How To Calculate Studs Needed

Calculating the number of studs needed for the construction of a stud-wall can save time and money during the planning stages. Typical 2-by-4 stud wall construction is done using a top plate, a bottom plate and a number of vertical studs in between. The studs are typically placed on 16-inch centers, which mean the distance between the center lines of each vertical stud is 16 inches.

Step 1

Determine the length of the stud wall to be built. For instance, assume you are building a stud wall that will be 16-feet long.

Step 2

Convert the 16 feet into inches by multiplying by 12 (12 inches equals one foot). The result is 192 inches.

Step 3

Determine the number of 16-inch gaps between stud center lines by dividing the total wall length by 16. Your calculation is 192 divided by 16, which equals 12. Since there are 12 spaces in the wall, the number of vertical studs required is also 12. However, there must be one more added to the end for a total of 13 studs.