Confirm the floor or deck the wall stands on is level and in plane. A wall built true on a floor that is out will fight you at plates and at finish.
Snap the wall layout lines on the floor and mark every opening, corner, and intersecting wall on the plate stock before cutting.
Sort stud stock on arrival. Crown every stud the same way and set badly bowed pieces aside for blocking and short cuts.
Confirm point loads, beams, and any engineered members are on site or confirmed for delivery before the wall that carries them goes up.
Measurements to confirm
Wall length, end to end, at the plate line, not at a finished surface that may not exist yet.
Wall height and the stud length it needs, checked at both ends and the middle if the floor or ceiling varies.
Stud spacing: 16 in or 24 in on centre, confirmed against the design for this wall, not habit.
Every door and window rough opening, width and height, plus header sizes. Openings are not deducted in the calculator and need extra framing.
Corner and intersection count. The calculator adds a flat 2 stud allowance; complex layouts need more, counted on the layout.
Permits and code notes for Canada, general level
Load bearing walls, wall removal, and new openings in bearing walls commonly need a permit and, in many cases, an engineered design in Canadian municipalities.
Stud size, spacing, and maximum height for load bearing walls are set by span tables and local code amendments, not by this estimator.
General information only, not code advice. Confirm local code and permit requirements with your municipality and a qualified professional before you build.
Material list
Item
Specification or size
Purchasable unit
Quantity
Picked up
Studs
Size and grade as designed, length to wall height
Piece
Plate material
Same dimension as studs
Piece, sold by stock length
Header material
As designed for each opening
Piece
Blocking and backing
Offcuts and extra pieces
Piece
Fasteners
Framing nails or screws as your system uses
Box or pail
Engineered members
Beams or posts where the design calls for them
Piece, ordered to size
Estimates only. Verify quantities, layout, and local requirements before ordering or building. Permits and code notes: General information only, not code advice. Confirm local code and permit requirements with your municipality and a qualified professional before you build.