How to Brace Basement Walls to the Ceiling

Bracing to Perpendicular Joists

• 1

  Raise the stud wall and maneuver it into position.

• 2

  Push wooden shims in between the top plate of the stud wall and the joists at each point where they intersect. Snap off the excess wood of the shims.

• 3

  Drive nails through the top plate from below, directing the nails through the plate and shim, and into the joist. Use two nails at each intersection.

Bracing to Parallel Joists

• 4

  Measure the distance between the inside edges of the joists. Measure the length of the wall that you're placing.

• 5

  Cut one 2- by 4-inch board for each 16 inches of wall length. Make each board equal to the distance between the inside edges of the joists.

• 6

  Position the boards between the joists, even with the bottom edges of the joists. Toenail them into place with 10d nails and a hammer.

• 7

  Move the wall into position. Push wooden shims in between the top plate of the stud wall and the boards you've placed. Snap off the excess wood of the shims.

• 8

  Nail through the top plate, through the shims and into the boards with two 10d nails at each point where they intersect.