Wall framing is typically completed with nails as opposed to screws. The reason is most contractors use a high powered air gun to drive nails into the frame boards and secure the wall frames together. This is faster and more convenient. It involves fewer steps as well.
Screws are one option for wall framing, and if you don’t have a high powered nail gun, it is easier than trying to hammer those boards together. Screws must be held on the frame, the power driver set into the screw head and then the screw driven into the wood. However, if you do not have an air gun, screws are often faster and cleaner.
Step 1
Lay out the frame in the same way as you would when using screws with two horizontal boards and several vertical stud boards.
Step 2
Line up two ends at the corner of the frame with the cut edge of one board flush with the flat end of the connecting board. Clamp the two boards together using a corner clamp (for corner joints) and a hand clamp for the intersection of the stud boards with the horizontal frame board.
Step 3
Line up the screw on the flat end of the outer board directly behind the center of cut edge of the connecting frame board. Set the drill to forward and drive the screw through the outer board and into the inner board. Drive two screws through each connecting joint in this manner.
Step 4
Continue to clamp each connection in your wall frame together before attempting to screw the boards together.
Step 5
Hang the wall frame in position so the horizontal frame board is contacting the rafter or joist board of the ceiling. Place a 4-inch screw under the horizontal board and, using a power driver, drive it directly through the board and into the rafter. Repeat this step every three feet to secure the frame in place.
Required Tools:
Tools you will need to frame a wall include…
- Corner clamp
- Hand clamp
- Power driver
- Phillips head bit
- Wood screws, 3 inch
- Wood screws, 4 inch
A few tips on how to build a wall frame with screws…
Use only wood screws for wall framing. Pre-drill a pilot hole using a small 1/16 inch bit and power drill only if the wood begins to split. This step is not always necessary for constructing wall frames with screws.