Drywall and Framing Takeoff: Walls, Board, Studs and Track

A drywall and framing takeoff starts with linear feet of wall and ends with sheets of board, studs, track, tape and corner bead. In between sit the partition types legend, wall heights, openings and a few company rules. This guide works through it wall type by wall type, with worked counts.

Start with the partition types legend

Every wall on the floor plan carries a tag that points to the partition types legend, usually on an early A-series sheet or with the wall sections. Each type defines:

• Framing: stud size, gauge (metal) or species and grade (wood), and spacing
• Board: type, thickness and number of layers on each side
• Height: to the underside of structure, or a set distance above the ceiling
• Extras: insulation, acoustic sealant, fire rating and the tested design it follows

Example partition types, for illustration:

Treat each wall type as an assembly: one measured length drives the board, framing, insulation and finishing for that type. In MasterFormat, gypsum board and non-structural metal framing sit in Division 09 Finishes, wood framing in Division 06, and structural cold-formed metal framing in Division 05.

Measure wall lengths by type

Measure each wall type as its own item, one floor at a time.

• Measure on one line. The centerline is the usual choice; use it everywhere.
• Do not double count corners and intersections. Run one wall through and stop the other at its face.
• Split a type where its height changes. A P2 wall that runs to a deck at 14 ft in one wing and 18 ft in another is two runs at two heights.
• Keep one-sided walls separate: furring, chase and shaft walls.
• Measure soffits, bulkheads and shafts as their own items. They rarely match any partition type.

Find the wall height

Height comes from the legend, the wall sections and the reflected ceiling plan.

• "6 in above ceiling": with a ceiling at 9 ft, the framing height is 9 ft 6 in.
• "To deck": use the deck height at that spot from the sections; it changes with roof slope and between areas.
• Rated walls usually carry board all the way to the deck, even above the ceiling.

Order studs at the framing height, rounded up to a stock length.

Wall area: length x height

The basic formulas:

• Wall area per side = length x height
• Board area = wall area per side x sides x layers

Worked example, with example values. Say the P1 walls on one floor total 240 LF at a framing height of 10 ft:

• Wall area per side: 240 LF x 10 ft = 2,400 SF
• Board area: 2,400 SF x 2 sides x 1 layer = 4,800 SF

And say the P3 walls total 80 LF at 12 ft:

• Wall area per side: 80 LF x 12 ft = 960 SF
• Board area: 960 SF x 2 sides x 2 layers = 3,840 SF

Openings: deduct or not

Many estimators do not deduct small openings, such as single doors and ordinary windows, from board area: the cut-out piece is usually waste, and the opening adds labor and trim. Large openings, such as storefronts, are more often deducted.

Where to draw the line is a company rule, not an industry standard: write it down and apply it on every bid.

Example: if your rule deducts large openings and a 12 ft x 8 ft storefront sits in the P1 walls:

• Opening area: 12 ft x 8 ft = 96 SF per side
• Deduct: 96 SF x 2 sides = 192 SF
• P1 board area: 4,800 SF - 192 SF = 4,608 SF

The worked example below keeps 4,800 SF, as if the P1 walls had no large openings. Do not deduct studs for openings either: the jamb studs and header usually outweigh the studs left out.

Sheets of board per side and layers

Sheets = board area / area of one sheet.

Pick the sheet that suits the wall height, to cut down joints and offcuts: a 10 ft wall hung vertically suits 4 ft x 10 ft sheets.

• P1: 4,800 SF / 40 SF per sheet = 120 sheets of 4 ft x 10 ft
• P3: 3,840 SF / 48 SF per sheet = 80 sheets of 4 ft x 12 ft

Keep board types apart: moisture resistant board in a restroom or abuse resistant board in a corridor is its own item, even within one wall type. On a two-layer wall, count each layer, since face and base layers may differ.

Studs at spacing

For one straight run: studs = (run length in inches / spacing in inches) + 1.

Worked example: say one P1 run is 20 ft long, studs at 16 in o.c.

• Run length: 20 ft x 12 = 240 in
• Spaces: 240 in / 16 in = 15
• Studs: 15 + 1 = 16 studs

For a whole wall type, work from the total length, then add one for the end of each run:

• P1 on spacing: 240 LF x 12 in / 16 in = 180 studs
• Say P1 is drawn as 6 separate runs: 180 + 6 = 186 studs

The per-foot factors are worth keeping at hand: 12 in o.c. is 1.0 stud per LF, 16 in o.c. is 0.75 per LF, and 24 in o.c. is 0.5 per LF. Some estimators use one stud per LF at 16 in o.c. as an all-in allowance for corners, intersections and openings; check that rule of thumb against your own detailed counts.

Corners, intersections and openings

Add studs where the layout needs them. The numbers depend on your details:

• Corners and intersections: extra studs so both walls have something to fasten board to. A common allowance is one or two extra studs at each; check your details.
• Openings: a jamb stud each side of every door and window. Metal framing details often double them or call for a heavier gauge. In wood framing, each side gets a king stud and a jack stud.
• Backing and blocking: for grab bars, cabinets and handrails, from the interior elevations.

Continuing the example, with example allowances:

• 4 corners and intersections x 2 extra studs = 8 studs
• 4 doors x 2 extra jamb studs = 8 studs
• Total: 186 + 8 + 8 = 202 studs at 10 ft

Plates and track

Metal framing: a bottom track and a top track run the full wall length, so track = 2 x wall length. Walls to deck often need a deflection track at the head, set by the spec; count it as its own item.

Wood framing: a bottom plate and a double top plate make plate = 3 x wall length. Some interior non-bearing walls use a single top plate; follow the drawings.

Worked example:

• P1 track: 240 LF x 2 = 480 LF
• In 10 ft lengths: 480 LF / 10 ft = 48 pieces
• The same walls in wood: 240 LF x 3 = 720 LF of plate

Headers

Every opening in a framed wall needs a header. In wood bearing walls it is sized by the structural drawings or code tables. In metal stud partitions it is usually built from track and stud to a standard detail.

Header length = rough opening width + bearing at each end. In wood framing, the rough opening for a 3 ft door is commonly the door width plus 2 in, so 38 in. With one 1-1/2 in jack stud each side, the header is 38 in + 3 in = 41 in.

Worked example: say 12 doors at 3 ft sit in wood bearing walls, each header made of two 2x pieces (example detail):

• Pieces: 12 doors x 2 = 24 pieces
• Length: 24 pieces x 41 in = 984 in = 82 LF

Count the openings by size from the door and window schedules (see the door and hardware schedule takeoff guide).

Finishing and accessories

• Taping and finishing: the area of the faces that get finished, at the level of finish the spec calls for (GA-214 defines levels 0 to 5). Only the face layer is finished; check whether a rated design asks for anything on the base layer. Board above the ceiling on a rated wall is often fire taped only, so carry it as its own area.
• Joint compound, tape and screws: from the finished area, using the manufacturer's coverage rates.
• Corner bead: outside corners x finished height. Example: 6 outside corners x 9 ft = 54 LF.
• Control joints: at the spacing your spec sets (often by reference to ASTM C840) and where the details show them, such as at door frames.
• Insulation: wall area of one side, for the types that call for it.
• Acoustic sealant: per the type detail, often at the top and bottom on each side, which is up to 4 x wall length.
• Firestopping: penetrations and head-of-wall joints in rated walls.

Waste

Apply waste once, at the end, to the purchase quantities, not buried in lengths or heights. A common range for board is about 5 to 15 percent, depending on the layout, the sheet sizes and how cut up the walls are; framing usually carries less. Check these rules of thumb against what your past jobs actually used.

One wall type, start to finish

The P1 example in one table, with 10 percent waste on board and 5 percent on studs and track (example values):

Doing it in takeoff software

In IntelCost's takeoff, measure each wall type as a Linear or Segment item. Give it a Height, and sub-items with formulas can turn its length into board area, sheets, studs and track, so changing the wall updates every quantity that hangs off it. You can also convert a length to wall area using a height when you want the item itself in square feet. Save a finished wall type as an assembly and reuse it on the next job.

However you measure, the quantity takeoff is only as good as the legend reading behind it: get the types and heights right first.