How to Build a False Wall to Hide Pipes

By
Lee Wallender
Lee Wallender
Lee Wallender

Lee has over two decades of hands-on experience remodeling, fixing, and improving homes, and has been providing home improvement advice for over 13 years.

Learn more about The Spruce's Editorial Process
Updated on 05/25/23
White modern washer and dryer in home's laundry room.

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Project Overview
  • Working Time: 4 hrs
  • Total Time: 2 days
  • Yield: 1 wall, 8 feet long by 8 feet high
  • Skill Level: Intermediate
  • Estimated Cost: $150 to $250

Building a non-load-bearing false wall is a simple way to hide pipes and other utilities you'd rather not see. False walls work well in areas like laundry rooms that have no shortage of exposed drain pipes, wires, electrical conduit, receptacles, and ducts. This is usually the case in older homes. Even in newer homes, builders often leave laundry rooms or basements unfinished.

What a False Wall Is

A false wall is an actual interior wall built of two-by-four studs and drywall. It can be painted like a real wall. It can even accept plumbing pipes and electrical wires and devices (permits required).

The difference between a conventional interior wall and a false wall is that a false wall never bears weight other than its own. Plus, a false wall is built to shield one side, not both sides. So, one side is finished and painted, while the other side is left open with exposed studs.

Materials Used in Water Supply Pipes

Codes and Permitting

Call your local permitting department to see if a permit is required to build a non-load-bearing wall. If you plan to move electrical wires, add new outlets or switches, or move any plumbing pipes in conjunction with the wall build, it is likely that a permit will be required.

Safety Considerations

Powder-actuated nailers use live .22 caliber loads, similar to the loads used in guns. Thoroughly read the nailer's instructions before operating it. Always wear eye and hearing protection when using this type of nailer.

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What You'll Need

Equipment / Tools

  • Cordless drill
  • Powder-actuated nailer and supplies (for concrete subfloor)
  • Hammer
  • Tape measure
  • Eye and hearing protection
  • Ladder
  • Carpenter's pencil
  • Electric miter saw
  • Bubble level
  • Drywall jab saw

Materials

  • 8 pieces 2-by-4-inch lumber
  • 1 piece pressure-treated 2-by-4-inch lumber
  • 2 drywall sheets
  • Drywall screws
  • Primer
  • Interior acrylic-latex paint
  • 16d nails (also for use on wood subfloor)

Instructions

  1. Plan the Wall

    Determine the exact spot where you can erect a full framework that extends from the floor to the ceiling. Identify and measure the distance of any pipe that protrudes the farthest from the wall. Add another 2 inches to that distance so that the false wall does not touch any pipes.

    Tip

    Be precise with measurements since it is difficult to pry up the board from the concrete slab after it has been nailed down.

  2. Set up the Base

    The base will be one pressure-treated piece of 2-by-4 inch lumber nailed to your floor. If the floor is concrete, use a powder-actuated nailer to attach the base. If you have a wood subfloor, omit the powder-actuated nailer and use a hammer and 16d nails instead.

    Place one piece of 2-by-4-inch pressure-treated lumber on the floor. With the tape measure, confirm that the board is equally distant on both sides from the back wall.

    Tip

    Pressure-treated lumber is required when it is in contact with concrete. The pressure treatment prevents or delays wood rot.

  3. Nail the Base

    Put on ear and eye protection. Set up the powder-actuated nailer (for concrete) or 16d nails (for wood). Nail down one end of the board. Confirm the board is in place; adjust it if it has moved after the first nail. Continue to nail in three nails in equidistant places on the board.

    Tip

    Avoid nailing down the base board at either end or at any 16-inch increment, as these spots need to be reserved for the vertical studs.

  4. Lay Down Spacers

    Place two of the pieces of 2-by-4-inch lumber horizontally on top of the base that you just nailed down. These are temporary spacers. Hold up another piece of 2-by-4-inch lumber so that it is vertical.

  5. Measure the Studs

    With the carpenter's pencil, mark the point where the top of the stack of three pieces of boards (the spacers) hit the vertical stud. Go down the length of the base to confirm that the height is the same height all the way down.

    • If the ceiling height is the same: Use the marked stud as a reference to mark six more pieces of 2-by-4-inch lumber.
    • If the ceiling height varies: Measure and mark each of the seven studs individually. Also, mark the order of each stud (1, 2, 3, etc.) and mark the corresponding numbers on the base stud.

    Tip

    It is not uncommon for ceilings to vary in height, even along short distances. Foundations subside and framework shifts over time to create this condition.

  6. Cut the Vertical Studs

    With the miter saw, cut all seven of the pieces of lumber at the reference marks. Be sure not to cut off or obliterate location numbers. It's always best to cut slightly longer. You can always shave off the excess. It's difficult to fill gaps.

  7. Build the Framework

    Build the framework of the false wall. Place the seven cut pieces of 2-by-4-inch lumber parallel and 16 inches on-center away from each other. At the end will be a single 2-by-4 perpendicular to the others. Match location numbers, if needed.

    Make sure that the framework has a stud at the very left and very right sides. The framework should not be open-ended on the sides. Nail the framework together with the hammer and 16d nails. When finished, the framework should look like a comb: one stud with seven other studs extending perpendicular from it.

  8. Set the Framework in Place

    Bring in or lift up the framework. You may need a second hand with this as it will weigh about 100 pounds.

    Set the framework on top of the base's piece of 2-by-4-inch lumber. It should fit tightly, and you may need to tap the framework into place with the hammer. Toenail the bottom of the framework onto the base. With the bubble level, plumb the framework so that it is vertical. Nail the top of the framework into the ceiling joists.

    Tip

    Why not build the entire framework on the floor and then tilt it up into position? You cannot do this because a wall that is 8 feet tall needs more than 8 feet of space to swing up into position.

  9. Install the Drywall

    After the framework is built, add drywall to the front. Cut full-sized sheets of drywall to size with a utility knife. Run them horizontally across the framework. Screw the sheets of drywall into place.

  10. Paint the Wall

    Prime the drywall, then paint the wall with your desired interior latex paint color; opt to paint with a roller since this is a large expanse of wall.

    Prime for Best Results

    All paper-surfaced, uncoated drywall must be primed prior to painting.

  11. Add Outlets and Hookups (Optional)

    When paint dries, install electric outlets in the new wall. You may need to create cut outs in order to fish through the drainage pipe and dryer vent. You may also need cut outs for access to the hot and cold water supply pipes and shutoff valves running through the wall. Use the drywall jab saw to create the necessary cut outs.

When to Call a Professional

A general contractor can build a false wall for you. Complicated angles, cut-ins, or the need for electrical or plumbing service may require help from a contractor.