Carpentry & Joinery Calculators

Carpentry and joinery are fundamental trades in UK house building and renovation. From first-fix framing of stud walls and staircase installation to second-fix hanging of doors and fitting architrave, accurate measurement and material calculation are essential for keeping projects on time and on budget.

Staircases in UK domestic properties must comply with Approved Document K of the Building Regulations. Key requirements include a maximum riser height of 220mm, minimum going of 220mm, a pitch angle no steeper than 42°, and minimum headroom of 2000mm. Our staircase calculator checks all of these requirements and flags any non-compliant dimensions so you can adjust your design before cutting any timber.

Stud walls (partition walls) are the most common way to divide internal spaces in modern UK construction. Using 89×38mm CLS timber at 400mm or 600mm centres, clad with 12.5mm plasterboard on both sides, a standard stud wall can be erected quickly and cost-effectively. Our stud wall calculator works out the exact number of studs, noggings, plasterboard sheets, screws and scrim tape you need, including allowance for door openings.

Door linings and architrave are a key element of second-fix carpentry. Standard UK internal doors come in widths of 610mm, 686mm, 762mm and 838mm, with a standard height of 1981mm. Lining sets typically use 32×108mm softwood for standard walls. Our door lining calculator calculates all the timber lengths and fixings you need for any number of doors.

Balustrades and spindles must comply with the 100mm sphere rule under UK Building Regulations Part K — gaps between balusters must not allow a 100mm sphere to pass through. Our spindle spacing calculator determines the optimal number of spindles and exact gap width to ensure compliance for both landings and staircase rakes.