Find out how many sheets of drywall you need for a room, plus a rough estimate of joint compound, tape, and screws.
0sheets
| Item | Amount |
|---|---|
| Surface area | |
| Joint compound (approx.) | |
| Drywall tape (approx.) | |
| Screws (approx.) |
The calculator finds the area of the surfaces you will cover, subtracts doors and windows, adds an allowance for cuts, and divides by the area of one sheet.
Wall area = perimeter × height = 2 × (length + width) × height
Ceiling area = length × width
Sheets = area × (1 + waste) ÷ sheet area, rounded up
These supply figures are rough planning guides. Actual use depends on your finishing skill and the product, so check the labels.
With 8 foot walls and 4 x 8 sheets, a 12 x 12 room needs about 14 sheets for the walls alone, or about 19 sheets with the ceiling, including 10 percent extra for cuts.
Yes for larger openings, since they reduce the surface you need to cover. Smaller openings are often ignored, because the offcuts are rarely usable and the waste allowance covers them.
Ten percent is typical. Use 15 percent for rooms with many corners, angles, or cutouts.
Four by twelve sheets give fewer seams on long walls, so there is less taping. They are heavier and harder to carry through doorways. Many DIYers use 4 x 8 for that reason.
A common rule is about 1 gallon for every 100 square feet. A 12 x 12 room with a ceiling needs roughly 5 gallons, so a 4.5 gallon bucket may be a little short, and many people buy two.