Stud calculator & wall framing layout
Work out how many studs, plates and headers a wall needs — with doors, windows, corners and T-walls — and see the stud layout drawn to scale. Imperial or metric, 100% in your browser.
Wall
Height is to the top of the top plate. 8′ 1 1/8″ uses 92 5/8″ precut studs with a double top plate. Lengths accept 12, 12' 6" or 150".
Doors, windows & T-walls
| Type | From start in | Width in | Height in | Sill in | Header | Remove |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Rough-opening sizes. "From start" is the distance from the start of the wall to the left edge of the rough opening (for a T-wall, to the face of the partition). Header sizes are your choice for estimating lumber — size load-bearing headers from your local code's header table or an engineer.
- Common stud
- King stud
- Jack stud
- Header
- Cripple
- Rough sill
- Corner / T backing
- Blocking
- Plates
Lumber to buy
| Item | Size | Length | Net | Buy |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Studs | 2×4 | 92 5/8″ | 9 | 10 |
| Studs for jacks, cripples, sills & blocking | 2×4 | 92 5/8″ | 6 | 7 |
| Plates | 2×4 | 12′ | 3 | 3 |
| Headers | 2×10 | 8′ | 1 | 1 |
| Headers | 2×8 | 8′ | 1 | 1 |
Stud length 92 5/8″ (cut from 92 5/8″ precut studs). Short pieces are packed into stud-length boards with a 1/8″ kerf. About 183 ft of lumber in total.
Cut list
| Part | Size | Length | Qty |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bottom plate | 2×4 | 144″ | 1 |
| Top plates (double) | 2×4 | 144″ | 2 |
| Studs (full length) | 2×4 | 92 5/8″ | 9 |
| Jack studs | 2×4 | 81″ | 2 |
| Jack studs | 2×4 | 82 1/2″ | 2 |
| Header (2-ply) | 2×10 | 41″ | 2 |
| Header (2-ply) | 2×8 | 39″ | 2 |
| Rough sill | 2×4 | 36″ | 1 |
| Cripples above header | 2×4 | 2 3/8″ | 2 |
| Cripples above header | 2×4 | 2 7/8″ | 2 |
| Cripples below sill | 2×4 | 33″ | 2 |
Layout marks
Hook the tape on the start of the wall and mark the near edge of each stud at: 15 1/4, 31 1/4, 47 1/4, 63 1/4, 79 1/4, 95 1/4, 111 1/4, 127 1/4 in (centres at 16″ multiples). Marks inside an opening become cripples; marks that land on a king or jack stud are skipped.
Planning estimate only. Header sizes, stud grades, load paths and fire blocking depend on loads, species, grade and your local building code. Verify with your building department or a licensed professional before you buy or build.
Planning estimates only. Stud counts and lumber lists are for budgeting and ordering. Structural sizes — headers, joists, beams, posts, footings, ledgers and guards — must follow your local building code. Verify with your building department or a licensed professional before you build.
How many studs do I need?
A plain wall needs one stud per spacing plus one: wall length in inches ÷ spacing, rounded up, + 1. A 12 ft wall at 16″ on center takes 10 studs; at 24″ it takes 7. Openings, corners and intersections add more — the calculator above places them exactly and turns them into a lumber list. The default example (12 ft wall, one door and one window) needs 9 full-length studs and 17 studs to buy with 10% waste.
| Wall length | 12″ o.c. | 16″ o.c. | 19.2″ o.c. | 24″ o.c. | Plates (3 rows) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 8 ft | 9 | 7 | 6 | 5 | 3 × 8′ |
| 10 ft | 11 | 9 | 8 | 6 | 3 × 10′ |
| 12 ft | 13 | 10 | 9 | 7 | 3 × 12′ |
| 14 ft | 15 | 12 | 10 | 8 | 3 × 14′ |
| 16 ft | 17 | 13 | 11 | 9 | 3 × 16′ |
| 20 ft | 21 | 16 | 14 | 11 | 3 × 20′ |
| 24 ft | 25 | 19 | 16 | 13 | 6 × 20′ + 8′ |
More lengths and the stud count with corners and a door: how many studs for a wall, 4 to 40 ft.
How to use the wall framing calculator
- Enter the wall. Type the wall length and height (to the top of the top plate), pick stud size, spacing (12, 16, 19.2 or 24 inches, or 300–600 mm) and single or double top plate.
- Set corners and openings. Choose what happens at each end (plain, 2-stud or 3-stud corner), then add doors, windows and T-walls with their rough opening size, position and header size.
- Read the layout. The elevation shows every common, king, jack and cripple stud, headers, sills and blocking, with layout marks along the plate.
- Print the lumber list. Studs, plates and headers are converted to stock lengths with your waste percentage. Print or save the materials list as a PDF.
What the calculator counts
- Common studs on layout from the start of the wall, plus an end stud at each end.
- Corners (1 or 2 extra studs) and T-intersections (2 backing studs each).
- Openings: king studs, jack studs (2 per side over 6 ft), a header of the size you choose, a rough sill for windows, and cripples above and below on layout.
- Plates: bottom plate and single or double top plate, converted to stock lengths.
- Blocking rows between studs, packed into stud-length boards with offcuts.
Framing shed and room walls
Use "Identical walls" to multiply a wall, or run each wall of a room separately. Ready-made wall-by-wall lumber lists: 8×8 shed, 8×10 shed, 10×10 shed, 10×12 shed, 12×12 shed, 12×16 shed.
Frequently asked questions
How many studs do I need for a wall?
For a plain wall, divide the length in inches by the stud spacing, round up and add one: a 12 ft wall at 16″ on center needs 144 ÷ 16 = 9, plus 1 = 10 studs. Then add 2 king and 2 jack studs per door or window, 1–2 extra studs per corner and 2 per T-intersection, and 10% for waste.
Does the calculator count plates?
Yes. It adds one bottom plate and one or two top plates for every wall and converts them to stock boards — a 12 ft wall with a double top plate needs three 12 ft boards. Joints in a double top plate should be offset at least 24 inches.
What is the difference between king, jack and cripple studs?
King studs run full height beside an opening. Jack (trimmer) studs sit inside the kings and carry the header. Cripples are short studs above the header and below a window sill that keep the layout going for drywall and sheathing.
How tall should the studs be?
Stud length is the wall height minus the plates. With a double top plate and a 1 1/2″ thick bottom plate, a 97 1/8″ wall uses 92 5/8″ precut studs — the standard “8 ft” wall. 104 5/8″ and 116 5/8″ precuts are made for 9 and 10 ft walls.
Can I use it in metric?
Yes. Switch to metric for lengths in metres and millimetres, stud spacing of 300, 400, 450 or 600 mm, 38 × 89 or 38 × 140 mm studs and stock lengths from 2.4 to 6.0 m.
Does it size headers?
No. Pick the header depth you plan to use and the calculator counts the lumber. Header size for a load-bearing wall depends on span, roof and floor loads and snow — use your local code's header table or ask an engineer.