Stud wall calculator: studs, plates, noggins and plasterboard
The calculator needs JavaScript. The worked example, formula and figures below show exactly how it works, so you can do the sum yourself. A guide, not advice. Check your supplier's or maker's figures before ordering.
Short answer
Worked example
| You enter | Value |
|---|---|
| Wall length | 3.6 m |
| Wall height | 2.4 m |
| Stud centres | 400 mm |
| Rows of noggins | 1 |
| Timber length you can buy | 4.8 m |
| Allowance per piece | 100 mm |
| Plasterboard | Both sides |
| Board size | 2400 × 1200 mm |
| Board waste allowance | 10% |
| Acoustic insulation between the studs | No |
Order: 12 timber lengths (10 studs, 9 noggins) and 7 plasterboards
| Result | Value |
|---|---|
| Studs | 10 |
| Head and sole plates | 7.2 m |
| Noggins | 9 |
| Timber lengths to buy | 12 |
| Plasterboards | 7 |
| Length | Cut into | Offcut |
|---|---|---|
| 1 (4.8 m) | Head plate: 3.7 m; Noggin 1: 0.5 m; Noggin 2: 0.5 m | 0.1 m |
| 2 (4.8 m) | Sole plate: 3.7 m; Noggin 3: 0.5 m; Noggin 4: 0.5 m | 0.1 m |
| 3 (4.8 m) | Stud 1: 2.5 m; Noggin 5: 0.5 m; Noggin 6: 0.5 m; Noggin 7: 0.5 m; Noggin 8: 0.5 m | 0.3 m |
| 4 (4.8 m) | Stud 2: 2.5 m; Noggin 9: 0.5 m | 1.8 m |
| 5 (4.8 m) | Stud 3: 2.5 m | 2.3 m |
| 6 (4.8 m) | Stud 4: 2.5 m | 2.3 m |
| 7 (4.8 m) | Stud 5: 2.5 m | 2.3 m |
| 8 (4.8 m) | Stud 6: 2.5 m | 2.3 m |
| 9 (4.8 m) | Stud 7: 2.5 m | 2.3 m |
| 10 (4.8 m) | Stud 8: 2.5 m | 2.3 m |
| 11 (4.8 m) | Stud 9: 2.5 m | 2.3 m |
| 12 (4.8 m) | Stud 10: 2.5 m | 2.3 m |
Show the working
- Studs: 3.6 m ÷ 400 mm, rounded up, + 1 = 10
- Plates: 2 × 3.6 m = 7.2 m
- Noggins: 1 row × (10 − 1) = 9
- Timber: 21 pieces with 100 mm each, from 4.8 m lengths = 12 lengths (57.6 m bought)
- Boards: (3.6 × 2.4 m) × 2 sides × 1.1 (10% waste) ÷ 2.88 m² = 6.6, rounded up to 7
How it works
- Studs = wall length ÷ centres, rounded up, + 1, + 2 per opening (king and jack studs)
- Plates = 2 × wall length (the sole plate is cut out at doors after fixing)
- Noggins = rows × (studs − 1), each about one stud centre long
- Boards = (length × height − openings) × sides × (1 + waste) ÷ board area, rounded up
- Timber lengths: studs, plates, noggins and door heads packed into stock lengths (first-fit decreasing)
A stud wall that carries a load, or replaces one that did, needs a structural engineer or building control: this calculator is for non-load-bearing partitions.
Our default (adjustable)
These are typical planning figures and our own allowances, not facts about your product. Change any of them in the calculator to match your bag, pack or tin.
| Figure | Our default (adjustable) | Kind | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Timber length you can buy | 4.8 m | Common UK size Not yet checked against the source | From your product Lengths of 2.4, 3.6 and 4.8 m are common. |
| Allowance per piece | 0.1 m | Our assumption Not yet checked against the source | Our choice: change it to suit your job Allowance per piece for squaring ends and mitres (brief v2 FL2). |
| Board waste allowance | 10 % | Our assumption Not yet checked against the source | Our choice: change it to suit your job Cuts and offcuts. |
| Insulation per pack | Enter from the bag, pack or tin | Common UK size Not yet checked against the source | From your product From the roll or slab pack. |
| Screws per board | Enter from the bag, pack or tin | Typical value Not yet checked against the source | From your product Enter from the board maker's fixing guide. |
Regulations and standards
- British Gypsum and Knauf partition guides (stud centres for the board)
Our checks use the guidance for England unless a badge says otherwise. Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland have their own rules: check the source for where you live.