How to calculate strapping or battens if they are installed every 16 inches

Hi Gio,

Step 1: You need to convert the wall area to wall length. You need to know the wall height for this

First Formula: Wall ft? / Wall Height ft = Wall length ft

Step 2: Knowing that strapping is installed every 16 inches on Ctr-Ctr, now you can work out the number of strapping runs.

So, to find out the No. of Strapping runs. Change the 16 inches Ctr-Ctr to feet = 1.333ft

Second Formula: Wall Length ft / 1.333 ft = No. of Runs (round up because you can’t have partial spacing)

Step 3: Convert into total length:

 Each run is the full wall height:

Third Formula: No. of Runs * Wall Height = Total length

Step 4: Convert Length to pieces:

Each piece of strapping = 8 ft long

Forth Formula: Total Length / 8 = No. of Pieces (this is what you looking for)

Combined Formula direct from ft2: Wall Area / (1.333 * 8) again round to nearest

Or, use this shortcut:

Formula: Wall Area ft2 / (Ctr-Ctr ft * Length ft) =No of Pieces

 16 inches on center = 1.333 ft

 Each piece = 8 ft

Formula 1.333 * 8 = 10.666

Wall ft2 / 10.666 = The required No of Pieces (this is what you looking for)

Then Round up to Nearest and add waste 10%,

Example for 500ft2 wall area: 500 / 10.666 = 46.9 So allow 47 pieces or with 10% waste 47 * 1.10 = 51.7 Round to Nearest = 52 pieces

Does that work for you @Geo ?

Hi Stephen, Yes sir this does work, thank you very much!