Wall Plate Board Count

The Wall Plate Board Count calculator computes the number of top and bottom plate boards required for a wall based on the length of the wall and whether the top plate is doubled or single. Note: top plates are often doubled for load bearing walls. The user can choose from a list of standard board lengths with a default of 10 feet.

INSTRUCTIONS: Choose your preferred units and enter the following:

• (L) Length of Wall (see diagram)
• (bL) Board Length of lumber used for plate boards. Choose from the list.
• (TP) Number of Top Plates (single boards or doubled for strength).

Wall Plate Board Count (nPB): The Plate Boards required are computed and their number returned.

General Information

Plate boards are the top and bottom boards of a wall.  They are used as the anchors to which the studs are nailed.  For non-load bearing walls, a single plate on the top can suffice.  However, a double top plate is required for any wall that bears a load (weight).   It provides additional span strength between the studs.  If you are adding a wall to an existing structure, that typically means that it is not a load bearing wall, but simply a wall used to divide an  area (e.g. new room in a basement).

Related Calculators

To compute the cost of plate boards for a wall, CLICK HERE.
To compute the number of plate boards needed to frame an entire room, CLICK HERE.