You can create a closet by hanging a simple curtain across an alcove. You can also make a walk-in storage closet with doors at each end, created by building a new wall. Include storage shelves, over the door shoe racks, and a vanity with a comfortable, tufted stool, and you have an instant dressing room. Closets can be custom fit with clear organizer drawers and multi-level racks to ensure that they do not become a jumbled mess. Does this Spark an idea?
Instructions
Instant Closets
1. Create an instant closet by hanging a pressure rod between the walls of an alcove. Hang a floor-to ceiling length curtain from a separate rod in your choice of colors, fabric and pattern, coordinated with the decor in the rest of the room. If you will only be hanging a few items, the pressure rod alone should be sufficient. If you have more than twenty garments, especially if any of them are heavy coats, you will have to support the rod.
2. Measure from floor to ceiling in the alcove where you placed the rod. Cut two 1-inch by 4-inch pieces of stock wood to that length. Hold one piece against the alcove wall, beside the pressure rod, and mark above and below the rod with a carpenter's pencil.
3. Use a 1.5-inch diameter hole saw on your power drill, to cut matching holes in both of the 1-inch by 4-inch closet supports. Remove the rubber grip end caps from the pressure rod and slide it through the holes in the support rods. Replace the end caps.
4. Slide the support rods until they are an equal distance apart and provide maximum support for the rod. Depending on the width of the alcove, you should have supports no more than three feet apart. If your alcove is especially wide, cut additional supports. Once you have decided where the supports will do the most good, mark their positions on the floor and ceiling with your carpenter's pencil.
5. Drill 1/8-inch diameter pilot holes at an angle through each closet rod support and into the floor and ceiling. Countersink the holes. Attach supports using 2-inch long, 1/4-inch diameter brass wood screws.
Divide and Conquer
6. If the room is at least 10-feet by 12-feet, make a walk-in closet along the short wall. Use a stud finder to locate the ceiling studs. Mark a chalk line along the ceiling, following the center line of the stud that is closest to four feet from the short wall, as you look toward the middle of the room.
7. Have an assistant hold a 10-feet length of 2-inch by 4-inch stock lumber centered on the line across the ceiling. Drill 1/8-inch pilot holes through the board and into the ceiling. Attach the board to the ceiling using 3-inch long, 1/4-inch diameter wood screws. This is your top plate.
8. Hang a plumb bob from the center line of the top rail, along the wall. Mark the position of the point of the plumb bob on the floor. Repeat for the other end of the top rail. Snap chalk lines from floor to ceiling, between the center line of each end of the top rail and the plumb bob marks on the floor. Snap a third chalk line across the floor, between the two floor marks.
9. Center a 10-feet length of 2-inch by 4-inch stock lumber along the line on the floor. Drill pilot holes at each end, and every 12 inches apart between each end. Countersink the holes and attach the board to the floor. This is your sole plate.
10. Cut studs to fit between the top plate and sole plate. Position studs every 24 inches or less apart, except at each end of the wall. Leave a 36-inch wide space for your closet doors at each end. As long as the wall is not a load bearing one, it is not necessary to have studs any closer together than 18 inches. If the wall is load bearing, place studs 12 inches apart. Toenail the studs into place by drilling pilot holes at an angle, through the stud and into the sole plate and top plates. Secure with 4-inch long, 1/4-inch diameter wood screws.
11. Decide whether or not you want to make any recessed shelving. Recessed shelving makes good use of what would otherwise be dead space between studs. If you choose to make recessed shelves, cut 1-inch by 4-inch or 1-inch by 6-inch stock wood to fit between the studs. Support with L-shaped wall mounts and attach using 1-inch long, 1/4-inch diameter brass wood screws.
12. Build closet shelves to desired length, width and depth at one end of the closet, using 1/4-inch thick plywood. Attach the door of your choice at each end of the closet. Measure the length and width of your wall and purchase enough sheetrock to cover that space, minus doors.
13. Place a box fan at each end of the closet, one facing in and one facing out of the closet. Turn fans on high to provide ventilation while you paint. Hang sheertrock, cover all joints with joint tape and joint compound, sand joints and paint closet as desired.
Tags: 4-inch diameter, floor ceiling, long 4-inch, long 4-inch diameter, pilot holes, wood screws