Wood framing calculator

Calculate stud count and board feet for framing projects

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The Wood Framing Calculator helps contractors, carpenters, and DIYers estimate lumber quantities for framing projects. Calculate the number of studs needed for walls, board feet for dimensional lumber, and material costs.

Accurate framing calculations prevent material waste and ensure you order the right quantities for your project. The calculator accounts for standard framing practices including corner studs, king studs, jack studs, and cripple studs around openings.

Enter wall dimensions, stud spacing, and opening details to get precise material counts. The tool calculates board feet for dimensional lumber, helping you estimate costs and order materials efficiently for residential and light commercial framing projects.

Features

Everything you need

Stud count calculation for walls
Board feet calculation for dimensional lumber
Opening and door/window framing
Corner and intersection studs
Plate and header calculations
Material cost estimation
Standard framing spacing presets

How it works

Simple workflow

1
Enter wall length and height
2
Specify stud spacing (16" or 24" OC)
3
Add doors, windows, and openings
4
Review calculated stud count
5
See board feet and material quantities

Use cases

Built for real-world scenarios

Residential framing

Estimate lumber quantities for new construction or renovation framing projects.

Material ordering

Calculate exact stud and lumber quantities to minimize waste and ensure adequate materials.

Cost estimation

Determine material costs for framing work in project bids and estimates.

DIY projects

Plan lumber purchases for home improvement and DIY framing projects.

FAQ

Frequently asked questions

For a 16" on-center layout, you need approximately 0.75 studs per linear foot of wall, plus extras for corners, intersections, and openings. A 20-foot wall typically needs 15-18 studs plus corner and opening studs.

Board feet is a volume measurement: 1 board foot = 1 foot × 1 foot × 1 inch thick. A 2×4×8 contains 5.33 board feet. Multiply: (width in inches × length in feet × thickness in inches) ÷ 12.

16" on-center is standard for most residential walls. 24" OC can be used for non-load-bearing walls or when using thicker sheathing. Always check local building codes for requirements.

Add king studs (full-height) on each side of openings, jack studs (supporting headers), cripple studs above headers, and headers sized for the opening span. The calculator handles these automatically.

Have a suggestion?

We're always looking to improve our calculators. If you have ideas for new features, improvements, or found something that could work better, we'd love to hear from you.

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