About stud spacing

Stud centres depend on the lining system, board size, loading and project specification. 400 mm and 600 mm centres are common planning inputs, but always follow the board and system manufacturer's requirements.

Openings, door frames, noggins, corners, services and structural requirements can significantly increase timber quantity.

What the timber estimate includes

The calculator spaces ordinary vertical studs along a straight wall and adds one top plate and one bottom plate to the approximate timber length. The selected centres are measured from stud to stud. A wall 4.8 m long at 600 mm centres therefore needs a different stud count from the same wall framed at 400 mm centres.

Real partitions need additional timber

Door openings normally require jamb studs and a head, while corners, intersections and board edges may need extra framing. Noggins, service zones, pattressing for wall-mounted items and double studs are not automatically included. Those details can add materially to the timber requirement, which is why the calculator includes a separate waste allowance but describes the result as an estimate.

Check the wall system before ordering

Stud spacing must suit the plasterboard or lining system and any loading requirements. Timber section size, treatment, structural performance, fire resistance and acoustic construction are outside this quantity calculation. Use the calculator after the wall build-up has been chosen, then compare the resulting lengths with the stock timber sizes available so that cutting can be planned efficiently.

Plan stock lengths before purchase

The total timber length is not the same as a shopping list of individual pieces. Compare the required stud height and plate lengths with merchant stock sizes, then plan where offcuts can be reused. That step can reduce waste more effectively than simply increasing the percentage allowance.