A timber stud partition is quick to build, but the setting out decides whether the plasterboard goes up cleanly, whether the wall feels solid, and whether there's something to fix a radiator or a TV to later. This guide covers non-loadbearing internal stud walls.
The timber
Most internal stud walls in the UK are built from CLS timber (regularised, with rounded edges), commonly 38 × 63 mm or 38 × 89 mm. The 89 mm gives a stiffer wall and more room for insulation, cables and back boxes. Some joiners use 47 mm sawn timber for taller or heavier walls.
Stud centres: 400 or 600?
Plasterboard is usually 1200 mm wide, so studs at 400 mm or 600 mm centres put every board edge on a stud (1200 is a multiple of both).
- 600 mm centres are common for 12.5 mm plasterboard on a standard non-loadbearing partition.
- 400 mm centres give a stiffer wall, and are often used where the wall will be tiled, where thinner board is used, or where the board maker asks for them.
Always follow the plasterboard manufacturer's guidance for the board you're using. It sets the maximum stud centres.
Set out the centres from one end, so that every 1200 mm falls on the centre of a stud, and add an extra stud wherever a board edge would otherwise land on nothing, such as at a corner or beside an opening.
Head and sole plates
The sole plate is fixed to the floor and the head plate to the ceiling, both into the joists where you can, or to noggins fitted between them. Studs fit tightly between the plates. At a doorway, the sole plate is left in while building and cut out afterwards.
Where the noggins go
Noggins are the short horizontal pieces between the studs. They stiffen the wall, and give you something solid to fix to:
- At the board joints, if the wall is taller than the boards (for example at 2400 mm with 2.4 m boards under a higher ceiling)
- Part way up for stiffness, commonly around mid-height
- Wherever something heavy will hang: radiators, TV brackets, wall cupboards, shelves, a basin or a toilet frame
Noggins can run in a straight line (easier to fix boards to) or be staggered (easier to nail through the studs). Note where they are, so you can find them later.
Framing a door opening
Either side of the opening, a full-height stud (the king stud) runs from plate to plate. Inside it, a shorter stud (the jack or cripple stud) supports a horizontal header at the top of the opening, and short studs (cripples) fill from the header to the head plate. The rough opening is sized to the door lining you'll fit, plus a few millimetres each side for packing.
Regulations and sound
Even a non-loadbearing wall can come under the Building Regulations, for example for fire safety, or sound insulation between bedrooms and other rooms in new homes. If you're not sure what applies, check the Approved Documents or ask your local building control before you build.
Media walls
A media wall is a stud frame too, with a few extras to plan: noggins exactly where the TV bracket will fix, framed recesses for the TV, a fire or shelves, cable routes, and ventilation for any electric fire. Plan the recesses and the noggins before you cut, because they set the stud positions.
Lay it out in JoinerKit
Add a stud wall in JoinerKit, set the timber, the height, the stud spacing (400 or 600, or 16 inches in the US) and the noggin rows, and add door, window or recess openings. It draws the frame, with king and jack studs, headers and cripples, and gives you the cutting list, cut from the lengths you buy.
Questions
Can studs be at 600 mm centres?
Yes, 600 mm centres are common for 12.5 mm plasterboard on non-loadbearing internal walls. Use 400 mm for a stiffer wall, for tiling, for thinner boards, or whenever the board manufacturer asks for it.
How far apart should noggins be?
Put noggins at any horizontal board joints, part way up the wall for stiffness (commonly around mid-height), and wherever something heavy will be fixed. Taller walls may need more rows.
What size timber should I use for a stud wall?
38 × 63 mm CLS is common for standard internal partitions, and 38 × 89 mm gives a stiffer wall with more room for insulation and services.