Drywall Calculator
Enter the room size and the sheet length you are buying. This counts the sheets, and the screws, mud and tape that finish them.
How the math works
Area = the perimeter of the room x the wall height, plus the ceiling if you are boarding it, less about 18 sq ft per door or window. Sheets = area divided by the size of one sheet, plus ten percent. A 4 x 12 sheet is 48 square feet.
Common questions
- How many sheets of drywall do I need for a 12 by 14 foot room?
- Thirteen sheets of 4 x 12, boarding the ceiling as well. The walls come to roughly 362 square feet after three openings, the ceiling adds 168, and 530 square feet divided by 48 with ten percent over comes to 13.
- Should I use 8 foot or 12 foot sheets?
- Twelve if you can carry them. Longer sheets mean fewer butt joints, and a butt joint is the one seam that always shows under a light, because there is no tapered edge to hide the tape in.
- How many screws per sheet of drywall?
- About 32 on 16 inch framing: roughly every 12 inches in the field and every 8 along the edges. Ceilings take more than walls.
- How much joint compound do I need?
- Around 5 gallons per 1,000 square feet of board for three coats. Buy premixed for the fill and finish coats, and use setting compound for the first coat if you are in a hurry.
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