To estimate the number of 16" on center studs required for exterior walls, how many studs are needed per linear foot of wall?

When estimating the number of 16" on center studs needed for exterior walls, it’s important to understand the spacing and configuration of the studs. “16" on center” means that the center of one stud to the center of the next stud is 16 inches apart.

Since there are 12 inches in a foot, you can fit approximately three sets of 16-inch spacings into a linear foot, with a little bit of room left over. However, when calculating how many studs are needed per linear foot of wall, you will firmly establish that you need one stud at every 16 inches.

At the end of each 16-inch segment (up to 32 inches and beyond), those segments will require a stud at that location to support the wall framing. Since the first stud starts at 0 inches, you place one stud at 0 inches (the beginning of the wall), another stud at the 16-inch mark, and while it's common not to count the fractional residual space left at the end of the wall (like in a typical residential wall that ends before 32 inches), the estimation remains straightforward for each one-foot section.

Thus, you would need one stud for each linear foot, as it encapsulates segments of framing