Drywall Calculator

Enter your rooms or square footage to get the number of drywall sheets, joint compound buckets, tape and screws, and a cost estimate, shown as a room with the sheets hung and the ceiling floated above.

Hanging your drywall in 3D…

Drag to turn · scroll or pinch to zoom · the sheets are hung sideways with staggered seams · "Ceiling" floats the ceiling sheets above the room · the 3D room is room 1

1. The room

ft
ft
ft
ft
ft
ft
ft
ft
ft

2. Openings to subtract

in
in
in
in

3. The board

%
Finishing and fasteners optional
Edit prices typical ranges — replace with your quotes
$/sq ft
$/sq ft
$/sq ft
$
$
$/lb

Typical home-center prices: a 4×8 sheet of 1/2 in board is about $13, 5/8 in Type X about $17, moisture-resistant about $16.50 (32 sq ft each), a 4.5 gal bucket of all-purpose compound about $21 to $25, a 250 ft roll of paper tape about $5, and a 5 lb box of screws about $20. Screws per pound depends on length, so check your box.

Sheets needed

—

Estimated materials: —

How the area adds up
  • Walls
  • Ceiling
  • Sheet
Joint compound, tape and screws
  • Joint compound
  • Tape
  • Screws
Materials list and cost
ItemQtyPriceCost
Things to check
    How this drywall calculator works

    Area: each room's walls are 2 × (length + width) × height. The ceiling is length × width. Doors and windows are subtracted from the wall area. If you enter square feet instead, the tool uses your two numbers.

    Sheets: the tool adds your waste percentage to the board area and divides by the sheet's area (32 sq ft for 4×8, 40 for 4×10, 48 for 4×12), then rounds up. Walls and ceiling that use the same board type are counted together, so offcuts are shared.

    Joint compound: USG says about 10 gal of Sheetrock all-purpose compound finishes 1,000 sq ft of panels; the tool turns that into 4.5 gal buckets. A common heavier allowance is 3 boxes (13.5 gal) per 1,000 sq ft. It is based on the board you hang, not on waste.

    Tape and screws: USG's paper joint tape is about 370 ft per 1,000 sq ft. Screw counts follow GA-216 spacing, which is screws no more than 12 in apart on ceilings and 16 in on walls where framing is 16 in on center (12 in for both on 24 in framing). The tool adds 5% extra screws.

    What the 3D room shows
    • Room 1 is drawn with its back and left walls. Sheets are hung sideways, 4 ft wide, in rows, with the seams in each row offset by 4 ft from the row below so the butt joints never line up. Real jobs cut sheets to fit around doors and windows, as drawn.
    • Sheet colour shows the board type: grey-white standard, pink Type X, green moisture-resistant. Real panels come in brand colours, so use the colour only as a key.
    • The ceiling sheets float above the room in the 3D view so you can see them. In the real room they sit on the ceiling joists at the top of the walls.
    • The stack shows your sheet count (up to 80 sheets drawn) and the buckets show your compound count.

    This tool is a planning aid, not a design. Fire ratings, moisture rules and fastening for your project are set by your building department and the panel maker.

    Sources

    Estimates only — not engineering, legal or code advice. Check requirements with your local building department and a licensed professional before you build.

    Common questions

    How many sheets of drywall do I need for a 12 × 14 ft room with an 8 ft ceiling?

    The walls are 2 × (12 + 14) × 8 = 416 sq ft. Subtract a 36 × 80 in door (20 sq ft) and a 36 × 48 in window (12 sq ft) to get 384 sq ft. Add the 168 sq ft ceiling for 552 sq ft. With 10% waste that is 607 sq ft, which is 19 sheets of 4×8 ft (32 sq ft each).

    Should I use 4×8, 4×10 or 4×12 sheets?

    Longer sheets mean fewer butt joints to tape and finish, since a 12 ft sheet spans most walls in one piece. They are also heavier and harder to carry through doors and up stairs. The tool gives the count for any of the three. Sheet size changes how many pieces you buy but not the square footage.

    How much joint compound do I need?

    USG says about 10 gal of all-purpose joint compound finishes 1,000 sq ft of panels. The 552 sq ft default room needs about 5.5 gal, so 2 buckets of 4.5 gal. Beginners and heavy skim coats can use more, and a common allowance is 3 boxes of 4.5 gal (13.5 gal) per 1,000 sq ft, which the tool offers as an option.

    How much drywall tape do I need?

    USG rates its paper joint tape at about 370 ft per 1,000 sq ft of drywall. The 552 sq ft default room needs about 204 ft, which is one 250 ft roll.

    How many drywall screws do I need?

    The Gypsum Association's GA-216 allows screws up to 12 in apart on ceilings and 16 in apart on walls when the framing is 16 in on center. At those spacings a 4×8 wall sheet takes about 18 screws and the default room takes about 360, around 1.4 lb. Many installers drive screws closer together, so the tool lets you pick 12 in on walls.

    When do I need 5/8 in Type X or moisture-resistant drywall?

    5/8 in Type X is the fire-rated board used where a fire-resistance rating is needed, for example some walls and ceilings between a house and an attached garage. Moisture-resistant board goes in damp rooms like bathrooms and laundry rooms. Your building department decides what is required where, so ask before you buy.

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