At the top of many a homeowner's wish list is more closet space. If you have adequate floor space and some carpentry skills, you can add a closet--in a bedroom, guestroom, den, or hallway--that will look like it has been there all along.
The first step is to build the closet frame and fasten it to the surrounding walls. Next, you will trim the door opening and install the doors of your choice. Then you will hang the closet rods or customize the interior with rods, shelving, drawers, and any other accessories you desire.
Framing the Closet Walls
Plan to build the closet frame from 2 by 4s, allowing an inside depth of at least 27 inches. You can construct the frame in one of two ways: Either build the walls flat on the floor and then raise them up into position, or build them in place. It is much easier to nail the framing members together on the floor if the room has a large, clear area to accommodate this. But using this method, you will have to make a slight modification in the height of the closet walls because it is impossible to tilt an 8-foot-tall wall up into an 8-foot-high space (as you angle the wall into position, it is actually about 1/4 inch taller). Build the wall about 1/4 inch shorter than the height of the ceiling, and then place shims or thin blocks between the top plate and the ceiling.
First, mark the positions of the top plate and the sole plate. On the ceiling, mark both ends of the center line of the new closet wall. Measure 1 3/4 inches (half the width of a 2-by-4 top plate) on both sides of each mark. Snap parallel lines between corresponding marks with a chalk line to show the position of the top plate.
Next, hang a plumb bob from each end of the lines, and mark these points on the floor. Snap two more chalk lines to connect the floor points, marking the sole plate's position. If the closet has a side wall return, lay out the top plate and sole plate in the same way; use a framing square to make sure this will be perfectly perpendicular to the front wall. Cut each sole plate and top plate to the desired length.
Marking Stud Positions
Lay each top plate edge to edge against its sole plate and flush at both ends. Beginning at an end that will be attached to an existing wall, measure in 1 1/2 inches (the thickness of a 2-by-4 stud), and then draw a line across both plates using a combination square. Starting from that end, measure and draw lines at 15 1/4 and 16 3/4 inches. From these marks, advance 16 inches at a time, drawing new lines for stud locations until you reach the far end of both plates.
Framing Each Wall
Frame each wall according to the drawing on this page. Note that the sole plate has been cut out where it spans the door's opening--you will cut this after erecting the wall.
The rough opening for the door requires a king stud and a trimmer stud on each side, a header across the top, and cripple studs between the header and top plate.
Cut the full-length studs to a length equal to the ceiling height minus 3 3/4 inches (for the 1 1/2-inch-thick top and sole plates and the needed 1/4-inch clearance).
Nail short 'cripple' studs into the top plate at appropriate intervals, or, if you have nailed in studs across the doorway, cut these to size. Measure and cut the header, and then nail it to the bottoms of the cripple studs with 16d nails. Using 8d nails, toenail the header to the king studs. Measure and cut two trimmer studs, and nail one to each king stud with 10d nails in a staggered pattern. You will probably need to adjust the width of the opening by adding a pair of trimmers on one side.
Building the Walls
Once the walls are built, lift them into place, and shim between the top plate and the ceiling joists. Anchor the end studs to existing wall studs or to the blocking that is inserted between the wall studs. See also: Building a wall.
Lay each sole plate between the lines on the floor, and nail them in place with 10d nails spaced every 2 feet. Do not nail the portion of the sole plate that runs across your planned closet doorway. Nail them to the header and sole plate. Cut out the sole plate, taking care not to damage any flooring beneath it, to match the width of the rough opening. Pry the sole plate away from the subflooring or flooring. Finishing
Add wall coverings to match the room. If you are installing gypsum wallboard, tape the seams between the new and old wallboard, and protect any outside corners with metal cornerbead. (For information on painting, click here.)
Next, hang the doors. Bifold doors move in metal tracks mounted to the bottom of the head jamb. Pivots turn in top and bottom brackets, and a center guide at the top runs in the track. Sliding doors run on rollers inside metal tracks with floor guides below that keep the doors in line. Tracks are available to fit standard 1 3/8-inch interior doors. A trim strip usually hides the track. Most doors come with all the necessary hardware.
To install a rod inside a closet, a good option is to use pole sockets. First, screw one socket in place. Then insert the rod, and level it before fastening the other socket. If the closet rod is very long, provide additional support by fastening a hook to the top or back of the closet near the middle of the rod.
Copyright Sunset Publishing Corporation
