Wall Framing Calculator
with a Cut List
Enter your wall and any doors or windows. See how many studs and plates you need, the lengths to cut, and a drawing of the framing.
Doors and windows · Framing drawing · Works on your phone
For reference only. Header sizes are a rule of thumb. Check them against your local code, and use a structural engineer for load-bearing walls.
How to use the wall framing calculator
- 1
Enter the wall
Add the overall width and height, including the plates, and choose your stud size and spacing.
- 2
Add openings
Enter the door or window size, not the rough opening. Measure its position from the left end of the wall to the left edge of the rough opening.
- 3
Check the cut list
You get a count and length for every piece, and the drawing shows where each one goes.
How the framing is worked out
Stud length = wall height − 4 1/2" (a bottom plate and a double top plate)
Rough opening = width + 2", with door height + 2 1/2" or window height + 2"
Header length = rough opening + 3" (it sits on a jack stud each side)
Plates = 3 runs of the wall width, in 16' boards
For example, a 36" by 80" door needs a 38" by 82 1/2" rough opening, 81" jack studs on a 1 1/2" bottom plate, and two pieces of header at 41". Studs that fall inside the opening become cripples above the header, and below the sill for a window. The bottom plate runs through in the cut list, and you cut it out of the doorway after the wall is up.
What each piece does
| Piece | What it does |
|---|---|
| Plates | The bottom plate and double top plate tie the studs together. |
| Common studs | Full-height studs at your chosen spacing. |
| King studs | Full-height studs on each side of an opening, nailed to the header. |
| Jack studs | Shorter studs inside the kings that hold up the header. Openings over 6' get two per side. |
| Header | Carries the load across the opening. It's two plies, sized by span. |
| Rough sill | The flat piece under a window. |
| Cripples | Short studs above headers and below sills that keep your spacing going. |
Header sizes are only a starting point
The calculator sizes headers by span: 2x6 up to 3', 2x8 up to 5', 2x10 up to 7', and 2x12 above that. Real requirements depend on what the wall carries, including floors, roof span and snow load. Check your local code's header tables, and have an engineer size anything load-bearing that you're unsure of.
What it leaves out
The list covers one straight wall. Add your own studs for corners, wall intersections, blocking and backing, plus some extra for crooked boards. Many framers add about 10%.
Questions
- At 16" on center, an 8' long wall takes 7 studs: one every 16", plus one at the end. At 24" on center, it takes 5. Corners and openings add more.
- Usually 38" wide by 82 1/2" tall for a standard 80" door, measured from the subfloor. That leaves room for the jamb and for shimming. Check the door maker's specs, because some differ.
- Openings in non-load-bearing walls don't carry much, so a flat 2x or a smaller header is often allowed. This calculator always uses a full two-ply header, so it may be more than you need. Check your local code.
- The calculator uses two jack studs per side when the rough opening is over 72" wide, as a rule of thumb. Your code or an engineer may ask for more, depending on the load.
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