Dear James: I need to have a home office for a business I am starting. I need to build a divider wall in a large room to create the office. How can I plan to do it myself? — Diane S.
Dear Diane: What you are referring to is called a "partition wall" by professionals. Building one is not as involved a project as most as most people think. As long as you are building a non-load-bearing wall, which doesn't support the weight of your home's roof or second-floor structure, it is definitely a job you can do yourself without a contractor.
An easier solution is to divide the room using folding screens, which are attractive and easy to move. Folding screens can be made to match your living area just like a wall, with paints, fabrics and wallpapers. Using shutters from a home improvement center, you can create any look you want with little work. The problem with using folding screens is you may not get as much peace and quiet as you wanted.
If you do decide to build a real partition wall, first mark the area using a framing square to make sure the measurements are perpendicular to the walls. After you determine the location of the wall, you will have to consider how to attach it to the ceiling. For a wall that runs perpendicular to the ceiling joists, it will be nailed through the wall top plate into each joist.
If your new wall is parallel to the joists, but not under one, you will have to install nailing blocks between the ceiling joists. The top plate of the new wall will be nailed into the 2x4 blocks between the joists every 16 inches. You may find it easier to locate the wall directly under a joist.
The new wall will also need to be anchored to the adjoining walls. If there is a stud where the walls meet, nail the new wall to the stud directly through the old wall's surface. If the walls don't intersect at a stud, add nailing blocks to the existing wall, too.
Now that the wall anchors are ready, start building your new wall. Measure from the floor to the ceiling in several locations where the new wall will be built. These measurements vary as much as a 1/2 inch, but don't worry. Cut the studs slightly shorter than the smallest floor to ceiling measurement minus the thickness of the top and bottom plates.
Mark your top and bottom plates where the studs will be, every 16 inches, and then lay out the wall. Don't forget to lay out the doorways using the sizes the door manufacturer provided. Place the plates on their edges, with the marked areas facing one another, separated by the height of the wall. Nail each stud to the appropriate spot on the plates. Finally, you are ready to lift the wall into place and secure it by nailing the top plate to the ceiling.
The wall can be finished with drywall or wood paneling, as well as trim and moldings. If you have never hung drywall and taped the panel joints, using paneling is easier, but more expensive. Add personal touches with wallpaper and paints to make the room all yours.
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