DIY Stud Wall to Create a Hallway
Step-by-step guide made from DIY With Emma's YouTube video.
A comprehensive guide to building an interior stud wall to partition an open-plan living room, creating a new hallway and two doorways. The project covers framing, plasterboarding, installing doors, and finishing touches like plastering, painting, and adding trim.
- Difficulty: intermediate
Safety
- This project involves electrical work. Always turn off the power at the main breaker before working near any wiring. Hire a qualified electrician for tasks like moving a fuse box or light switches.
- Wear appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE), including safety glasses when using power tools, a dust mask when cutting or sanding, and gloves when handling insulation.
Must know before you build
- Account for saw blade kerf; cut on the waste side for correct timber length.
- Avoid drilling plasterboard screws too deep; it breaks paper, compromising hold.
- Apply scrim tape on all plasterboard joints before filling to prevent future cracks.
- Measure each stud individually; old houses are rarely plumb, don't batch cut.
- Score and snap plasterboard; multi-tools create excessive dust indoors.
- Expect 2-3 layers of filler/skim, sanding thoroughly after each for a smooth finish.
Tools
- Mitre Saw (Makita, MLS100)
- Drill/Driver (Cordless, DeWalt, 18V)
- Multi-tool (Oscillating, DeWalt)
- Tape Measure
- Spirit Level
- Voltage/Stud Detector (Stud Detector)
- Utility Knife
- Sander (Random orbital, DeWalt)
- Shop Vacuum (optional)
- Chisel
- Hammer (Claw hammer)
- Laser Level (Crossline, Imex, Mini L2G) (optional)
- Circular Saw (DeWalt) (optional)
- Track Saw Guide (Kreg) (optional)
- Jigsaw (optional)
- Rotary Tool (Dremel) (optional)
- Plastering Hawk & Trowel (Trowel)
- Paint Roller & Tray
Materials
- Timber Studs (Wood)
- Plasterboard (Drywall, Knauf, 120cm wide)
- Door Frame (2, Pre-built)
- Wooden Door (2, 6-panel pine)
- Wall Insulation (Stone wool sound insulation, Rockwool, 100mm)
- Plaster Skim & Repair (Ready-mixed filler, Wickes)
- Metal Angle Beads
- Architrave (Pine, Bullnose)
- Skirting Board (Pine)
- Wood Filler (All purpose, ready mixed, Bond It)
- Primer & Undercoat (Acrylic, Leyland Trade, White)
- Paint (Matt Emulsion, White, Terracotta)
- Door Knobs (2 sets, Beehive design, Spira Brass, Solid brass)
- Tubular Mortice Latch (2, ERA)
- Scrim Joint Tape (Mesh)
Step by step
Step 1: Framing the First Wall & Doorway
Measure, cut, and assemble the timber studwork for the first wall section. This includes framing for a doorway, ensuring the structure is plumb and level, and fitting a pre-built door frame.
- Build the Basic Frame. Measure and cut the top and bottom plates for the wall frame. Cut the vertical studs to length, remembering that old houses often have uneven floors and ceilings, so measure each stud's location individually.
- Secure the Frame. Use a stud detector to locate ceiling joists and check for any hidden pipes or wires. Secure the top plate to the joists and the bottom plate to the floor using long screws. Attach the end studs to the existing walls.
- Install the First Door Frame. Cut a section out of the bottom plate to accommodate the door frame. If necessary, use a multi-tool to notch the plate so it fits flush over any uneven flooring like tiles. Trim any unnecessary parts from the pre-built door frame and fit it into the opening.
- Check Clearances and Squareness. Before permanently fixing the wall, perform a crucial check to ensure large furniture like a sofa can still be moved out of the room. Use a speed square to confirm the door frame corners are at a true 90-degree angle, which is essential for the door to hang correctly.
- Tip: When building in an old house, expect uneven surfaces. Measure each component in its specific location rather than cutting multiple pieces to the same length.
- Watch out: Always use a stud and pipe detector before drilling into walls or ceilings to avoid hitting electrical wires or water pipes.
- Common mistake: Assuming floors and ceilings are level. This can lead to a frame that isn't plumb (perfectly vertical).
Step 2: Demolition & Stairwell Prep
Remove an old, poorly-built shelving unit and the associated plasterboard to clear the space for the new stairwell wall, salvaging materials where possible.
- Assess and Begin Demolition. Evaluate the existing structure to be removed. The creator realizes she built the wonky electrical cupboard and shelving unit herself years ago. Begin dismantling the structure.
- Dismantle the Shelving Unit. Carefully remove the old shelving unit piece by piece using a wrecking bar. The goal is to save the plasterboard on the back for reuse and salvage any usable timber.
- Tip: When dismantling old structures, try to salvage materials like timber and plasterboard for reuse to save money and reduce waste.
Step 3: Installing Plasterboard
Cut and attach plasterboard to the new stud walls. This includes tackling the tricky stairwell side and figuring out how to maneuver large sheets into place.
- Attach Plasterboard to Stairwell Wall. Maneuver a large sheet of plasterboard behind the stud wall frame on the stairwell side. This is a difficult solo task that requires temporarily unscrewing parts of the frame to create enough leeway to slide the board into place.
- Common mistake: Not planning how to get large sheets of plasterboard into tight spaces, leading to frustration and potential damage to the boards.
- Secure the Plasterboard. Once the plasterboard is in position, secure it to the timber studs using plasterboard screws. Space the screws every 20-30cm. Be careful not to overdrive the screws, as this can break the paper and reduce its holding strength.
- Tip: To avoid over-driving plasterboard screws, stop drilling as soon as you hear the drill's clutch engage or the sound changes, indicating the screw head is set.
- Tip: Cutting plasterboard is easier than it looks. Simply score a straight line with a utility knife and then snap the board along the line.
- Tip: When installing plasterboard alone, you may need to temporarily loosen the frame to get the sheets into place.
- Common mistake: Using a power tool like a multi-tool to cut plasterboard indoors. This creates an enormous amount of fine dust that gets everywhere. Scoring and snapping is much cleaner.
Step 4: Framing the Second Wall
Plan the layout for the second stud wall and doorway. Cut the timber studs to size, accounting for the unevenness of the old house, and assemble the frame.
- Plan the Second Wall Layout. Determine the position for the second wall and doorway. Use a laser level to decide whether to make the wall perfectly straight or to align it visually with other elements in the room, which may not be straight in an old house.
- Cut and Assemble the Frame. Measure and cut the timber studs for the second wall. The creator notes that she made a mistake by not cutting close enough to the line, making one stud slightly too long. Assemble the frame, using 'tappy taps' with a hammer to fit the slightly oversized stud into place.
- Tip: When cutting with a mitre saw, the blade removes a few millimeters of wood (the 'kerf'). To get an accurate length, make sure you cut on the waste side of your line.
- Common mistake: Cutting directly on the measurement line instead of to the side of it, resulting in a piece that is slightly too short.
Step 5: Installing Noggins, Insulation & More Plasterboard
Add horizontal noggins for stability, fill the wall cavities with insulation, and finish installing the plasterboard, including creating a hidden access panel under the stairs.
- Install Noggins. Cut and install horizontal timber pieces, called noggins, between the vertical studs. These add rigidity to the frame and prevent it from warping. Stagger their positions to make it easier to drive screws in from the side.
- Tip: Staggering noggins (the horizontal supports) makes them easier to install, as you can drive screws straight in from the side of the stud rather than at an angle (toe-nailing).
- Add Insulation. Cut the stone wool insulation to size. A simple hand saw works well for this. Fit the insulation snugly into the cavities between the studs to provide sound, thermal, and fire resistance.
- Tip: An easy way to cut rockwool insulation is with a long-bladed hand saw while it's still in the packaging.
- Watch out: Always wear gloves, a mask, and long sleeves when working with stone wool insulation, as the fibers can irritate the skin and lungs.
- Create Under-Stairs Access. Finish installing the plasterboard on the main wall. Cut out a triangular section to create a hidden access point to the 'Harry Potter cupboard' under the stairs.
Step 6: Finishing: Plastering, Sanding & Painting
Apply plaster skim to the joints and screw holes, sand everything smooth, and apply a mist coat and final coats of paint to the new walls.
- Apply First Coat of Plaster Skim. Using a plastering hawk and trowel, apply a ready-mixed plaster skim over all the plasterboard joints, screw holes, and corner beads. The goal is to create a smooth, seamless surface.
- Tape Joints and Apply Second Coat. After the first coat is dry, sand it down. The creator vacuums the wall to remove dust. Apply mesh scrim tape over any joints that were missed, as this prevents cracks. Apply a second and third layer of plaster skim, sanding between each coat.
- Tip: Vacuuming the wall after sanding removes fine dust and helps the next coat of plaster or paint adhere better.
- Apply Mist Coat and Final Paint. Prepare a 'mist coat' by thinning emulsion paint with water (approx. 60% paint to 40% water). This seals the new plaster and prevents the final coats from drying too quickly and failing to bond. Once the mist coat is dry, apply two final coats of your chosen wall color.
- Tip: To check if your paint is the right consistency for a mist coat, use a viscosity cup. It should take about 60 seconds to drain.
Step 7: Woodwork: Doors, Trim & Handrail
Install the doors, architrave, and skirting boards. This phase covers detailed carpentry techniques like chiseling for hinges, scribing for a perfect fit, and installing door hardware.
- Install Architrave and Skirting. Cut and install the architrave (door trim), leaving a 7mm reveal around the door frame. Then, cut and fit the skirting boards. For internal corners, use a scribing technique for a tight fit. For external corners, use a 45-degree mitre cut.
- Hang the Doors. Create a temporary stand to hold the door upright. Mark the hinge positions (15cm from top, 20cm from bottom). Chisel out the recesses (mortises) for the hinges on both the door and the frame. Create pilot holes and screw the hinges in place to hang the door.
- Prime and Paint Woodwork. Fill all nail holes in the trim with wood filler and sand smooth. Apply a coat of acrylic primer and undercoat to all the new woodwork, including the doors, architrave, and skirting boards, to prepare them for the final paint color.
- Install Door Hardware. Drill the holes for the door latch and spindle. Chisel out the recess for the latch plate. To mark the position for the strike plate on the frame, dab a bit of ketchup on the latch, close the door, and it will leave a perfect mark.