Partition walls: splitting a room with a stud wall

In houses, timber studs are still common because they are easy to fix to and to hang things on. Metal studs are standard in offices and shops and are straighter and more consistent, but need planned fixing points for shelves, radiators, basins or TV brackets. Either way, anything heavy that will hang on the wall needs timber noggins or a heavy-duty board behind it, and that has to be decided before the boards go on.

The board and insulation make the difference between a wall that looks right and one that performs. A single layer of standard plasterboard each side gives little sound reduction. Mineral wool in the cavity, acoustic or denser boards and a second layer make a large difference. Moisture-resistant board is used behind basins and in en suites; the wet area around a shower still needs a proper waterproofing layer.

Splitting a room creates two spaces that each need light and air. The Planning Portal points out that adding an internal wall must not make ventilation worse, and that both the new room and the one left behind must still be adequately ventilated. A habitable room needs a window that can be opened for purge ventilation, sized in relation to the floor area, and background ventilation such as a trickle vent. A new room without a window is not suitable as a bedroom.

Escape matters too. On an upper floor no more than 4.5 metres above ground, Approved Document B expects each habitable room to have either an emergency escape window or direct access to the stairway. Higher up, as in a house with a loft room, the stairway becomes the protected escape route. A partition that creates an inner room, one you can only leave through another room, is only acceptable in limited cases. Ask the business to check escape before fixing the layout.

• stud type, board type and layers on each side
• insulation in the cavity and the sound performance expected
• door position, size and the door and frame supplied
• backing for anything to be fixed to the wall
• sockets, switches and lights, and who does the electrics
• window and ventilation for each resulting room
• finish: skim, taped and jointed, or ready for decoration

A simple partition in a house often does not need Building Regulations approval on its own. It can bring it in if it affects fire escape, ventilation or structure, and it does if it forms part of a larger project such as a loft conversion or a new en suite with drainage. In new homes and homes formed by a change of use, Approved Document E sets a laboratory minimum sound insulation rating for internal walls between a bedroom or a room with a WC and other rooms, though not for walls containing a door or separating an en suite from its own bedroom.

Removing an existing wall is a different matter. Until someone competent has confirmed it is not load-bearing, treat it as if it is: taking out a load-bearing wall needs structural calculations, usually a beam, and Building Regulations approval. In offices and shops, partitions may form part of the fire strategy, and the person responsible for fire safety in the premises should know about the change.

Source: gov.uk

Where the wall meets the floor and ceiling matters as much as the wall itself. On a suspended timber floor, the new wall should run on or across joists that can take it, and a wall that runs parallel between joists may need extra support. At the ceiling, the head of the wall must be fixed to joists, not just to plasterboard. Gaps at the head and base and back-to-back sockets are the main routes for sound between rooms.

A new door needs a frame fixed into the studwork and a sensible opening direction. If the partition creates a room off a stairway in a house with a loft room, the door may need to be fire-resisting.

Tell us the room size, where the new wall should go, the ceiling height and what the resulting rooms will be used for, then confirm your phone number and email. Partitioning businesses in your area see the job without your details. One business can buy it, and it is then removed from the list. We email you the business's name, address and phone number before it sees your details. It is free for you, there is no guarantee of a taker, and it is withdrawn after 21 days if unsold. Offrano checks registration only, not the quality of the work.