Adding a Walk-in Closet to a Bedroom

While lighter paint colors will make a bedroom look more spacious and tasteful wire wall art, like butterfly metal wall hangings will add style and personality to the room, a lack of storage space makes it difficult to feel really comfortable in a bedroom. For the homeowner lucky enough to have a large bedroom, creating a walk-in closet within the bedroom space will add storage and increase a home's value.  A skilled do-it-yourself homeowner should have no problem creating a walk-in closet with the right tools and time.  The steps below offer a basic idea of how to add a walk-in closet to a bedroom, but ask for advice if questions arise. 

Step 1:  Planning & Measuring

Before beginning to purchase lumber and drywall, it is important to first measure the area.  Walk-in closets vary in size, so work with the space available.  Measure the length and width of the space, as well as, the height from the floor to the ceiling.  Make sure that furniture is not obstructed by the closet's placement.  Also consider the room necessary for the closet door to swing open and closed.  If possible, have the door swing inwards as opposed to out into the bedroom.

Step 2:  Materials

Having the necessary tools on hand will make the job of building a walk-in closet run smoother and quicker.  Safety glasses, a saw, nails, a hammer, 2 x 4s, drywall, drywall tape, drywall mud, sandpaper, primer, paint and most importantly, a tape measure, are all critical to the success of the project.  Think through each step of the process before beginning, so that the proper tools will be there as they are needed. 

Step 3:  Framing

Framing the closet is the next step.  On the ground, mark out where the closet will be located.  If the floor is carpeted, the carpet will need to be cut out of the area and rolled up.  It may be possible to reuse the piece, but it must come up in order to frame.  Using the 2 x 4s, frame out the walls and doorway of the walk-in closet.  Use care to make sure that the boards are even and level.  In older homes this may mean wedging one side of the board up to make it level. 

Step 4:  Drywall

The framing is done and now it is time to add the walls.  Hang drywall on both the inside and outside of the closet to create a finished look.  Tape and mud will help complete the drywall process.  The smoother the transitions from drywall piece to drywall piece, the easier it will be to have smooth walls after they have been painted.

Step 5:  Paint & Trim

Prime the walls with a high-quality primer.  After the primer has dried, paint them in a color that matches or accents the rest of the bedroom.  When the paint has thoroughly dried, install the trim.  If it is possible to paint the trim before hanging it, it will make the process that much smoother.

Step 6:  Hang the Door

Hang a door in the closet doorway to provide a transition from the bedroom to the walk-in closet.  Traditional hinged doors are often the best and, sometimes the least expensive, choice for walk-in closets.

To finish up the walk-in closet installation, replace the carpet and hang a closet organizing system.  Use every available space in the new closet to reap the ultimate benefits of having such a large storage space.  If questions arise during the build, be sure to ask for advice from a professional.  It is better to ask early than to make a structurally unsafe decision that could render the walk-in closet a hazard.