, then nail the bottom plate to the floor.