Framing Walls to Remodel Your Basement

If you're planning to remodel your basement, you're going to have to build walls. Even if you intend to leave the basement wide open, without subdividing the space, you'll still probably want to frame-out the perimeter of your basement to give it a cozier feel. Framing walls isn't hard to do, but you will want to follow a few basic rules to make things easier on yourself when it's time to install drywall.

First, you'll need to measure your walls. How tall are your walls going to be from floor to ceiling? And how many linear feet do you plan to build? Calculate how many 2 x 4's you will need for a frame with vertical 2 x 4's every 16 inches on center. It may seem unnecessary to place studs every 16 inches on a wall frame that doesn't support anything, but these studs will become important when it's time to install the drywall. Measuring these studs to 16 inches on center means that once the drywall is put up against the wall, you'll be able to find the studs by simply measuring from the outside edge of the drywall to every 16 inches. It will be important for you to sink drywall screws into the drywall and secure the drywall to these studs. This will keep your drywall from sagging over time and give it a clean, finished look.

Having studs evenly placed every 16 inches can also make it easier to install electrical outlets and fixtures as well as pipes for plumbing. It is important that you will be able to find studs using a measuring tape after the drywall has been put up on your walls. These studs are your basement's skeletal system.

Be sure to plan for doors and windows as you're building the frames for your basement walls. Make sure that the openings in your wall frame for doors will be just slightly bigger than the door size you intend to install. A door opening that is too small, even by a fraction of an inch, can take a lot of time to fix. Measure your door openings accurately and build them with precision when you frame your basement.

Although framing the basement walls properly can take some time, it's exciting to see your new basement rooms taking shape. Once you've finished framing your basement, you're ready to install electrical and plumbing and get started putting up drywall in your basement!

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