★ REFERENCE TABLE · CONSTRUCTION · FRAMING
Count studs before you buy them, not at the lumber yard. A 10 ft wall at 16 inches on-center needs 8 studs — buy 9 with 10% waste for cuts and the odd bad board. The chart below covers the common wall lengths at both standard spacings, and the calculator handles any length, spacing, and waste percentage you enter.
A wall is a row of spaces, not a row of studs: studs sit at both ends of every space, so a wall always needs one more stud than it has spaces. That +1 is the mistake most first-time framers make, and it is why a 10 ft wall at 16-inch spacing needs 8 studs, not 7. Enter the wall length, pick the spacing, add waste for cuts and culls, and the calculator gives you the shopping number.
Studs needed = floor(wall length in inches ÷ spacing in inches) + 1. Wall length in inches = feet × 12. Studs to buy = ceiling(studs needed × (1 + waste ÷ 100)). The floor matters: a 10 ft wall is 120 inches, and 120 ÷ 16 = 7.5 spaces, which floors to 7 spaces, plus the end stud = 8 studs. The last bay is simply shorter than 16 inches. This page counts straight-run studs only: it does not add king and jack studs around doors and windows, corner studs, blocking, or top and bottom plates, so add those separately for a real wall with openings.
| Wall length | In inches | Studs at 16 in on-center | Studs at 24 in on-center |
|---|---|---|---|
| 8 ft | 96 in | 7 | 5 |
| 10 ft | 120 in | 8 | 6 |
| 12 ft | 144 in | 10 | 7 |
| 16 ft | 192 in | 13 | 9 |
| 20 ft | 240 in | 16 | 11 |
Rule: studs = floor(wall length in inches ÷ spacing) + 1. The +1 is the end stud: a wall of N spaces between studs needs N + 1 studs. Print this page before you go to the lumber yard.
Setup: 10 ft wall, 16 inches on-center, 10% waste.
Line 1 — inches. 10 × 12 = 120 inches.
Line 2 — spaces. floor(120 ÷ 16) = floor(7.5) = 7 spaces.
Line 3 — studs needed. 7 + 1 = 8 studs.
Line 4 — studs to buy. ceiling(8 × 1.10) = ceiling(8.8) = 9 studs.
12 ft wall, 16 inches on-center. floor(144 ÷ 16) + 1 = 10 studs, buy 11 with 10% waste. A standard bedroom wall, and the most common length you will frame.
10 ft wall, 24 inches on-center. floor(120 ÷ 24) + 1 = 6 studs, buy 7 with 10% waste. Wider spacing saves two studs on this wall, but only where it is allowed — see the accuracy note.
20 ft wall, 16 inches on-center. floor(240 ÷ 16) + 1 = 16 studs, buy 18 with 10% waste. On a long wall the waste allowance adds two full studs, which is exactly when you want it.
No waste, 10 ft wall, 16 inches on-center. 8 studs needed, buy 8. Only choose 0% waste if you are cutting from a pile you already own and can afford a second trip.
| Output | Formula | What it means |
|---|---|---|
| Studs needed | floor(length in inches ÷ spacing) + 1 | 8 at the defaults — the studs the wall itself requires, end stud included. |
| Studs to buy | ceiling(studs needed × (1 + waste ÷ 100)) | 9 at the defaults — the shopping number, with cuts and bad boards covered. |
| Spaces between studs | floor(length in inches ÷ spacing) | 7 at the defaults — one fewer than the studs, because every space has a stud at both ends. |
The arithmetic is exact for a straight run of wall, but a real wall needs more than straight-run studs: add king and jack studs at doors and windows, extra studs at corners and wall intersections, blocking and fire stops where required, and top and bottom plates, none of which this page counts. On spacing, general guidance only — this is not code advice, and local code governs: 16-inch spacing is the safe standard for load-bearing walls and for walls carrying heavy finishes like tile or stone, while 24-inch spacing is commonly used for non-load-bearing interior partitions where the local code allows it, and it is generally not acceptable for load-bearing walls, tall walls, or walls supporting upper floors or roofs. Always check your local building code and, for structural walls, a qualified professional before framing at 24 inches. Stud length is also outside this page: a standard 8 ft wall uses precut studs, but taller walls need longer stock. Error policy: missing, non-numeric, or out-of-range inputs are reported as errors rather than calculated.
Bright Side Kit. "Stud Spacing Chart & Stud Calculator." https://brightoolbox.com/stud-spacing-chart/ Accessed October 24, 2026.8 studs at 16 inches on-center, 6 at 24 inches. The rule is floor(length in inches ÷ spacing) + 1: a 10 ft wall is 120 inches, which is 7.5 spaces at 16 inches, floored to 7 spaces, plus the end stud = 8.
Because a wall has one more stud than spaces. Each space sits between two studs, and the last space needs its far-end stud too. Forgetting the +1 is the classic undercount, and it leaves you one stud short on delivery day.
Generally no — and this page is general guidance, not code advice. 16-inch spacing is the standard for load-bearing walls. 24-inch spacing is commonly used for non-load-bearing partitions where local code allows it. Check your local code before framing at 24 inches.
10% is a sensible default; 15% for long walls or lower-grade lumber. Waste covers cuts, splits, and warped boards you cull on site. It is far cheaper than a second trip to the lumber yard mid-project.
No — this page counts straight-run studs only. Add king and jack studs at each opening, extra studs at corners and intersections, and top and bottom plates separately for a complete lumber list.
2x4 for most interior walls, 2x6 where insulation depth or load demands it. The count on this page is the same either way; the size is a separate decision driven by code, insulation, and what the wall carries.
16 inches on-center is the standard. That means 16 inches from the center of one stud to the center of the next, which suits standard 4 ft drywall and plywood sheets with no ripping.
Yes — use your browser's print function. The chart table prints cleanly, so you can take the 8/10/12/16/20 ft rows to the lumber yard without your phone.