Stud Wall Calculator UK
Estimate vertical studs, head and sole plates, noggin run and total framing timber for a simple straight timber partition — with the spacing, extras and allowance kept visible.
Estimate the timber frame
Use this for a simple straight non-loadbearing partition take-off. It does not choose a compliant wall system or structural timber size.
What this stud wall calculator includes
Base stud positions come from the wall length and your centre spacing, including both ends.
The base estimate includes one head plate and one sole plate across the entered wall length.
Optional noggin rows are shown as an equivalent continuous run, not a prescribed piece count or spacing.
Why the stud centres are editable
Stud centres are a system and design input, not a universal number this calculator should choose for you. Current British Gypsum timber-partition specifications include tested systems with 600 mm stud centres, and their systems vary by board, insulation and timber arrangement. Use the centres required by the wall specification you are actually building.
The 400 mm value shown when the page opens is only an editable starting point for quick arithmetic. It is not a construction instruction.
Worked example: a simple 4 m wall
For a 4.00 m wall, 2.40 m high, at an entered spacing of 400 mm, with no extra studs, no noggin rows and 0% allowance:
- Base stud positions = ceil(4,000 ÷ 400) + 1 = 11 studs
- Stud timber = 11 × 2.40 = 26.40 linear m
- Head + sole plates = 2 × 4.00 = 8.00 linear m
- Base framing timber = 26.40 + 8.00 = 34.40 linear m
This is a quantity example only; it does not say that 400 mm centres or that framing arrangement is correct for your wall.
Doors, corners and junctions: add them deliberately
Openings and junctions do not create one universal number of extra studs. Their framing depends on the actual detail. If your drawing or chosen system shows extra members, add their full-height equivalents in the calculator rather than relying on a hidden “two studs per door” rule.
For a complete project workflow that also keeps plasterboard and fixings separate, use the Stud Wall Materials Estimator. For sheet quantities use the Plasterboard Calculator, and for fixings use the Plasterboard Screw Calculator.
From linear metres to stock lengths
This calculator intentionally stops at framing quantity. Stock-length optimisation depends on the actual lengths sold, stud cut length and which offcuts can be reused. Once you know the required linear metres, use the Timber Length Calculator as a separate purchasing check.
Before you order timber
- Use the current drawing or tested wall system to set centres and framing details.
- Add known abutment, junction and opening members explicitly.
- Keep timber framing, plasterboard and fixings as separate quantities.
- Check the actual timber section and stock lengths required before purchasing.
- Do not use this quantity tool as structural or regulatory design.
Planning estimate only. The calculator does not verify loadbearing capacity, fire resistance, acoustic performance, Building Regulations compliance or suitability of a timber section. Use the project design and current manufacturer/system documentation.
Primary UK technical source used for this page
British Gypsum — Timber stud partitions: current manufacturer overview of non-loadbearing timber partition systems.
British Gypsum — system A026037 (EN): an example tested specification listing the timber members and 600 mm stud centres for that specific system.
Frequently asked questions
How does the calculator work out the number of studs?
It divides the wall length by the centre spacing, rounds up to cover the final part-bay, then adds the opposite end stud. Known extra studs are entered separately.
Should I use 400 mm or 600 mm stud centres?
Use the centres specified for your actual wall system or drawing. The calculator deliberately does not prescribe a universal spacing.
Does it include door openings?
It does not invent an opening detail. Add the extra full-height stud equivalents shown by your design or system, then handle any shorter trimmers, headers or other members separately if they are not equivalent to full-height studs.
Does it calculate plasterboard too?
No. Framing and linings have different quantity drivers. Use the dedicated Plasterboard Calculator for board quantities.
Is waste added automatically?
No. Extra allowance starts at 0% and remains visible and editable.