How to Build a Walk-In Closet

Over the course of time, you will find that your clothing items will pile up.  This is especially true for women who tend to splurge on their wardrobes.  Of course, the more you splurge the bigger closet you will need.  Fortunately, it is easy to create this space by simply creating a walk-in closet within your home.

1. Make a plan for your walk-in closet that includes how large it will be, whether or not it will contain shelving, the materials you want to use and where you want it to be located.  These are things that need to be thought out ahead of time.


2. Take a look at everything and spend a few minutes designing blueprints.  Decide where you will build your walk-in closet.  Make sure that there is enough room for it there and that you don’t mind sacrificing the amount of space that it will take to make your closet a reality. 


3. Think about any adjustments or alterations that you may want to make over the course of time.  Make sure to leave enough room for these things.  For instance, you may want to add a simple shelving system later on.  You may also want to add specialized lighting in the future.  These are some things to keep in mind now so that you won’t have to rebuild your closet later.


4. Block out the area where your walk-in closet will go.  Use a 2x4 board with the wide side flat against the walls, ceiling and floor except for where the door is going to go.  Secure each board into the studs in the walls, ceiling and floor with 3-inch drywall screws.


5. Rough frame your doorway with 2x4 boards.  These will support the door’s weight so that the wall will not become bowed. 


6. Add upright stud beams every 15 inches along the frame between your walls and door. 


7. Add horizontal boards to the interior side of your frame where you will hang any fixtures.  The widest side of these boards needs to be flush with your frame.


8. Add a door to your rough frame.  Use shims to block the doorframe into the rough frame.  Secure the doorway into place with long drywall screws.  Countersink your screws and conceal their heads with a little wood putty.


9. Drywall both the interior and the exterior walls.  Secure the drywall into place with 1-¼ inch drywall screws.  These will be screwed into your drywall studs.


10. Wait for the spackle to dry.  Make sure that the seams are smooth.  Paint your walk-in closet and hang your fixtures in place.