Contractor Calculator · Framing
Framing Calculator: Stud Count, Plates, and Cut List
Set the wall length, the spacing, and the openings. The stud count, plate lumber, headers, cripples, and sheathing sheets update as you type.
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One bottom plate and a double top plate, per IRC R602.3.2 and R602.3.4. Sheathing counts 4 by 8 panels at 32 sq ft. Code and panel sizes read September 11, 2026.
Framing calculator: price the wall
Defaults: a SimplyWise Cost Estimator run, October 13, 2026, framing a 20 ft, 8 ft tall wall: $600.00 labor, $273.83 materials.
How the framing and stud calculator counts a wall
A framing calculator (or stud calculator) counts wall length over spacing plus one, then corner, tee and opening studs. Most stud counters stop at wall over spacing and miss the last bay, corners, tees and openings.
This framing calculator counts the layout, adds what openings and intersections need, and hands back a cut list. Layout studs inside an opening become cripples, listed on their own line.
Framing calculator worked example: a 20 ft wall at 16 in
A 20 ft wall is 240 in. Divide by 16 for 15 bays, so the layout takes 16 field studs. Two openings at 4 ft add two kings and two jacks each: 4 kings and 4 jacks.
Two corners at three studs and one tee at two add 8 more, so the order is 32 studs. Plates are 20 ft times three courses, or 60 lineal feet.
Each 4 ft opening carries four cripples, 8 cripples in all. At 8 ft tall the wall is 160 sq ft, or 5 sheets of sheathing.
SimplyWise Cost Estimator turns a photo of the wall into an itemized estimate in about 6 seconds.
The framing calculator cut list, piece by piece
| Piece | Count | Rule |
|---|---|---|
| Field studs | 16 | floor(240 / 16) plus 1 |
| King studs | 4 | 2 per opening, full height |
| Jack studs | 4 | 2 per opening, cut to header height |
| Corner studs | 6 | 3 per corner, WFCM 3.4.1.1.3 |
| Tee studs | 2 | 2 per partition tee, backing allowance |
| Cripples | 8 | cut from layout studs over a header |
| Plates | 60 lineal ft | wall length times 3 courses |
| Sheathing | 5 sheets | 160 sq ft divided by 32, rounded up |
Turn the cut list into a priced wall
SimplyWise Cost Estimator turns a photo into an itemized estimate in about 6 seconds, with material and labor lines. Pricing is $29.99/mo or $239.99/yr, about $20/mo on annual, with a 7-day free trial.
Stud size, height, and spacing the code allows
IRC Table R602.3(5) sets the limits. AWC publishes the same numbers in WFCM Table 3.20C.
| Stud | Loadbearing height | Roof and ceiling only | Roof, ceiling, one floor | Nonbearing height |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2×4 | 10 ft | 24 in | 16 in | 14 ft at 24 in |
| 2×6 | 10 ft | 24 in | 24 in | 20 ft at 24 in |
24 in on center works on a 2×4 bearing wall only under a roof and ceiling. Add a floor and the table drops you to 16 in, or a 2×6.
How many jack studs a header really needs
The framing calculator assumes one jack per end, which IRC Table R602.7(1) gives on short openings. Wider spans and heavier snow push that to two or three. These rows carry roof and ceiling only; a floor above cuts every span.
| Header | Snow load | Building width | Max span | Jacks per end |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2 by 2×6 | 30 psf | 20 ft | 5 ft 5 in | 1 |
| 2 by 2×6 | 50 psf | 36 ft | 3 ft 8 in | 2 |
| 2 by 2×12 | 70 psf | 36 ft | 5 ft 10 in | 3 |
Check the span first: one jack where the table wants two fails in bearing.
Lay out the wall without a recount
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Pull layout from one end only
Hook the tape on one end of both plates and mark every 16 in or 24 in across. Bay to bay measuring stacks errors until sheathing joints miss studs.
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Mark the openings on the plates first
Snap the rough openings on the bottom plate first. Kings sit outside, jacks inside, and the marks between them become cripples.
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Count corners and tees separately
A corner takes three studs and a tee takes two for backing. Ladder blocking does the same with scrap and leaves the bay open for insulation.
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Order the plates as full lengths
Order three courses at the wall length, with top plate splices 24 in from the joint below (R602.3.2).
Keep reading
Sources
Code limits
- City of Seattle, Residential Code Chapter 6, Wall Construction (Tables R602.3(5) and R602.7(1); R602.3.2; R602.3.4; verified 2026-09-11).
Wood framing standards
- American Wood Council, Wood Frame Construction Manual 2018, Chapter 3 (sections 3.4.1.1.3, 3.4.1.2, 3.4.1.3 and Table 3.20C; verified 2026-09-11).
Panel sizes
- APA, Engineered Wood Construction Guide, Form E30T (panel dimensions, 4 by 8 ft; verified 2026-09-11).
- APA, Engineered Wood Construction Guide, Wall Construction excerpt, Form E30X (sheathing thickness and span rating; verified 2026-09-11).
Product
- SimplyWise Cost Estimator, App Store (4.8 rating; verified 2026-09-09).
Common questions about framing a wall
Counting studs and plates
How many studs are in a 20 ft wall at 16 in on center?
16 field studs. Divide 240 in by 16 for 15 bays, then add 1 to close the last bay. Corners, tees, and openings add more.
Why is the stud count one more than the wall divided by spacing?
Because spacing counts bays, not studs. A wall with 15 bays has a stud on both sides of every bay, or 16 pieces.
How much plate lumber does a wall take?
Three times the wall length. R602.3.2 requires a double top plate and R602.3.4 a bottom plate, so a 20 ft wall runs 60 lineal feet.
Openings, corners, and sheathing
How many studs does an opening add?
Two kings and two jacks, plus cripples above the header. At 16 in on center a 4 ft opening carries four cripples.
How many studs go in a corner?
Three. AWC Wood Frame Construction Manual 3.4.1.1.3 sets a minimum of three studs at each corner of an exterior wall.
Can SimplyWise price the framing from a photo?
Yes. SimplyWise Cost Estimator turns a photo into an itemized estimate in about 6 seconds, with material and labor lines. Free to try, at $29.99/mo or $239.99/yr.
Turn the cut list into a signed framing quote.
Snap a photo, get an itemized estimate in about 6 seconds. Free to try.