How to Design Wall Framing

Design exterior walls with vertical studs on 16-inch centers, that is, with the center of each stud 16 inches from the center of the adjacent studs. Place studs on wall plates, 2-by-4-inch boards at the bottom and top of each wall. Use standard 8-foot studs for most house walls, unless the designer specifies higher ceilings. Always follow a house plan and local building codes for specifics.

Make double studs where required by a house plan by cutting 2-by-4s 8 to 12 inches long and nailing them between two full studs, through the 2-inch face of the block. Use two blocks per double stud. Double studs are often required at wall corners and door openings, although this will vary with the architectural plan.

Frame doors and windows with full studs on either side of the opening. Put "header" beams, usually 2-by-6-inch boards, horizontally at the top of each opening. Make "footers" for windows at the bottom of each opening. Connect headers and footers to top and bottom places with short studs cut to fit those openings. Put "trimmer" studs at the side of each door and window opening between the bottom of the header and the bottom wall plate or window footer.

Use 24-inch spacing, if permitted by local building codes, for interior walls or in sheds and similar buildings. Wider spacing saves some money in framing materials, but most builders prefer 16-inch interior spacing, which makes walls more solid.

Plan cap boards for all walls, to overlap with adjacent walls. Use cap boards for both exterior and interior walls. Lay each board so its end goes over the next wall; on an end wall, for instance, the cap should extend to the edge of the top plate on the outer wall.