Studs, plates, headers and rough-opening framing for a single wall.
Estimates are planning aids, not a professional quote. Double-check quantities and product coverage — and any local code or permit requirements — before you buy.
⚠ This wall is marked load-bearing — header sizes are a simplified span table, not an engineered calc. Verify against your local code or a stamped plan before cutting, especially past a 6-7 ft opening.
| Lumber & Decking | $403–$545 |
| Fasteners & Hardware | $44–$60 |
| Total | $447–$605 |
Excludes tools, delivery, tax and permit fees. Labor not included — this is a DIY materials estimate.
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About this calculator
Enter a wall's length, height and stud spacing and the Wall Framing Calculator lays out the full lumber list: field studs on-center, extra studs for outside corners and partition intersections, top and bottom plates, and headers with king and jack studs for every door and window opening. Turn on load-bearing to double the top plate and size headers to carry weight from above.
It's a pure framing takeoff — studs, plates and rough openings — priced with fasteners and a cost range so you know what to load on the truck before the first stud goes up. Full-height studs are counted one for one, while cripples are converted to stud-equivalents so short offcuts don't inflate the order. It stops where drywall starts: pair it with the Drywall Calculator once the wall is framed, inspected and ready to close in.
Step by step
A step-by-step walkthrough to go with your plan above. Follow the product instructions and any local code or permit requirements as you work.
Chalk-line the bottom plate location on the floor and transfer it straight up to the ceiling or joists above with a plumb bob or laser, so the top plate lands directly over the bottom one.
Cut the top and bottom plates to length and clamp them together, then mark stud layout on both at once — 16" or 24" on-center — so every stud line matches between the two plates.
Mark king and jack stud positions at each door and window, extra studs at outside corners, and a backer stud wherever another wall will intersect this one.
Nail studs between the plates flat on the floor — it's faster and more accurate than toe-nailing them in place vertically. Square the assembly by measuring both diagonals before you stand it.
Set jack studs against the king studs, drop the header on top sized to the span, and nail cripples above the header (and below the sill, for windows) at the same on-center spacing as the field studs.
Tip the assembled wall up, hold it with temporary braces, and plumb it on two faces with a level before permanently fastening the bottom plate down.
Nail into a wood subfloor at each stud, or anchor into concrete with Tapcons or powder-actuated pins on roughly 32" centers, backed by a bead of construction adhesive.
Nail the top plate to the ceiling joists or the wall above, and lap a double top plate over any intersecting wall for a solid structural tie before you move on to wiring and insulation.
Equip the job
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Keep planning
Interior & Finishing
Answers
Start with the on-center count: divide the wall length in inches by your spacing (16" or 24") and add one for the extra end stud. Then add studs for anything that isn't a plain run of wall — two extra at every outside corner for a nailing surface, one at every spot an interior wall intersects, and two king studs plus two jack studs at every door and window. This calculator totals all of it from your wall length, corner count and opening count.
Header size depends on the span it's carrying and whether the wall is load-bearing. As a simplified rule of thumb, a 2×8 doubled up handles openings to about 3.5 ft, a 2×10 to about 5 ft, and a 2×12 to about 6.5 ft on a bearing wall — non-bearing partitions can usually run one size smaller. Anything wider than that, or any bearing wall carrying a floor or roof, needs an engineered header (LVL or steel-flitch) sized by a professional, not a rule of thumb.
Load-bearing and exterior walls should get a doubled top plate — it ties the wall to adjoining walls and spreads the load from the floor or roof above across more framing. Non-load-bearing interior partitions can often get by with a single top plate, which saves lumber, though many framers double it anyway for consistency. Check your local code either way.
King studs run full height on both sides of a rough opening, from the bottom plate to the top plate. Jack studs (trimmers) are nailed to the inside face of the king studs and support the header — their height sets the opening height. Cripples are the short studs above a header (up to the top plate) or below a window sill (down to the bottom plate), kept at the same on-center spacing as the rest of the wall.
The bottom plate needs to be pressure-treated lumber since it's in direct contact with concrete, and it has to be anchored — typically with Tapcon screws or powder-actuated pins spaced roughly every 32 inches, plus a bead of construction adhesive for extra grip. Snap a chalk line for the plate location first, and check whether your slab needs a foam sill gasket for a moisture break. Turn on the concrete option here to include the PT plate and anchors.
2×4 is standard for interior partitions and most non-structural walls — cheaper and enough room for standard wiring. 2×6 is the common upgrade for exterior walls (more room for insulation, thicker R-value) or any wall that needs to hide 3-inch plumbing drain lines. It also lets you span a bit further between studs at the same load. The calculator adjusts both stud and plate pricing for your choice.