What stud size and spacing does the Ontario Building Code require for walls?
Stud size and spacing come from OBC tables based on what the wall supports. Typical exterior house walls use 38 x 89 mm (2x4) studs at 400 mm (16 in.) o.c. or 38 x 140 mm (2x6) at up to 600 mm (24 in.), with lighter allowances for interior non-loadbearing walls.
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In Ontario practice, 2x6 at 400 mm has become the default exterior wall, driven by SB-12 insulation levels rather than structure; the structural tables would often permit less. Where the tables bite is in tall walls, since unsupported heights past roughly 3 m for 2x4 walls push you to larger studs or engineering, and in stacked loading, where a 2x4 wall carrying two floors plus roof needs tighter spacing. Openings need proper king and jack studs with lintels from the span tables, and plate rules, bottom plate plus doubled top plate with staggered joints, complete the standard package.
Most house walls are built from 2x4 or 2x6 lumber stood up every 400 mm, about 16 inches. The code table tells you which combination is strong enough based on how many floors and how much roof the wall holds up; taller walls and bigger loads need beefier framing.
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This page is provided for general information. Building code requirements depend on your specific project, occupancy and municipality, and code editions change. Always verify requirements against the current Ontario Building Code and confirm with your local building department.