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Building a Darkroom: Walls

This page describes how I built the walls of my darkrooms. I would suggest that you get a book on wall framing from the local library rather than just rely on what is written here. I am not a carpenter, nor am I qualified to tell you what is legal where you are building. You might want to obtain a copy of your local building codes before continuing. Know the size of your air conditioner if you plan to use one, before you start framing the walls

Contents

Tools
Materials
Design
Wall Framing

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Tools

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Materials

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Design

Assuming you know how much room you have to build in, you now must factor in the size of standard walls. The reason I use standard wall dimensions is basically because so much stuff is available in these standard dimensions. Try to line up at least one of the darkroom walls with a stud in the house wall.

In addition to the darkroom layout, you need to mark on a floor plan (it can be rough) where you want to put the following:

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Wall Framing

The wall is made up of
Overlapping walls need extra studs in the corners, to allow for attaching the drywall. This is a top down view without the top sill so you can see how with 3 studs in one wall, you have a place to attach drywall later. If you need to drill through these for anything, you should do so before putting them all together (unless you have a 5" drill of the diameter you need).

Before you go any farther, make sure you've read framing and hanging the door, and the instructions that came with your pre-hung door, so you know the size of the door opening you want to make.

Build the walls laying on a flat surface. It's much easier to nail in from the ends while it is laying on the ground than it is to try to assemble in the air.

Stand the walls up, and hold them together loosely by driving nails in part way (so you can pull the nail later)

Align the base on the floor perfectly square (use the 3-4-5 rule). Secure the base to the floor. (If going into cement, I'd suggest a 22 powered driver)

Connect the walls to each other, and to the house wall. Nail a 2x4 along the top of the walls into studs in the house wall, nail that beam to the top of the darkroom walls. This will hold the walls against the house wall. Hopefully you have at least one of the corners lined up with a stud in the house wall.

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Visitor Comments

The comments stated below are not necessarily the opinions of Andy Hughes or DarkroomSource

Everthing said so far about making the wall square to the existing walls is true but it's even houses that are not square are very close to plumb. A plumb wall is straight up and down, it does not lean in or out. Simplifies hanging the door. Use a good 4' carpenters level vertically (that's what the other set of vials in the level are for!) and check all your measurements before driving home the nails in the top plate.
Contributed by   on 1999-02-03 00:00:00

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