How to build a partition wall

Partition or stud walls are a great way to break up space or create a new area for a room like a play or study area. Here's how you go about building one.

Level of difficulty

Level 3: Advanced

What you need

  • Safety goggles
  • Gloves
  • Chalk
  • Tape measure
  • Straight edge
  • Nails
  • Hammer
  • Wall battens
  • Plasterboard sheets
  • Wall studs
  • Floor sill
  • Saw
  • Acoustic sealant

The steps to follow

  1. First, fix the framing of the partition wall.
  2. Mark out the floor, walls and ceiling in the same way as you would when building a stud partition wall.
  3. Nail a piece of softwood sill to the floor. The softwood sill should be as thick as the plasterboard you’ll use for the partitioning. The length of the softwood sill should be the same as the partition wall you plan to build.
  4. Next nail 18 mm (3/4 in) thick softwood and wall battens to fit in the gaps between the plasterboard.
  5. Remove the arris rail from the outside long edges of the battening.
  6. Nail or screw the battens to the wall and ceiling.
  7. To locate the bottom of the partition, cut a point on a 150 mm (6 in) locating block cut from wall battening, and nail it to the sill with its end against the wall batten.
  8. When the framing’s installed, you'll need to fix the dry partition walls.
  9. Cut the panels with a saw and fit it between the sill and the ceiling.
  10. Remove the cardboard core along the top and two long edges with the clasp of a hammer to the depth of the battens, about 18 mm (3/4 in).
  11. Next, remove about 150 mm (6 in) of the cardboard core at the bottom edge.
  12. Nail battens into the bottom of the cardboard core, at 400 mm (1 ft 4 in) intervals. These battens will be used to attach the skirting boards.
  13. Mark the position of each battening on the surface of the partition for future reference.
  14. Lift and locate the top of the first panel over the ceiling batten about 200 mm (8 in) from the wall.
  15. Swing and slide the panel carefully along the sill to locate the wall batten.
  16. Cut an intermediate locating block, 300 mm (1 ft) long, and taper each end.
  17. Tap half of the block into the bottom corner of the panel's core and nail it to the sill.
  18. Cut a length of square-section vertical joint batten to fit between the ceiling batten and intermediate locating block.
  19. Tap the batten halfway into the edge and skew-nail it at the top and bottom.
  20. Fix the boards to the framework with galvanized nails at 225 mm (9 in) centres.
  21. Repeat the same procedures for the remaining panels.
  22. Fasten the edges of the tapered panels with fixings and apply acoustic sealant to jointing surface.

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