Framing Calculator
Count the studs for a wall at 16 or 24 inches on centre, with the extra studs your corners and openings take, and the plate stock to buy.
Result
Buy 22 studsEstimate
Layout plus extras, rounded up after any allowanceNo extra is added by default. Extra studs at corners and openings follow the plan you enter.
- Studs on the layout, before extras
- 16
- Extra studs at corners and openings
- 6
- Plate length
- 60 ft
- Plate boards to buy
- 4Estimate
https://calcgallery.com/lumber-carpentry/framing-calculator/
Results are estimates for planning only. Actual needs vary with site conditions, products and workmanship. Always confirm quantities with your supplier and follow local building codes and manufacturer instructions. Read the full disclaimer
How to use the Framing Calculator
- Enter the length of one straight wall and the stud spacing on your plans, measured centre to centre.
- Enter how many corners and openings the wall has, and how many extra studs each one takes in the way you frame.
- Set the rows of plate and the length of plate stock you can buy.
- Read the studs to buy, the layout count before extras, and the plate boards.
How it is calculated
layout studs = ⌈wall length ÷ spacing⌉ + 1extras = corners × studs per corner + openings × studs per openingstuds to buy = ⌈(layout studs + extras) × (1 + allowance)⌉plate boards = ⌈wall length × rows of plate × (1 + allowance) ÷ stock length⌉The layout count is a pure count of positions: a stud every spacing from one end, and one at the far end. The extras are whatever your framing plan adds, so the result follows your method rather than a rule of thumb.
What it does not do
The page counts one straight wall at a time; add walls together for a room. It does not size studs, headers or beams, choose a spacing, or account for bracing, fire blocking or sheathing nailing. Those depend on loads, the structure and local codes, which vary and must be checked with your building department or a qualified designer.
Stud lengths are not given because they depend on the plate thickness, the floor and ceiling finishes and whether precut studs are used.
With your numbers
- Layout = ⌈20 ft ÷ 16 in⌉ + 1 = 16
- Extras = 2 × 2 + 1 × 2 = 6
- Studs to buy = 22
Quick reference
No extra is added by default. Extra studs at corners and openings follow the plan you enter.
| Job | Studs to buy |
|---|---|
| 8 ft wall at 16 in, no extras | 7 |
| 12 ft wall at 16 in, no extras | 10 |
| 20 ft wall at 16 in, no extras | 16 |
| 20 ft wall at 24 in, no extras | 11 |
| 20 ft wall at 16 in, 2 corners and 1 opening at 2 extra studs each | 22 |
| 40 ft wall at 16 in, 4 corners at 3 and 3 openings at 4 extra studs each | 55 |
| 6 m wall at 400 mm, no extras | 16 |
| 4 m wall at 600 mm, no extras | 8 |
Common questions about the Framing Calculator
- How many studs do I need for a 20 foot wall at 16 inches on centre?
- 16 on the layout: 240 inches divided by 16 is exactly 15 spaces, and a wall needs one more stud than it has spaces. Corners, doors and windows add to that.
- Why is one stud added to the count?
- Dividing the wall by the spacing counts the spaces between studs. There is a stud at both ends, so there is always one more stud than spaces. When the length does not divide evenly the last space is shorter, and it still needs its stud.
- Should I use 16 or 24 inches on centre?
- That is a design and code decision this page does not make. Both are common. The US Department of Energy describes 16 inches as the traditional spacing for 2x4 walls and 24 inches as an advanced framing option with 2x6 studs. Use the spacing on your plans, and check local codes.
- How many extra studs does a corner or a window need?
- It depends on how you build them, which is why the page asks. A two-stud corner, a three-stud corner and a corner with ladder blocking all use different numbers, and a window takes king and jack studs whose count depends on its width and header. Headers are not sized here.
- How are plates counted?
- The wall length is multiplied by the rows of plate, top and bottom together, and divided by the stock length, rounded up. It assumes offcuts are used elsewhere along the same wall. Stagger the joints between rows as your plans require.