How to build a stud wall

Before cutting or fixing anything, it's important to accurately mark out the position of your stud wall. This ensures the wall is straight and correctly aligned with existing structures. Start by measuring and marking exactly where your new stud wall will be positioned. 

Use a chalk line to create a straight reference line along the floor between the two endpoints of the wall. This will serve as your guide for keeping the wall straight during construction. Next, place a string line on the floor and plumb the line up to the ceiling using your spirit level - this means extending the reference point directly upward to ensure vertical accuracy. Once the top position is located, mark this point on the ceiling. Repeat this process at the other end of the wall.

With both ceiling points marked, use a chalk line to create a straight guide on the ceiling, just as you did on the floor. These floor and ceiling guides will ensure that your wall remains aligned and properly positioned throughout the build. Before moving on, double-check the alignment using a spirit level to make sure everything is perfectly straight.

Choose straight timber for easier stud wall framing. The AS1684 Timber Framing Standard ensures stud walls are structurally sound. Use 90mm x 35mm or 90mm x 45mm timber for non-load-bearing walls, and 90mm x 45mm or 120mm x 45mm for load-bearing walls. Studs should be spaced 450mm apart for external walls and 600mm for internal walls, with noggins placed every 1350mm—one row for 2.4m walls and two for walls over 2.7m tall. Secure bottom plates with 100mm screws or masonry anchors, fix top plates to ceiling joists, and nail studs with two 75mm nails per joint.

Bracing may be required for load-bearing or external walls. Before installing the frame, cut through skirting boards and cornices, allowing extra millimetres for wall linings like plasterboard or VJ panels.

Once you’ve prepared the area, measure the length of both your top and bottom plates individually, as small variations in the floor and ceiling can affect their length. Cut these plates to size using a drop saw, as they will form the horizontal sections of your stud wall.

Secure the bottom plate to the floor. The method will vary depending on your flooring. For timber floors, use 100mm timber screws to fix the bottom plate to the floor. For concrete floors, use masonry plugs and anchors to secure the bottom plate. Make sure the plate is firmly fixed along its entire length.

Align the top plate with the chalk line you made on the ceiling. Fix the top plate to the ceiling joists, ensuring it is securely attached at the corners and at points in the middle. Use a spirit level to check that the top plate is straight. 

With the top and bottom plates in place, measure the distance between them at each stud location. Cut your vertical studs to the correct length. Place each stud between the plates, aligning them with the marks you made earlier. Fix the studs in place using a nail gun or timber screws at both the top and bottom. Check each stud for plumb (vertical alignment) with a spirit level as you install them.

Noggins are short horizontal pieces of timber installed between the vertical studs to add extra strength. Measure the distance between studs and cut the noggins to size. Mark the position for the noggins at mid-height using a string line. For walls taller than 2.4 metres, install a second row of noggins about 1350mm from the top plate. Stagger the noggins so that one sits above the chalk line and the next below it. Fix them in place using a nail gun or screws.

To make sure the stud wall is stable, it’s important to secure it to the existing framework of your home. Use a stud finder to locate existing noggins in nearby walls and ceiling joists. Secure the new studs to these points by nailing or screwing them in place. This will help to prevent any movement and give you a solid stud wall.