SettingsSettings for this calculationUS
Total length of the wall run.
Measure the wall as it is framed, not as it is drawn: outside face to outside face along the bottom plate. Where two walls meet at a corner one runs through and the other butts into it — measure the through wall full length and the butting wall to the face of the first, or the corner gets counted twice. Openings are entered below and are not deducted here, because a window still needs king studs, jacks and cripples: the stud count around an opening is usually higher than the studs it replaced.
Centre-to-centre spacing.
16 in (400 mm) is the default for load-bearing walls and where a sheet finish needs support. 24 in (600 mm) is common for non-load-bearing partitions and where the sheathing is rated for it. Check what your drawing and your code require before choosing the wider spacing.
Number of openings in the run.
Each opening adds king studs, jack studs and cripples. The allowance here is three extra studs per opening, which is the usual count for a standard door or window in a single-storey wall.
Corners plus partition intersections.
A corner or a T-intersection needs extra studs to provide a nailing surface for the finish on both faces. Two extra per junction covers a standard three-stud corner.
Studs required
23 studs
Counts framing at the stated spacing with standard allowances. Headers, trimmers over wide openings and any engineered posts are not included and must come from the drawing.
- Field studs
- 16 studs
- Opening framing
- 3 studs
- Corner framing
- 4 studs
- Whole bays at the centres chosen
- 14
- Short bay where the wall ends
- 0.83 ft
- Plate material (single bottom, double top)
- 58.5 ft
They open the calculator with your figures already in it
Stud Calculator: 23 studs — shown in imperial, US market. The link sets both, so the result they see is the one on your screen.
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How this was calculated
Formula source(s)
- IRC R602.3 — stud spacing and size for load-bearing and non-load-bearing walls
- AS 1684.2 (AU) and BS 8103 (UK) give equivalent stud spacing rules for timber-framed construction
Inputs used
- Wall length
- 19.5 ft
- Stud spacing
- 16 in / 400 mm centres
- Doors and windows
- 1
- Corners and intersections
- 2
Intermediate steps
- Field studs
- 16 studs
- Opening framing
- 3 studs
- Corner framing
- 4 studs
- Whole bays at the centres chosen
- 14
- Short bay where the wall ends
- 0.83 ft
- Plate material (single bottom, double top)
- 58.5 ft
Confidence note: Counts framing at the stated spacing with standard allowances. Headers, trimmers over wide openings and any engineered posts are not included and must come from the drawing.
What this calculation does not cover
- Header sizing over an opening is a structural question and is not calculated here.
- Assumes a single-storey, regular wall. Raked walls, gable ends and multi-storey stacks need a takeoff from the drawing.
Estimated cost — your price
This site holds no price list for this material — local prices vary too much to publish honestly. Enter your supplier's price and the result is costed with it.
Computed in your browser — nothing you enter is uploaded. Presented in US customary units and US trade terminology. Where a formula follows a published standard, that standard and its edition are cited beside it on this page; where none governs, the page says so. Local amendments override model codes — verify against the code in force where you build.
Sources checked 2026-09-06 · in the site-wide review of 2026-09-06 · v1.0.1
Regulatory standards & verification citations2
- IRC R602.3 — stud spacing and size for load-bearing and non-load-bearing walls
- AS 1684.2 (AU) and BS 8103 (UK) give equivalent stud spacing rules for timber-framed construction
Which documents these citations point at
- International Residential Code — R602.3 (United States)One- and two-family dwellings and townhouses up to three storeys — structure, fire safety, energy, plumbing, mechanical and electrical in a single document.
A code or standard has force only where a jurisdiction has adopted it, usually with local amendments. This site holds no adoption data for any authority, so check what is in force with the authority where you build. Any section cited above without an edition should be checked against the edition in force where you build. What it would take to know.
Cite this page
Your workspace
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Tools and safety for this job
To frame a stud wall and cut framing lumber. Generic types, no brands, no prices.
Protection this work requires
- Hardwood dust is a recognised carcinogen: extract at the tool and wear a P2/N95 respirator when cutting or sanding indoors.
- Saws, grinders and breakers run above 85 dB, where hearing damage accumulates and does not recover: defenders or plugs for every cut, not just the long ones.
- Nailing, chiselling and cutting all throw fragments: glasses to EN 166 or ANSI Z87.1, and goggles rather than glasses overhead.
Show the 9 tools this job needsHide tools
Essential
Circular saw
Claw hammer
Combination or framing square
Spirit level
Tape measure
Recommended
Chalk line
Framing nailer
Mitre saw
Optional
Hand saw
Also needed as materials: chalk refill, circular saw blades, framing nails, fuel cells, mitre saw blades.
what each carpentry tool is for, and the spec that decides which to buy where one does.