What is a Temporary Apartment Wall?

Customizing your apartment can be a great way to make your home fit your personality, be more functional, and fit your needs. One way you can customize your space is by installing a temporary wall in your apartment, and this feature can go a long way in making your apartment just the way you like it. Check out this guide to temporary apartment walls to learn what they are, the types that exist, and the benefits of using them.

What is a temporary apartment wall?

A temporary apartment wall is a wall you can install to divide a room into separate, more private spaces. Also referred to as flex walls for apartments, temporary walls allow you to create divisions between rooms or create new rooms altogether. Since these walls are temporary, you can typically install them in any open space in your apartment, move them to create private space in other areas after a while, and take them down when you move. They are also non-load-bearing, meaning they do not support the ceiling as some real walls do.

Depending on where you live and the type of wall you’re looking to get, temporary walls can cost between $650 to over $3,000. In addition to cost, you must also consider whether:

• Your landlord allows temporary walls: Ask your landlord about adding temporary walls to your apartment and mention why you need the walls, where you plan to put them, and whether you plan to take them with you when you leave.
• A permit is required from the city in which you live: You and your landlord may have to sign paperwork with the city’s housing department explaining what temporary changes you’re making to the layout and space.
• You have enough space to actually fit the walls: Make sure to measure the entire space, including the one you’re making into another room. That way you know how big the walls need to be and how well your furniture is going to fit into each part of the space. If you’re creating a new bedroom, measure the new room’s space to make sure it meets your city’s requirements for bedroom size.

Types of Temporary Walls for Apartments

You can install a few different types of temporary walls in your apartment, each with a unique function and installation process. Your options include:

• Pressurized walls: These flex walls for apartments go all the way from floor to ceiling and stay in place using pressure rods as opposed to inserting nails or screws into the wall or floor. Pressurized walls provide the most realistic and seamless look of fake walls for apartments. You can often customize the walls to have doors to get more privacy. This type of wall is often the most expensive.
• Partial walls: These walls stop about 12 inches from the ceiling to provide some separation of space. Many also feature doorways instead of doors, making them better suited for spaces that don’t need privacy. However, you can provide more privacy by hanging a curtain in the doorway. These walls also do not require screws or nails.
• Bookshelf walls: You can also use really tall bookshelves to create makeshift walls in apartments. Though not technically walls, you can use a bookshelf with a closed back to create a more private space and add more storage to your home. You can also use an open-back bookshelf to create the illusion of another room and separate spaces that don’t need too much privacy, such as separating a dining room from a living room in an open-concept apartment. And when you store books on these shelves, you get a bit of soundproofing.
• Curtain “walls”: These are not technically walls either, but you can also hang curtains between spaces to create the illusion of separation and add a bit more privacy. You can even find curtains that are reinforced with soundproofing. You might consider curtain walls if your landlord doesn’t allow other types of temporary walls. These might be best for creating temporary bedrooms, such as for kids or teens, in smaller apartments.

How can a temporary apartment wall be used?

There are many ways to use temporary walls in your apartment that help you create private space throughout your unit, including:

• Private bedroom: If you have roommates and you’re living in a studio or one-bedroom place, you can use temporary walls to create separate, private bedroom spaces for you and your roommates. 
• Private office or creative space: If you work from home, you might consider sectioning off part of your living space using temporary walls to create a home office. Or, you can use temporary walls to create a private studio for art or music, for which you might want to get soundproof temporary walls.
• Separate living spaces: You can use flex walls to separate your sleeping space from the rest of your living space in your studio. Or, you might want a separate dining room from your living room, which you can make with temporary walls.

Pros and Cons of Having a Temporary Wall for an Apartment

Some of the pros of having temporary walls in your apartment include:

• They can be installed so they don’t block ventilation or sprinkler systems or hinder exit routes
• They don’t damage walls or floors during installation
• You can find styles that blend in seamlessly with your apartment
• You can soundproof temporary walls for more privacy
• You can add reinforcing to hang TVs, electronics, and other heavy items on the temporary wall
• You may be able to lease the walls for cheaper upfront costs
• You can paint temporary walls any color you choose with permission from the wall company

There are some drawbacks to them, however, including:

• You may need a permit from the city to install, depending on where you live
• You may need permission from a landlord to install
• They can be expensive depending on where you live, the ceiling height in your apartment, and the kinds of features you want on the walls
• They might not fit as seamlessly into your apartment as real walls

Whether you’re looking to make a one-bedroom apartment into a two-bedroom or switch up your open-concept layout, temporary apartment walls can help you transform your space just the way you like it.