Do you find it hard to build a closet in an existing room? Who doesn’t like more storage space? Whether it’s a dresser or a closet, having a place to arrange your possessions so they’re easy to find is always a plus.
A closet is one of the most typical places for storage in the bedroom, but what if your room lacks one? To address this issue, I created a tutorial on how to make a DIY closet in a bedroom. Aside from storage space, a room without a closet is not considered a bedroom in many places.
Our house had one room that didn’t have a closet, so I opted to install one to make it a bedroom. Kindly continue reading this article to know more about building a closet in an existing room.
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Tools and Materials Required on this Project
- Drill.
- Tape Measure.
- Miter Saw.
- Level.
- Stud Finder.
- Several Pieces of wood.
- Sliding Closet Doors.
- Wardrobe Track Kit.
- Spray Texture.
Step-by-step on How to Build a Closet in an Existing Room
Step 1: Measure and mark the location of the closet wall
First, decide on the size of your closet and the sort of doors you want to use. There are several options for doors. Swinging doors, bi-fold doors, and more options are available.
We’re constructing a typical 67″x28″ closet with sliding ones for this job. Sliding doors, unlike typical swinging doors, do not need any kind of clearance to open. Therefore using the highly regarded door types is a preferable alternative for a closet like this. It is critical to adhere to your local building code standards while constructing a closet.
A reach-in closet’s typical minimum depth is 24″, but a closet meant to hold coats can be as deep as 28″. Keep this in mind while deciding on the size of your closet.
Draw guidelines for where the new wall will be built after the size and position of the closet have been decided. Keep in mind that adding drywall will increase the thickness of the wall. Draw the vertical guidelines plumb with a level.
When screwing a new closet frame to an existing bedroom wall, make sure there are studs beneath the drywall for the screws to adhere to. The new wall must be securely fastened to studs or attic trusses rather than merely drywall.
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Step 2: Attach Top Plate to the Ceiling
The top plate is a framing component that serves as a top runner to hold wall studs in place. Typically, the top plate runs the length of the wall. To act as a top plate, measure the complete length of the closet wall and cut 2*4 to that length.
Then, using 2 12″ wood screws, connect this top plate to the ceiling as shown. Check that the screws go through the drywall and into a truss or joist. Attaching the plate to the drywall will not be sufficient to keep the wall sturdy.
Step 3: Build the Framing
The wall, like the top plate, has a bottom plate. The framing studs that comprise the wall are held in place by both the top and bottom plates. Cut the bottom track with a 2*4. Then, lay the bottom track on the floor and measure the distance between the bottom and top tracks to estimate the length of the studs.
The closet I was constructing was placed between two existing walls. Because the sliding door occupies most of the rough aperture, the actual wall that descends to the floor is just 8′′ long. As a result, the bottom plate is just 8 inches long. I removed a part of the laminate floor in the bedroom to allow the bottom track to lay on the concrete.
2 1/2″ wood screws are used to secure the studs to the bottom plate. Because the top plate is already in place, drill pocket holes at the top of the studs to connect them to the top plate. To attach the studs, drill two 12” pocket holes. The trimmer stud at the end of the wall must be cut shorter to accommodate the header.
Step 4 may be found here. Sliding doors are typically 79′′ tall, including the sliding rail and drywall. Because the header should be installed around 81 1/2′′ from the floor, the trimmer stud should be 80′′ long.
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Step 4: Install Header
The term header refers to wall support that looks like a beam. Usually, it spans a window or door opening. The sliding door and rail are supported by the header in this project. Because the rail and door are not particularly substantial, I simply used one 24 for the header. If you intend to hang big doors, you may need to construct a double 24 header to hold greater weights.
The header is usually set on top of the trimmer studs. But I only had one trimmer stud for the closet I was constructing. So I hooked one end of the header to an existing wall and positioned the other end over the trimmer stud. Because I didn’t want to use nails, I chose to use 2 1/2″ pocket hole screws to attach the header to an existing wall. The screws are driven at an angle through the header and into the existing wall.
When installing the header, always ensure that it is placed back enough to compensate for the thickness of the drywall. As a result, when you install drywall to the framework, it will align with the existing wall. Now, measure the distance between the top plate and the header and cut 5 cripple studs to that length. On one end of each cripple stud, drill two pocket holes. Then, using 2 1/2′′ pocket hole screws on top and 2 1/2′′ wood screws from the bottom. Place these studs 16” apart.
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Step 5: Cut and Install Drywall
Begin by cutting the largest/longest sheetrock pieces first, and then work your way down to the smaller ones.
Measure and draw a line where the sheetrock will be cut. Then, using a utility knife, cut through the paper layer of drywall to follow the line. Flip the drywall board over and place it face down on the floor. Snap the board back to the cutting line. Finish cutting through the paper with your utility knife. Place the drywall against the wall and use drywall screws to fasten it to the studs. Complete the drywall installation on both sides of the closet wall.
Step 6: Install Corner Bead
With tin snips, cut the corner bead to length, keeping the bottom end approximately 1/2′′ off the floor. Squaring the legs of the strip against the wall, lightly press on the corner of the bead. For a secure grip, insert drywall screws or nails through the holes in the bead. Along each leg, place the nails about 8 inches apart.
Step 7: Apply All Purpose Compound to a Closet Wall
Before applying all-purpose compound mud to the floor, cover it with plastic sheeting. Apply the first layer of compound to the corner and drywall joints with a 6-inch drywall knife. The knife’s blade should be positioned along with the elevated bead and the wall, laying the mud into the valley between these two high points.
If you try to build up too much thickness with this first layer, it will break. After the first layer has dried fully, sand any high or rough patches on the drywall with a sanding block. Then, for the second coat, use a 10′′ knife to bridge between the metal corner and the wall’s surface. To make a seamless transition, feather the compound along the wall.
Step 8: Texture the Drywall
You should carefully sand the drywall using a sanding board before applying texture. Then, using a Homax Wall Texture spray, add texture to the drywall. The sprayer allows you to choose between heavy and light patterns. I normally use a dense pattern.
Step 9: Paint the Walls
After the texture has dried fully, sand any high spots with a sanding block once more. Then paint the wall using a roller.
Step 10: Install Rails
Install a rail by following the instructions. After painting the sliding door, install the roller wheels. Place the doors in the rails. Install decor board above the closet doors to conceal the door rails. You have completed a bedroom DIY closet.
Final Thoughts
So, while a reach-in closet may be completed in half a day, a walk-in one usually takes a day, and an extra-large closet can take four days or even more to fully complete it. We hope that you now know how to build a closet in an existing room. Hopefully, you enjoyed the above article. Kindly leave us a question or suggestion on the comment section. Don’t forget to like and share our post if it was helpful to you. Till next time. Thanks!
