What to Buy
2x4s
3/4-in. medium-density fiberboard (MDF)
nails
wood putty
sandpaper
baseboard
primer
paint
paint tray, roller, and cover
paint brush

Design Options

To maintain good stability for a freestanding wall, it would be wise not to stray too much from the shape and size of the specific project described above. However, if you give up the idea of a freestanding unit, you can make significant adjustments. The wall could then be built as a single unit, without the smaller side walls used here as supports. In this case, however, the wall would need to be fastened to the floor joists and ceiling joists. If you are uncertain about how to locate those parts of the house structure and how to securely tie new construction to them, you should speak with someone who has more construction experience before proceeding with your plans.

Ty chose to cover the walls with MDF for the show because it was much quicker than using drywall. But since you will probably not be limited to a manic, two-day construction schedule, you might be happier using drywall, which is lighter, less expensive, and easier to handle. With drywall, however, you will have to mud-and-tape the joints, add corner bead, and do a fair bit of sanding. Either of these wall coverings will look great once they are painted. For an unpainted wall, consider using sheets of basic wall paneling.

Plan Ahead

Measure your room and then draw a scaled floor plan using graph paper or an architectural ruler. You want the new wall to divide the room, but you don't want to turn one large space into two cramped spaces with narrow pathways between them. So plan to work out all of the dimensions and the specific location on paper before you begin any construction. Then place some 2x4s on the floor of the room to represent the footprint of the new wall. If you plan to rearrange furniture in the new room, you might want to place the furniture in its location now, just to see how everything fits. Live with that setup for a few days, or even a few weeks, making adjustments as needed on your floor plan.