A woman with long dark hair, wearing a black top and pants, and red sneakers, is sitting on the floor amidst wooden frame structures in an unfinished room. She smiles at the camera, as if taking a break after learning how to frame basement walls, with her arms resting on her knees.
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How to Frame Basement Walls

ByLisa

This week I tackled the framing for the basement wine cellar and it’s week 2 of the One Room Challenge. I really wish I would have started a little early because building walls is no joke and the doorway may or may not be attached right now, but I’ll get to that. If you missed week one and the full plan for the basement wine cellar, check it out first to see what’s in store. Let me walk you through this week and how to frame basement walls.

A woman sits on the floor of a partially constructed basement with wooden frame walls, smiling in her black outfit and red shoes. Discover more about "how to frame basement walls" at Garrison Street Design Studio.This post contains affiliate links. For more information, please see my policies.

As a reminder, this is what the room or lack thereof  looked like last week when I started.  

The basement, with its wooden stairs and white chest freezer, exudes a rustic charm. A light wooden cart complements the space, adorned with rolled-up paper and a tall vase of branches. It's as practical as it is inviting—perfect for transforming into a cozy wine cellar.

How to Frame Basement Walls

I started by clearing everything out of the space that will soon be the wine cellar. While the entire basement will get finished, right now I am only focusing on the wine room. Currently the whole thing is unfinished basement. Before starting a project like this, it’s a good idea to check your local building code. I will cover some of the requirements I encountered as I go through the process.

A partially finished basement corner with exposed wooden framing and concrete floor features a potential wine cellar space. An unfinished wooden staircase leads down, and a section of drywall is attached to the framing. Natural light illuminates the scene.

The first step I took was marking out my floor plan for the interior walls with painters tape on the basement floor. This really helped me visualize the space I am working with. Since the square footage of this room will only be about 24 square feet, this was the best way for me to get a feel for the room. Luckily, the ceiling height won’t be too low for a basement.

A basement under construction with exposed wooden framing and concrete walls shows how to frame basement walls. The ceiling is an unfinished wooden staircase, while blue tape outlines sections on the concrete floor.

Since this room is nestled in a corner and will be used as a wine cellar, I chose not to insulate the concrete basement walls with foam board or fiberglass insulation batts. The rest of the basement living space will be insulated, but I want this room to remain cool. 

In Colorado, we are required to build a floating wall. I spent a lot of time researching this as it was the first time I have framed basement walls. Floating walls are common in areas that have expansive soils. I received a lot of questions on this part in my Instagram stories. If you want to see video on this, go check out my ORC highlight.

The first step is to mark out the placement of the wall studs on the top and bottom plates of the walls to ensure equal spacing. Since I had to float my entire wall, I also marked the floor piece at the same time.  

A person in a white cap and red sleeves kneels on a concrete floor, demonstrating how to frame basement walls by measuring and arranging wooden beams. In the background, framed walls and a staircase emerge. Tools and a tape measure rest on the floor.

I did this by clamping all three pieces together and pushed them against the wall on one end. I then used a scrap piece of wood that was 3/4 of an inch and placed it at the end up against the wall. Then I measured 15 1/4 inches and drew a line. Then I measured to 16 3/4 and drew another line placing an X in the middle. This is where my studs would go giving me 16 inches on center.

A wooden board, possibly intended for a project like framing basement walls, is clamped to a workbench. Pencil markings and two large X marks adorn its surface. Secured by a red-handled clamp, it rests against a textured gray background, ready for the next step in its transformation.

Next you will attach the bottom piece of the first wall to the concrete floor with construction adhesive. This helps keep the bottom of the wall from shifting as it is attached to the concrete slab. Since the lumber is in direct contact with the concrete, it needs to be treated lumber for moisture issues.

Interior view of an unfinished basement with wooden framing and concrete walls reveals exposed beams and ceiling, complemented by a framed partition wall under a staircase. Natural light pours in, offering a glimpse into how to frame basement walls effectively.

Before attaching, I cut an additional 2×4 to mark out the doorway and lined up the new wall with the basements concrete walls and used my speed square to make sure it was square.

A blue speed square is positioned on a concrete surface, showing how to frame basement walls effectively. Two wooden boards are placed alongside it at a right angle, forming a corner. The board on the right has a small red mark near the edge.

Then I used a Ramset to attach the bottom of the wall directly to the concrete. I am not going to lie, this was a bit scary as this tool requires bullets and definitely kicks a little bit. It drives fasteners into the concrete to keep the wall from moving. 

A person wearing a white cap, gray hoodie, black leggings, and red sneakers uses a power tool to work on framing basement walls with a wooden board against a concrete wall. A strip of blue tape is on the floor near the wall.

The next step was building the wall frame. For this part, it is important to select the straightest studs you can for the wood framing. You will need enough lumber for the bottom plate, the top plate, and the vertical studs. You may also need additional pieces to use as blocking between the floor joists if the existing joists do not line up with the placement of the walls. I measured out all the needed lumber with a tape measure and cut them down to size on my miter saw. 

In a cluttered workshop, an individual clad in a cap, long-sleeve shirt, leggings, and sneakers skillfully wields a power saw on wood. Shelves brimming with paint cans and tools surround them as they focus on perfecting techniques crucial for projects like framing basement walls.

I attached the wall framing on the ground with a framing nail gun. I’m not going to lie, this is not my favorite tool. It’s heavy and also has a fair amount of kick.

A construction area showcases wooden frames, perhaps illustrating how to frame basement walls. These frames are laid on a concrete floor with a nail gun, hammer, and other tools resting on the wood. In the background, stairs lead up while a framed art piece adds a touch of personality.

Because the walls of the basement need to be floated, I left 1.5 inches between the top of the treated lumber anchored to the concrete and the bottom of the bottom plate. Because this gap is necessary, you will need to attach the wall framing to the ceiling joists prior to attaching the bottom plate to the anchored piece. I used clamps to help hold the wall in place while I made sure it was plumb. I secured the top of the wall to the ceiling joists with the framing gun, toe nailing where necessary.

Wooden beams, clamped together with two red-handled metal bar clamps, are part of a larger wooden structure, possibly under construction. The setting mirrors a scene from a guide on how to frame basement walls, with additional wooden elements and framing in the background.

Next up was the final piece of the wall float, 40D nails. These are huge nails driven through the bottom plate into the anchored 2×4. Before I drove these in, I marked where the concrete anchors were with painters tape so they didn’t intersect. I also predrilled holes and used a mini sledge hammer to drive them in. You will want to ensure there is pressure in this gap while you do this or you will pull the wall down. Adding a 2×4 in between the gap works well. 

A close-up of a wooden beam with a nail partially driven into it suggests the early stages of learning how to frame basement walls. Resting on a concrete floor with sawdust scattered around, you see the unfinished wall's exposed studs and a piece of blue tape marking progress.

That my friends is how you frame basement walls! The simple version. There will be more to come when I get to the duct work, different options for the ceiling and the window frame, but you have to start somewhere.

Wooden framing for a wall under construction in a basement area demonstrates how to frame basement walls. The frame consists of vertical wooden studs connected to a horizontal base, situated near a concrete wall and next to a staircase. Various tools and materials are visible around.

The rest of the week was a bit of a blur. There were many trips to Home Depot and many early happy hours! But the good news is, I have a framed wall! The slanted ceiling under the stairs gave me a run for my money, but I think what I have in place should work for the type of wall I plan to install. I will share more about that once I know it works. To be continued…..

Wooden framing inside a house under construction, showcasing raw lumber beams and studs, much like learning how to frame basement walls. The image highlights the structure against a concrete foundation wall with some visible electrical wiring.

I should also mention, the doorway is currently not attached and it is indeed crooked. I realized I made a mistake on framing this but of course not until all the studs were completely attached. Go figure.

A woman with long dark hair, wearing a black top and pants, poses in a wooden doorway. She stands inside a partially constructed wooden structure in a workshop, demonstrating the essence of how to frame basement walls, with tools and materials scattered around.

In the next week I hope to tackle the electrical work, drywall and fixing the doorway. I have to admit, I am dreading this one a little. I am not the best drywaller. What could go wrong, haha!

A wooden framework outlines a small room or closet under construction, showcasing visible studs and joists. In this basement scene, with exposed concrete walls, tools for learning how to frame basement walls are partially visible in the background.

A wooden framing structure illustrates how to frame basement walls during construction within a building. An inset image labeled "Before" shows the area prior to construction, highlighting the progress. A logo reading "Garrison Street Design Studio" is visible in the lower left corner.

The view captures a wooden staircase under construction, set amid concrete walls and exposed framing. Offering insight into how to frame basement walls, the image showcases the structural elements beneath the stairs in this partially finished building interior.

Join me again next week to see how the rest of the basement wine cellar is coming along! Fingers crossed I actually have walls in place to show you next week, haha! 

In an unfinished basement or construction area, a person with long hair and a black outfit poses playfully within a wooden frame structure under the staircase. With one leg bent and clad in red and white sneakers, their smile suggests they're more focused on fun than figuring out how to frame basement walls.

If you enjoyed this post, How to Frame Basement Walls, please share it on Facebook or hover over an image and save to Pinterest! And if you don’t already follow me on Instagram, Pinterest, or Facebook, I would love for us to be friends! Also, make sure you don’t miss any of the progress and sign up here to get notifications delivered straight to your inbox.  It’s going to be a wild ride!  

 

Don’t forget to stop by the One Room Challenge to check out all the other participants! It’s basically like binge watching unlimited episodes of HGTV. You’re welcome 😉  

Garrison Street Design Studio - How to Frame Basement Walls

The image illustrates how to frame basement walls, showcasing wooden framing in progress. A partially visible staircase complements the concrete floor, while the organized site has construction materials neatly arranged nearby.

This post, How to Frame Basement Walls appeared first on Garrison Street Design Studio.

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