How Far Apart Are Studs?

Sara Mandeed
Written by
Last update:

Wall Studs Defined

To understand how far apart are studs?, you need to know what wall studs are. They are the framework, or skeleton, or support of your house's walls.

For the most part, you can think of wall studs as strong, vertical support-screws that stabilize the straight things on the interior of your house (like the drywall or sheetrock). Because these studs are so important, they are reinforced with metal plates, usually at the bottom of every other stud.

What’s the 16 on Center Standard?

This is the most common distance used in construction of houses and other buildings in the United States. 16-inch on-center spacing corresponds to 2-feet on-center (2 “), which is the same as 22.86cm (or 25.4mm) on-center.

2 “works well for drywall, paneling, and many other materials that are relatively light.

The 16 “ allowed by the International Residential Code (IRC) is the minimum distance that must be maintained between two adjacent studs. The IRC uses the terms “half-stud bay,” which is a width equal to the width of a single stud, and “full-stud bay,” which is a distance equal to the width of two studs.

Why Homeowners Should Locate Their Wall Studs

Do you ever wonder why builders and contractors price their labor time based on how many nail bags of 2x4s and 2x6s they use while framing a simple wall? Because they want the materials to be as close to the framing project as possible.

Studs are temporary spacers placed in a framing process for the sole purpose of keeping the lengths of timber equal while being placed. They serve no other purpose. Once the frame’s components have been assembled and the rough openings have been placed for the respective mechanicals, the stud spacer stringers are removed