If you live in a house long enough, you are going to run out of storage space. Sure, there is always the attic, but that can be a pain to get to and items stored there are not usually in a conditioned space and are hard to access quickly. Try giving up some floor space and build a closet in a room as an alternative to using the attic. Does this Spark an idea?
Instructions
1. Place the closet. Placing it in a corner means only two walls will need to be built and placing it from wall to wall means only one wall will need to be built.
2. Draw lines to represent the outer limit of the framed closet walls. If the floor is carpeted, use tape to outline the wall.
3. Cut the floor plates according to the outline on the floor. Where two plates meet, simply butt them together. Floor plates are the pieces of wood that touch the floor and form the outline of the walls. The walls studs rest on them.
4. Nail the floor plates to the floor using regular framing nails for plywood floors or masonry nails for concrete floors. Don't worry about removing carpet; just nail the plate directly on top of it.
5. Lay out the stud pattern on the floor plates. Start in one corner and place an X on the plate. Measure 1 1/2 inches from the wall and use a carpenter's square to draw a line across the plate. Measure 15 1/4 inches from the wall and make another line. Place an X on the wall side of the line. Start measuring from this line and make another line every 16 inches, always placing an X on the same side of the line as before.
6. Make a second set of plates for the top plates that go on the ceiling. They should be identical to the floor plates. Lay them next to the floor plates and transfer the stud pattern from the floor plates to the top plates. Also mark which end of the plate goes where.
7. Use a level to transfer the line of the floor plates to the ceiling. If the closet has a corner that does not touch the ceiling you won't be able to use just the level. Select the straightest stud on site and cut it to fit between the floor and ceiling with little room to spare. Butt the stud to the outside of the floor plate and plumb the stud using the level. Once the stud is plumb, mark the location of the top plate by marking the location of the stud where it touches the ceiling. Make sure to mark the same side of the stud that butts the floor plate.
8. Screw the top plates to the ceiling. Try to screw into floor joists if possible. If no floor joists intersect the plate, place the screws at different angles to each other. This will keep the top plate from coming loose until the wall studs are in place under it.
9. Decide where to place the door and allow for an opening that is 2 inches wider than the door width. Mark the edges of the door opening and draw lines across the plate at each edge. Place an X on the sides that are away from the door opening. Erase the original stud layout marks between these markings because they won't be needed here.
10. Measure and cut the wall studs to length.
11. Install the wall studs by placing them on top of an X and flush with the line next to it. Toenail three nails in the bottom and three in the top.
12. Make the door header by cutting two pieces of 2x4 the same width as the door opening. Nail the header in place, two inches above the height of the door, measuring from the floor and not the floor plate.
13. Carefully cut the floor plate at each door stud and remove it.
14. Install the drywall or paneling and then install the door. Finish by installing base board trim inside and outside the closet. Since the existing floor continues underneath the wall, there is no need to put new flooring down or re-stretch carpet.
Tags: floor plate, floor plates, door opening, floor plates, from wall, wall studs