Bathroom Framing

Stud Spacing

• Standard spacing for wall studs is 16 inches on center, which means the centers of the boards are placed 16 inches from each other. This is important in bathrooms more than anywhere else because the finish material on top of the walls is usually tile or natural stone, which are heavy and require plenty of support. 24-inch centered studs are sometimes used in other parts of the house, but for tile installations they have to be 16 inches.

Included Windows

• Not all bathrooms have windows, but for those that do you have to know how to properly frame in the window to avoid water damage from happening later on in the life of the home. Not only does the window need to be installed properly, but the flashing needs to be included with the framing to ensure water protection. Windows need to be framed in to support the weight of the house, which can sometimes mean double headers, although the structural engineer for your home will help you determine what is best.

Plumb

• Plumb is important in any aspect of the home, and for wood frame walls the general rule of thumb is that no more than 1/4 inch of difference is allowed in any 32 inches of vertical space. The easier way to understand this is to think about the tile installation (if you are going to install one). If the side walls of the shower are out of plumb in the bathroom, the back wall will show this in the size of the cuts as they change from top to bottom. Framing needs to be as close to true plumb (straight up and down) as possible.

Specialty Woods

• Another aspect of framing in bathrooms is that sometimes specialty woods are used to help protect the home from moisture damage. Bathrooms will always have more moisture present than any other section of the house, and while untreated wood can be used in a bathroom the preferred method is to have treated lumber that has been infused with preservatives so that it can withstand the presence of condensation and moisture over the years.