# Minimum Panel Width

In various situations, minimum panel widths must be observed:

* min. panel width in the field
* min. panel width at the wall end
* panel must rest on at least 2 studs

These requirements can be set independently of one another. The requirement "min. 2 studs" can therefore be applied independently of a minimum width.

Since version 17.01, these requirements can be configured in the sheathing settings. They can only be considered if the stud layout of this sheathing uses at least one field stud.

If a panel strip falls below the corresponding minimum width or rests on only one post, it will be extended according to the following rules:

* The adjacent panel is split on the nearest field stud.
* This yields two panel strips, one of which is merged with the too-narrow panel. The result is thus a panel that is now wide enough and rests on at least two studs.
* When splitting the panel, creating the new panel joint, and merging the panel strips, a gap between the panels is taken into account accordingly.
* The field stud used is replaced by a splitting stud because it now lies under a panel joint. This may be necessary if field studs and splitting studs differ. Likewise, the former splitting stud is replaced by a field stud because it no longer lies under a panel joint.

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* The technique can be used, for example, for SIP panels without field supports: to do this, the number of field supports is set to 1, but the cross-sectional width of the field support is set to 0.0. In this way no field supports are generated, too-narrow panels are widened and a splitting stud is placed at the new joint; the superfluous splitting stud is removed (replaced by a field stud of width 0.0).

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* The panel widths of the studs remain unchanged.
