KORA wall framing takeoff almost always comes down to the same math: a wall length, a height, a spacing and a waste percentage. Once the method is clear, it's mostly about being consistent. Here's how to do it, with a complete example.
What you need before you start
- Wall lengths, measured on the plans, by wall type (2x6 exterior, 2x4 interior…). Measure to the centre or to the outside face, but always the same way across the whole project.
- Wall height, from the section or the notes (e.g. 8'-1" for 92-5/8" precut studs).
- Stud spacing: usually 16" o.c., sometimes 24" o.c.
- Your waste factor: often around 10%, adjusted to your experience and your crews.
1. Studs
The basic rule:
The "+ 1" closes the end of each wall. A 12'-0" wall at 16" o.c. gives 12 × 12 ÷ 16 = 9 spaces, so 10 studs.
This basic rule doesn't count the extra studs at corners, intersections and openings (cripples, jacks, king studs). Two ways to handle them:
- add them separately, opening by opening (more precise);
- or cover them with a higher waste factor (faster, less precise).
Pick one and keep it on every project: that's what makes your estimates comparable from one job to the next.
2. Plates
A standard wall has a bottom plate and a double top plate, so three runs of lumber:
If you buy by the piece (e.g. 16' 2x6), divide the total by the piece length and round up.
3. Sheathing (OSB or plywood)
Small openings are often not deducted, since offcuts rarely make up for them. Deduct large openings (garage doors, window walls).
Worked example: 136 lin. ft of 2x6 exterior wall
Assumptions: 8'-1" high, studs at 16" o.c., 1 wall, 10% waste.
| Material | Calculation | Result |
|---|---|---|
| 2x6 studs × 8' | 136 × 12 ÷ 16 = 102, + 1 end = 103, × 1.10 = 113.3 | 114 studs |
| 2x6 plates | 136 × 3 = 408, × 1.10 = 448.8 | 449 lin. ft |
| 4x8 OSB | 136 × 8.083 = 1,099 sq. ft, ÷ 32 = 34.4, × 1.10 = 37.8 | 38 sheets |
A few things to remember:
- Round once, at the end. If you round wall by wall and add waste wall by wall, you inflate the quantity. Add up all walls of the same type first, then calculate.
- Waste applies after rounding the spaces, and the total is rounded up.
- The stud length depends on the wall height: 92-5/8" for an 8'-1" wall, 104-5/8" for 9'-1", 116-5/8" for 10'-1". For accurate pricing, name the line with its length ("2x6 studs × 9'").
Measure once, reuse everywhere
The same wall length is then used for drywall (length × height × sides), insulation, vapour barrier and paint. The biggest risk of error isn't the math: it's measuring the same walls several times and ending up with different lengths.
That's the idea behind templates in KOR: you trace the wall once on the plan, the "2x6 wall (framing)" template produces the studs, plates and OSB with the rules above (which you can change), and the Drywall, Insulation and Paint items reuse the same length. Fix the wall, and everything updates.
Summary
- Measure walls by type, always the same way.
- Studs: length ÷ spacing, + 1 per wall, + waste, rounded up.
- Plates: length × 3, + waste.
- OSB: length × height ÷ 32, + waste.
- Add up before rounding, and keep the same method from project to project.