How to Determine Lumber for Framing a Bathroom

Use 2-inch by 6-inch studs for bathroom framing.

Bathrooms are usually among the smallest rooms in a house, some being no wider than a standard 5-foot long bathtub. Others, if space permits, incorporate enough floor room for two or more people to use the facilities at the same time. Other than space limitations, each water fixture's location (toilet, shower, sink) should be chosen by keeping in mind the aesthetic feel of the room as well as the possibility of any existing sewer and water supply pipes.

Things You'll Need

• Calculator

Instructions

1. Refer to local building code regulations regarding laws on how far bathroom walls should be away from appliances. If a side wall is close to a toilet, it must be a certain distance away from the toilet bowl so as not to impede the user's space. These measurements go towards determining the location of the toilet's stud walls and consequently how much wood is used in creating the walls.

2. Choose 2-inch by 6-inch studs in bathroom wall frame construction unless local code permits the use of 2-inch by 4-inch studs, if room is extremely limited. The 2-inch by 6-inch studs are wider which allow for easier installation of sewer, vent and water supply pipes that will run along the inside of the stud wall cavities.

3. Calculate the amount of 2-inch by 6-inch studs required with pen, paper and calculator: Take into account that stud walls have a horizontally placed stud at the top and bottom of the frame (called plates), with vertical studs attached to the plates every 16 inches, on center. Account for the necessity of door frames and any required window frames, both of which will be built into the stud frame. Again, refer to local building code regulations as they may dictate a second horizontal plate at the top of the frame.

Tips & Warnings

• Most 2-inch by 6-inch and 2-inch by 4-inch wood studs are available in 8-foot lengths, though some are shorter so they can be fitted between the top and bottom plates of the frame without cutting. The frame's height should be the standard wall height of 8 feet.

• A rule of thumb is to add 20 percent to the calculated amount of lumber needed to create the bathroom framing. If 100 studs are required, an additional 20 studs should be purchased. If not used, most lumber stores allow a return policy with proof of purchase.

References

• How-To Hometime.com: Framing
• "Home Improvement 1-2-3"; Christopher Cavanaugh; 1995