How to Build a Wall Niche Smaller Than the Existing Studs

Wall niches are great places for displaying books, pictures or your favorite collectibles. They can work especially well in a small room where putting up shelves is out of the question. You can match your existing wall material to make it look subtle or contrast it with a different material or bold color to make it stand out. This space-saving project is not very difficult and can be done by one person in a single day.

Things You'll Need

• Utility knife
• Stud finder
• Pencil
• Level
• 2-by-4 inch studs
• Construction adhesive
• Pneumatic nailer
• Hammer
• Drywall
• Measuring tape
• Drywall tape
• Drywall compound
• Putty knife
• Medium- and fine-grit sandpaper
• Paint

Instructions

1. Use a stud finder to locate your existing studs. You should have studs that are 16 inches apart. Measure and mark the center between the studs. Decide the height you want the niche to be, and mark the top and bottom of it.

2. Cut a section out of the center of the drywall. Make sure you stay at least 3 inches away from your studs and the top and bottom marks you made on the wall. Reach in and measure exact measurements between the studs. These will be the measurements to cut the 2-by-4 inch studs for the top and bottom of the niche framing.

3. Cut the top and bottom studs according to your measurements. Cut two more pieces to your height measurement minus 4 inches. The 4 inches will be covered by the top and bottom framing.

4. Place construction adhesive on the ends of the top and bottom pieces of the framing and put them in place inside the wall. The 2-inch side should be facing you. Make sure the ends make good contact with the existing studs. Allow the adhesive to set according to manufacturer's directions, and then reach in with your nailer and toe-nail the pieces into the studs.

5. Place the new pieces of studs next to the existing stud and between the top and bottom pieces that you just installed. You may need to use a hammer to coax the pieces in. Use the nailer and anchor them into position.

6. Reach inside the hole with your utility knife and cut through at the corners of your new framing. This will give you a guide to cut the drywall along the new frame. Use a straight edge from your cuts at the top and bottom, and cut out the new niche.

7. Cut four sections of new drywall to cover the new framing. If the area is very small, you can use construction adhesive to hold the drywall in place. If it is large enough to nail in, use drywall nails and hammer them in. The back of the niche should be the back of the drywall from the adjoining room.

8. Tape all drywall joints with drywall tape and compound. Allow the areas to dry and sand them. Repeat the process until the wall is nice and smooth and you can no longer see the joints.

9. Paint the niche and the wall outside the niche. If it's a small niche, you can jazz it up by installing trim around the outside to match the door and window trim in the room.