Stud Calculator
Calculate wall studs, plates, and headers for framing. Includes corners, door and window openings with 16-inch or 24-inch on center spacing.
How to Use This Calculator
Accurate stud counts prevent multiple trips to the lumber yard and ensure your walls are properly framed. Here's how to calculate:
- Enter the total wall length in feet. For multiple walls, calculate each separately or add the lengths together.
- Enter the wall height (standard is 8 feet for most residential construction).
- Select stud spacing: 16" OC for load-bearing walls, 24" OC for non-load-bearing interior walls.
- Enter the number of corners, doors, and windows to account for additional framing.
- Click 'Calculate' to see total studs needed plus plates and headers.
Why This Matters
Wall framing is the skeleton of your building - get it wrong and you'll have structural problems, crooked walls, or insufficient support for finishes. Calculating materials accurately also helps with budgeting and prevents costly mid-project delays.
- Know exact stud counts including corners, doors, and windows
- Calculate plate lumber needed for top and bottom plates
- Determine header sizes for door and window openings
- Account for king studs, jack studs, and cripples
- Include waste factor for cuts and defects
Worked Examples
Simple Interior Wall
A 12-foot interior wall, 8 feet tall, with one 32" door, 16" OC spacing.
Calculation: Base studs: (144" ÷ 16) + 1 = 10 studs. Door adds 4 studs (2 king, 2 jack). Total: 14 studs.
Result: Order 16 studs (with 10% waste), plus 36 linear feet of plate lumber.
Exterior Wall with Windows
A 20-foot exterior wall, 8 feet tall, with two 36" windows, 2x6 studs at 16" OC.
Calculation: Base studs: (240" ÷ 16) + 1 = 16 studs. Windows add 16 studs (king, jack, cripples). Total: 32 studs.
Result: Order 36 studs (with 10% waste), 60 linear feet of 2x6 plates, and header material.
Room with Corner
Two 10-foot walls meeting at a corner, 9-foot ceiling, one 36" door.
Calculation: 20 linear feet total. Base studs: 16. Corner: 3 studs. Door: 6 studs (king, jack, cripples).
Result: Order 28 studs at 92-5/8" length, plus plates and a 2x6 header for the door.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Forgetting to add studs for corners - you need 3-4 studs per corner for proper drywall backing.
- Not accounting for king studs and jack studs at openings - doors and windows require additional framing.
- Using wrong stud spacing - 24" OC is not acceptable for load-bearing walls in most codes.
- Ordering wrong length studs - precut studs are sized for specific ceiling heights with plates.
- Undersizing headers - always verify header size with span tables for load-bearing walls.