Construction
Drywall Calculator
How many drywall sheets do you actually need? Plus screws, mud, and tape — so you make one trip to the supply house, not three.
Enter wall length and ceiling height.
Estimating ratios used
- Sheets: total area ÷ sheet size, plus 15% for cuts and damage
- Screws: ~1 screw per square foot for walls, ~1.25/sq ft for ceilings
- Joint compound: ~0.053 lb per square foot finished
- Tape: ~0.5 linear ft per square foot finished
FAQ
4×8 or 4×12 sheets? +
4×12 means fewer seams to tape (faster, cleaner finish) but they're awkward to handle solo. Pros usually run 4×12 horizontally on 9-ft+ walls.
What thickness? +
1/2" is standard for walls. 5/8" Type X for ceilings (sag resistance + fire code). 1/4" only for curves or layovers.
How much extra should I buy? +
15% is our default. Bump to 20% if you've never hung drywall before, or if the room has lots of cuts.