Probably a dumb question

[lockman]

Does there need to be an additional stud wherever the joints in the top and bottom plates join or just keep em all at 24"? For example, if the building is 55' long, and the bottom and top plates are 2-20's and a 15', if the 24"oc studs dont come out right at the end of a 20, should there be an additional stud there at the end of that 20, or just keep going 24"oc? Thanks for the help.

[MountainDon]

Never a dumb question when you aren't sure of the answer. Better to ask before you build it. Going back to correct a mistake is always more time consuming than checking and doing it right first. Not to mention materials.

You don't want to insert "extra" studs as you describe. That'll cause havoc when you go to insulate for one thing. You want to place the studs precisely where you want them to be. If that means trimming a plate length so the plate joints fall over a stud (3/4 inch of one plate and 3/4 inch of the other centered over the stud) then so be it.

You usually will plan the stud layout with the sheathing of the exterior walls as your guide. Remember to allow for the corners and measure and mark the stud positions from there. The interior wall covering, drywall or whatever will be trimmed at the corner and then nail up easily with everything on nice 24" (or 16") centers. Start at one corner and go down that wall from there. When laying out the wall opposite start at the same end so the studs will mirror.

In other words, you adjust the length of the plates to accommodate the fixed standard spacing of the studs.

You don't want to have to trim exterior sheathing panels, or worse, trying to stretch them to fit funny stud placement.

When placing the top plates you want to keep the joints at least 4 feet from any joints in the next plate down. Overlap the corner top plates to tie the walls together.

G/L. Looking forward to seeing what you build.

[lockman]

Ok, thanks. I didn't even think about it throwing off the placement of insulation, etc. I knew it didn't seem right to have part of the plates overhanging without a stud on the end.