Drywall Calculator

Sheets, mud, tape, screws and corner bead for any room, with cost.

Project Details
Enter your measurements and requirements
Results
Calculated estimates for your project
Area to cover352 sq ft walls + 144 sq ft ceiling
Drywall sheets17 total: 13 x 4x8 for walls, 4 x 4x12 for the ceiling
Drywall screws656 screws, 1-1/4 in coarse thread (about 3 lb)
Joint tape176 ft, 1 roll of 250 ft
Joint compound37 lb, 1 bucket (4.5 gal)
Sheet weightAbout 973 lb in all
Material cost$357 ($72 per 100 sq ft)
Hire it out$992 to $1,736 installed and finished ($2 to $3.50 per sq ft)

How much to buy

Low, 5% waste
16 sheets
Typical, 10% waste
17 sheets
High, 15% waste
17 sheets

Formula: (352 sq ft walls + 144 sq ft ceiling) / sheet area, plus 10% waste, rounded up to whole sheets.

  • Keep leftover pieces to the waste figure by hanging full sheets first.

Turn these numbers into a build plan.

  • 496 sq ft total area
  • 17 @ 4x8 (walls) and 4x12 (ceiling) sheets
  • 1 bucket joint compound
Materials List
Recommended materials and quantities
Drywall 1/2 in, 4x813 sheets
Drywall 1/2 in, 4x124 sheets
Joint compound1 buckets, $20
Paper tape1 rolls, $6
1-1/4 in drywall screws3 lb, $27
12 ft wall: 2 rows of 4x8 sheets, butt joints staggered

Window returns, arches and edge bead are in the corner bead calculator. Next: paint your new walls with the paint calculator, or insulate first with the wall insulation calculator.

Next you will need

Corner Bead and Drywall Trim CalculatorPaint Calculator

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Project plan · built from your numbers

Hang and finish drywall, 17 sheets (496 sq ft)

Cover the walls and ceiling of a 12 x 12 ft room with 8 ft walls using 17 4x8 (walls) and 4x12 (ceiling) sheets (10% waste included), then tape and finish to a paint-ready Level 4.

Materials
$377
Time
1 weekend plus 2 evenings
Level
Intermediate
8 steps 9 tools 8 materials
  1. 1

    Prep the framing

    Confirm the framing is flat, add blocking at outside corners and for anything you will hang later, and mark stud and joist centers on the floor and top plate.

    • Inspections done for electrical and plumbing
    • Add blocking where needed
    • Mark framing centers
  2. 2

    Hang the ceiling first

    Lift the 4 ceiling sheets perpendicular to the joists with the drywall lift. Stagger end joints and screw every 12" in the field.

    • Run sheets across the joists
    • Stagger butt joints
    • Screws 12" on center
  3. 3

    Hang the walls

    Hang the remaining sheets horizontally, top row tight to the ceiling, with butt joints staggered between rows. Screws every 16" on walls, set just below the paper.

    • Top row first, tight to the ceiling
    • Leave 1/2" gap at the floor
    • Cut outlets as you go
01 · Your numbers
Total area
496 sq ft
Sheets
17 @ 4x8 (walls) and 4x12 (ceiling)
Joint compound
1 bucket
Est. cost
$377
02 · The plan

8 steps · 9 tools · 8 materials

5 more steps, the full tool list and a shopping list you can check off as you go.

03 · Finished

Your plan is 60% built. Save it.

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Hang and finish drywall, 17 sheets (496 sq ft)

Finished in 1 weekend plus 2 evenings · $377 DIY

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Borrow these 9 tools from neighborsFull how-to guide: Hang and finish drywall

How to calculate drywall

  1. Measure the walls. Add up the length of each wall and multiply by the height: a 12 x 12 room with 8 ft walls is 48 x 8 = 384 sq ft.
  2. Subtract openings. Take off about 20 sq ft per door and 12 sq ft per window. Many pros leave small windows in and use the cutout as waste.
  3. Add the ceiling. Length x width: 144 sq ft. Hang the ceiling first, with the longest sheets you can lift.
  4. Divide by sheet area. 32 sq ft for 4 x 8, 48 for 4 x 12. Add 10% for waste and round up, separately for walls and ceiling.
  5. Add finishing materials. About 32 screws per 4 x 8 on walls and 40 on ceilings, tape for every seam and inside corner, and 0.07 lb of all-purpose mud per sq ft.

Drywall sheets needed by room size

4 x 8 sheets with 10% waste, no openings subtracted
Room8 ft walls8 ft walls + ceiling9 ft walls9 ft walls + ceiling
8 x 10 ft10131215
10 x 10 ft11151317
10 x 12 ft13181419
12 x 12 ft14191520
12 x 15 ft15221724
12 x 20 ft18272029
14 x 16 ft17251927

Drywall sheet weight

Thickness4 x 84 x 12Screw length
1/4 in38 lb58 lb1 in
3/8 in45 lb67 lb1 in
1/2 in51 lb77 lb1-1/4 in
5/8 in70 lb106 lb1-5/8 in
5/8 in Type X74 lb110 lb1-5/8 in

Drywall finish levels

LevelWhat it meansMud
0 to 1Hung, tape bedded only (attics, above ceilings)Very little
2Tape plus one coat (garages, under tile)About half of Level 4
3Two coats, for heavy textureAbout 75%
4Three coats, sanded smooth for flat or eggshell paintThe calculator's estimate
5Level 4 plus a skim coat, for gloss or raking lightAbout 1.5 times

Keep the drywall cheat sheet on hand for screw spacing and coat order, and the texture and repair cheat sheet for patches. Bead for windows and arches comes from the corner bead calculator; the paint calculator finishes the job.

Before you hang drywall on an exterior wall, check the insulation with the wall R-value calculator.

Need a drywall lift for this? Rent vs buy it here.

Drywall calculator FAQ

How many screws per 4x8 sheet of drywall?

About 32 on walls (every 12 in on the edges and 16 in in the field) and about 40 on ceilings (every 12 in). Use 1-1/4 in coarse-thread screws for 1/2 in drywall and 1-5/8 in for 5/8 in.

How many sheets of drywall do I need for a 12x12 room?

With 8 ft walls, one door and one window: 13 sheets of 4 x 8 for the walls and 4 sheets of 4 x 12 for the ceiling, including 10% waste.

How do I calculate corner bead?

Count the outside corners and multiply by the wall height. Buy 8 ft sticks for 8 ft walls and 10 ft sticks for 9 ft walls so each corner is one piece. Window returns and arches are in the corner bead calculator.

How much tape do I need per sheet?

Roughly 12 to 15 ft per sheet once the long seams, butt joints and inside corners are counted. A 250 ft roll covers about 18 to 20 sheets.

How much does it cost to drywall a 12x12 room?

About $357 in materials for walls and ceiling at current prices (around $16 for a 1/2 in 4 x 8 sheet). Hiring it out, hung and finished to Level 4, runs $992 to $1,736.

Should I subtract doors and windows?

Subtract doors and large windows. For small windows many pros hang right over them and cut them out, since the offcut rarely fits elsewhere; the waste allowance covers it.

Is sheetrock the same as drywall?

Yes. Sheetrock is USG's brand name for gypsum drywall, like Kleenex for tissues. Gypsum board and wallboard mean the same thing.

Should I use 1/2 inch or 5/8 inch drywall?

1/2 in for most walls. 5/8 in, often Type X, for ceilings with joists 24 in apart, garage walls shared with the house and anywhere fire rating is required.

Related calculators

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Corner Bead and Drywall Trim Calculator

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Paint Calculator

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Rolls, bags, depth and cost for attics, walls and floors, matched to your climate zone

Related cheat sheets

All cheat sheets

Drywall Cheat Sheet

Materials estimator, screw spacing diagrams, screw length, coverage per sheet, which board where, set times, knife sizes, taping and repairs

Drywall Texture Repair Guide

Texture picker, repair method planner by patch size, mud ratios and PSI, timeline, why the patch still shows, DIY vs pro cost and FAQ

Soundproofing Guide

STC ratings, mass-loaded vinyl, resilient channel, green glue, and door sealing

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