Stud Spacing Calculator

Framing a wall starts with knowing exactly how many studs to buy. This calculator gives you the stud count for any wall length at your chosen spacing, plus extra studs for door and window openings that require jack studs and king studs on each side. The two standard stud spacings in residential construction are 16 inches on center and 24 inches on center. The 16-inch spacing is by far the most common and is required by code for most load-bearing walls. It provides a solid nailing surface for drywall and supports standard insulation batt widths. The 24-inch spacing is allowed for non-load-bearing interior partition walls and is sometimes used in advanced framing techniques to reduce lumber use and increase insulation space. Every wall needs a stud at each end regardless of spacing. That is why the formula adds one extra stud beyond the spacing calculation. Corners where two walls meet need additional studs or blocking to provide a nailing surface for drywall on both sides of the corner. A standard corner uses three studs. Door and window openings each require two king studs running full height and two jack studs (also called trimmer studs) cut to the header height. The jack studs support the header above the opening. A header is typically built from doubled 2x10 or 2x12 lumber with plywood sandwiched between for load-bearing walls. Non-load-bearing walls can use a flat 2x4 as a header. Do not forget the top and bottom plates. Each wall needs a bottom plate and a doubled top plate, each the full length of the wall. For a 20-foot wall, that is three 20-foot 2x4s just for plates. Also add a few extra studs to your order for blocking, fire stops, and backing for things like towel bars and TV mounts that need solid wood behind the drywall.