Wall framing quantities: studs, plates, headers and total lumber length from wall length, height, stud spacing and openings.
Each opening adds two king studs in this estimate; headers, sills, cripples and noggins are counted in the lumber note, not as separate cut lengths.
studs
How to use this tool
Type the wall length and height, in feet or metres, and the stud spacing in inches on centre.
Count each door or window opening. Each one adds two king studs in this estimate.
The headline is the number of full-length studs: one per spacing interval, plus one end stud, plus two per opening.
Plate lumber is the bottom plate plus one or two top plates, times the wall length. The total adds stud lengths to plate lengths.
Formula & worked example
A 12-foot wall at 16 inches on centre with 1 opening needs ceil(144 / 16) + 1 + 2 = 12 studs, and with a double top plate, 3 × 12 = 36 feet of plate lumber.
Limitations — read this before you rely on it
This is a material estimate for a straight stud wall, not a structural design: it does not size headers, check loads, allow for corners, intersections, blocking, bracing or local building codes, and it assumes a regular spacing with no plumbing or electrical chases.
Frequently asked questions
At 16 inches on centre: 10 studs including the end stud, before openings. At 24 inches on centre: 7 studs.
Because a wall needs a stud at both ends. Dividing the length by the spacing counts the intervals; the extra stud closes the far end.
Two horizontal plates on top of the wall that tie studs together and spread loads from above. Many codes require it, especially under roof or floor loads.
Yes in a real build: jack studs under the header, a header itself, a sill and cripples. This calculator flags that in its lumber note and adds a waste allowance rather than pretending to size them.
No — allow about 10% extra for cutting waste, defects and mistakes, and round plate stock up to available board lengths.