Bedroom closets keep clutter out of the way.
Many older houses were built with insufficient closet space for modern needs. Installing a new closet in an old bedroom can help make it more convenient and less cluttered. Locate the closet in a corner or niche where it will interfere with the geometry of the bedroom as little as possible. In some narrow rooms, you can create a closet by building a straight wall all the way across the end of the room. Does this Spark an idea?
Instructions
1. Measure the distance between the walls on the end of the room where you are building the closet. Cut two 2-by-4s to this length. Although most walls are built laying on the floor and then raised into place, in this situation it's better to build the wall in place. This is because, if the wall is the same width as the room, you would have trouble standing it up without damaging the adjoining walls.
2. Secure the bottom plate to the bedroom floor by screwing it in place using 3 1/2-inch-long screws. Measure the distance from the existing bedroom wall to the back edge of the bottom plate in several locations to ensure that the bottom plate is parallel with the existing wall.
3. Secure the top plate to the ceiling by screwing it to the underside of the ceiling joists using 3 1/2 inch long screws. Determine the location for the top plate by hanging a plumb bob from the ceiling until its point touches the end of the bottom plate and marking the location of the string on the ceiling.
4. Measure the distance between the top face of the bottom plate and the bottom face of the top plate. This is the length of your studs. Measure along the length of the bottom plate and mark off 16-inch increments. Count the number of marks to determine the number of studs that you need.
5. Cut the studs to the length you determined in Step 4.
6. Determine the location of the closet door. Adjust the location of the studs for the door by eliminating any studs that are in the area that will be taken up by the door and doubling the studs on both sides of the doorway. Install the studs by driving screws through their ends at a 45-degree angle and into the top and bottom plates. Be sure that the studs are vertical by checking them with a four-foot level.
7. Sheath the walls with drywall by screwing it to the studs with 1 1/2-inch-long drywall screws. Cut the drywall out of the doorway opening using a utility knife.
8. Cover the screw holes and the joints between pieces of drywall with spackle. Set drywall tape into the spackle that is over the joints and apply more spackle over the tape. Allow it to dry for 24 hours.
9. Paint the wall with primer and paint it with two coats of finish paint to match the rest of the bedroom.
Tags: bottom plate, Measure distance, Determine location, distance between, Measure distance between, studs that