Paper
partition stud
Hollow tubular stud in 100% recycled paper · a biobased alternative to steel studs for non-loadbearing partitions (plasterboard). Sections 45×70 and 45×95 mm, lengths made to measure. Negative carbon footprint of -0.1 kgCO₂/m. 100% recyclable.
What is a paper partition stud?
The recycled paper stud is a hollow tubular profile made of several plies of paper from cardboard packaging waste and forestry industry offcuts, bonded with an adhesive made from natural ingredients. The paper carries the partition's self-weight, while the tubular geometry provides rigidity in compression and against buckling.
The stud replaces the vertical steel profile of a non-loadbearing stud partition, keeping the horizontal tracks and the whole board and insulation build-up. Its light weight makes handling easier, and the absence of sharp edges reduces the risk of cuts on site.
It is used in framed interior partitions, in office buildings, housing and the fit-out of existing buildings. It can form part of the ERW GreenWALL system, which combines it with Recoma boards and biobased insulation for a fully circular partition.
It is manufactured in Sweden by Wood Tube, from materials drawn from the paper and timber streams of the Scandinavian region. The stud is FSC-CoC certified and, at end of life, returns to the standard paper recycling stream.
Installation & uses
The stud is fitted into a steel track at floor and head, like a conventional vertical profile. The boards are fixed with standard screws, driven directly into the stud. Electrical conduits are run through holes drilled directly in it.
Stud centres follow the producer's recommendations, adjusted case by case according to the weight of the boards and the use of the partition. An official assembly guide covers the common configurations.
In wet areas, the studs are cut slightly shorter than the clear height, to leave a drying gap between the stud and the floor track. This precaution protects the paper from occasional water rising from the floor.
At end of life, the stud returns to the standard paper recycling stream and can be repulped to become raw material for a new batch.
About the producer
Wood Tube is a Swedish producer of recycled paper framing studs, based in Säffle and developed in Karlstad by two paper engineers. The company offers an alternative to vertical steel profiles in non-loadbearing partitions, made from cardboard packaging waste and forestry offcuts.
Its tubular profiles form part of the ERW GreenWALL system, a fully circular partition combining paper studs, Recoma boards and biobased insulation, used in timber buildings, offices and housing in Scandinavia.
No harmonised European standard covers this product. The only candidate hEN for non-loadbearing partition framing, EN 14195, is limited in scope to “metal framing components”, which excludes a recycled paper stud. Nor is there a European Technical Assessment (ETA). The product is covered by a Swedish type approval (typgodkännande) issued by RISE, a national approval under Boverket's PBL/BBR with the same status as a Belgian ATG or a French ATEx, and by a 2025 EPD.
FAQ
Is the paper stud loadbearing?
No. It is reserved for non-loadbearing partitions. Strength, acoustic and fire classes apply to the complete partition build-up, not to the stud alone.
Can it be used in wet rooms?
Yes, with one installation precaution: the studs are cut slightly shorter than the clear height, to leave a drying gap between the stud and the floor track.
What is its embodied carbon?
−0.1 kgCO₂eq per linear metre over the full life cycle, a negative figure, or around a 90% reduction compared with a steel stud. Source: 2025 EPD, compliant with ISO 14025 and EN 15804+A2.
Which section should I choose?
Two standard sections, 45 × 70 mm and 45 × 95 mm, with a wall thickness of 2.3 mm. Lengths are made to measure.
What happens to it at end of life?
It returns to the paper recycling stream and becomes a new stud again. The glue used is natural and non-toxic.
Alongside
Same layer, same use · three materials to compare.
Paper mill sludge and recycled paper, resin-free. Honext · Barcelona.
Dry mineral screed (granite/lava/limestone). Lithotherm · Germany.
Reconditioned raised access floor (wood core + sheet steel). Mobius · Brussels.