Drywall Calculator
Enter a room and its ceiling height, or a total wall and ceiling area, and get the full material list: drywall sheets, joint compound, tape, screws, and corner bead, plus a 2026 cost estimate. It works with any sheet size, and it is free to use with no signup.
Leave standard doors and windows in and let the offcuts cover your waste. Only deduct an opening bigger than a full sheet (over 32 sq ft), or your exact door and window area for a tight bid.
A 4×8 sheet covers 32 sq ft. Bigger sheets mean fewer seams to tape on long walls and tall ceilings.
10% for a simple square room, 15% for a cut-up space with cathedral ceilings, closets, and lots of corners.
Board only. A 1/2 in 4×8 sheet runs about $12 to $20; compound, tape, and screws are extra (see the cost table below).
Illustration, not to scale
Illustration, not to scale
Drywall sheets (with 10% waste)
21sheetsof 4×8
416 sq ft walls + 168 sq ft ceiling = 584 sq ft to cover.
A material list to price and order from, not a substitute for measuring. Field-measure or take off the plan before you buy.
Got your wall and ceiling areas by hand?
Measure them off the plan instead. Easy Takeoffs takes off wall and ceiling areas straight from the PDF to scale, so your sheet, mud, and screw counts come from the drawing. 14-day trial, no card.
How much does drywall cost?
Drywall runs about $1.50 to $3.00 per square foot installed in 2026, hung and finished, so a typical room is around $2.40 a square foot, or roughly $77 for a 4×8 sheet in place. Materials alone are far less, about $0.60 to $0.75 per square foot: a 1/2 inch 4×8 sheet is $12 to $20, a bucket of compound $20 to $25, and tape, screws, and corner bead a few dollars each. Labor is the bigger share. Prices vary by region, so treat these as a starting point.
What drywall costs (2026 US)
| Item | Typical cost |
|---|---|
| Drywall sheet, 1/2 in 4×8 (32 sq ft) | $12 to $20 each |
| Drywall sheet, 5/8 in Type X 4×8 | About $15 to $22 each |
| Joint compound, 4.5 gal bucket (~450 sq ft) | $20 to $25 |
| Joint tape, 250 ft paper roll | $5 to $9 |
| Drywall screws, 1 lb box | About $7 ($25 for a 5 lb box) |
| Metal corner bead, 8 ft stick | $4 to $5 |
| Materials, all-in | About $0.60 to $0.75 per sq ft |
| Installed, hung and finished (Level 4) | $1.50 to $3.00 per sq ft ($2.40 typical) |
2026 US figures from Home Depot listings and Homewyse (May 2026). Big-box prices are volatile and vary by store and region, so confirm locally. Labor is the larger share of an installed price, and taller or cut-up rooms and ceilings run toward the high end.
What drywall costs by area (installed, 2026)
| Drywall area | Sheets (4×8) | Materials | Installed |
|---|---|---|---|
| 500 sq ft | 18 | $300 to $375 | $750 to $1,500 |
| 1,000 sq ft | 35 | $600 to $750 | $1,500 to $3,000 |
| 1,500 sq ft | 52 | $900 to $1,125 | $2,250 to $4,500 |
| 2,000 sq ft | 69 | $1,200 to $1,500 | $3,000 to $6,000 |
| 4,000 sq ft | 138 | $2,400 to $3,000 | $6,000 to $12,000 |
By DRYWALL surface area (walls plus ceiling), not floor area. A single 12 by 14 ft room with an 8 ft ceiling is about 584 square feet of drywall, so a whole house runs well into the thousands. Sheets include a 10 percent waste allowance; materials at about $0.60 to $0.75 per sq ft, installed at $1.50 to $3.00.
What materials do you need to hang and finish drywall?
Hanging drywall takes more than the board. For every sheet you also need joint compound to fill the seams and screw heads, paper or mesh tape over the joints, screws to fasten it, and corner bead on any outside corners. The calculator totals each one from your room, using standard coverage: about a gallon of compound per 100 square feet, 12 feet of tape per sheet, and about one screw per square foot.
Drywall materials at a glance
| Material | How it is sold | Coverage |
|---|---|---|
| Drywall sheets | By the sheet | 4×8 = 32, 4×9 = 36, 4×10 = 40, 4×12 = 48 sq ft |
| Joint compound | 4.5 gal bucket or 3.5 gal box | About 450 sq ft per bucket (~1 gal per 100 sq ft) |
| Joint tape | 250 or 500 ft roll, paper or mesh | About 0.37 lf per sq ft (~12 ft per 4×8 sheet) |
| Drywall screws | 1 lb or 5 lb box | About 1 per sq ft (~32 per sheet); ~238 per lb for 1-1/4 in |
| Corner bead | 8, 9, or 10 ft stick | One stick per outside corner |
Coverage from USG, National Gypsum, and CertainTeed submittals, set to the safe end so you never run short. Paper and mesh tape use the same length; they differ in how they go on. Use 1-1/4 inch screws for a single layer of 1/2 or 5/8 inch board on wood.
How do you measure a room for drywall?
You measure a room for drywall by surface: the walls plus the ceiling. Multiply the wall lengths by the ceiling height for the walls, add length times width for the ceiling, and that surface area is what the sheets, compound, tape, and screws all come from.
- 1
Multiply each wall length by the ceiling height, or for a rectangular room use perimeter times height: 2 × (length + width) × height.
- 2
If you are sheeting the ceiling too, add its area: length × width.
- 3
Leave standard doors and windows in and let the offcuts count as waste. Only deduct an opening bigger than a full sheet (over 32 sq ft).
- 4
Add about 10 percent for waste, then divide the surface by the sheet coverage (32 sq ft for a 4×8) and round up to whole sheets.
How do you calculate drywall?
Drywall comes down to surface area. Add up the wall and ceiling area you are covering, subtract any opening bigger than a full sheet, add about 10 percent for waste, then divide by the size of your sheet to get the number of boards. The joint compound, tape, and screws all follow from that same area. Here is the exact math, with a worked example.
- Wall area
- perimeter × wall height, or 2 × (length + width) × height
- Ceiling area
- length × width, added when you sheet the ceiling
- Openings
- subtract only openings bigger than one full sheet (over 32 sq ft); leave small doors and windows in as waste
- Sheets
- surface area × (1 + waste %) ÷ the sheet coverage, rounded up (a 4×8 sheet is 32 sq ft)
- Joint compound
- about 1 gallon per 100 sq ft of board, or one 4.5-gallon bucket per 450 sq ft
- Joint tape
- about 0.37 linear feet per sq ft of board, roughly 12 feet per 4×8 sheet
- Screws
- about 1 per sq ft: 32 per 4×8 sheet on walls, 36 on ceilings; about 238 screws per pound
- Corner bead
- the linear feet of outside corners, one stick per corner run
Ordering adjustments
Order to the waste allowance, not the bare surface: 10 percent for a simple square room, 15 percent for a cut-up space with cathedral ceilings, many corners, or lots of small rooms. Round every quantity up to whole sheets, buckets, rolls, and boxes. Leave standard doors and windows in the count and let the offcuts cover your waste; only deduct an opening larger than one full 4×8 sheet (32 square feet).
Worked example
A 12 by 14 ft room with 8 ft walls, ceiling included, 4×8 sheets, 10% waste
- Walls: 2 × (12 + 14) × 8 = 416 sq ft
- Ceiling: 12 × 14 = 168 sq ft
- Total surface: 416 + 168 = 584 sq ft
- Add 10% for waste: 584 × 1.10 = 642 sq ft
- Sheets at 32 sq ft each (4×8): 642 ÷ 32 = 20.1, round up to 21
Drywall reference tables
Drywall needed for common room sizes
| Room (8 ft ceiling) | Wall + ceiling area | Sheets (4×8) |
|---|---|---|
| 10 × 10 ft | 420 sq ft | 15 |
| 10 × 12 ft | 472 sq ft | 17 |
| 12 × 12 ft | 528 sq ft | 19 |
| 12 × 14 ft | 584 sq ft | 21 |
| 12 × 16 ft | 640 sq ft | 22 |
| 14 × 16 ft | 704 sq ft | 25 |
| 16 × 20 ft | 896 sq ft | 31 |
| 20 × 20 ft | 1,040 sq ft | 36 |
Walls plus a flat 8 ft ceiling, ceiling included, with 4×8 sheets and a 10 percent waste allowance, exactly as the calculator computes them. Walls are 2 × (length + width) × 8. Change the ceiling height or sheet size above and the counts update.
Drywall sheet sizes and coverage
| Sheet size | Coverage |
|---|---|
| 4×8 | 32 sq ft |
| 4×9 | 36 sq ft |
| 4×10 | 40 sq ft |
| 4×12 | 48 sq ft |
| 4×16 | 64 sq ft |
| 54 in × 12 ft | 54 sq ft |
Coverage is width times length. The 4-foot-wide sheet is standard; 54-inch-wide board hangs sideways on a 9-foot wall in two courses with no seam in the middle. Longer sheets mean fewer joints to tape.
Drywall thickness by use
| Thickness | Where it is used |
|---|---|
| 1/4 in | Curved walls and skimming over an existing surface |
| 3/8 in | Repairs and a second layer over old plaster |
| 1/2 in | Standard for walls and most ceilings |
| 5/8 in (Type X) | Fire-rated walls, garages, and ceilings (resists sagging) |
Half-inch is the everyday choice. Five-eighths inch Type X is required by code in many garages and between attached units, and holds a ceiling flatter. Thickness does not change the square footage or the sheet count, only the screw length and the price.
Waste allowance by room
| Room | Waste |
|---|---|
| Simple square room, flat 8 ft ceiling | 10% |
| Several rooms, closets, and doorways | 12 to 15% |
| Cathedral or vaulted ceilings, many corners, curves | 15 to 20% |
Add more for a cut-up layout. On a small room, rounding every sheet up already adds overage on its own, which is expected and safe. Buy a sheet or two extra for mistakes and future repairs.
Drywall Calculator Questions
Add up the wall and ceiling area you are covering, then divide by the size of your sheet. For a rectangular room the walls are 2 × (length + width) × ceiling height, and the ceiling is length × width. A 12 by 14 foot room with 8 foot walls and a sheeted ceiling is 416 + 168 = 584 square feet, which is about 21 sheets of 4×8 once you add 10 percent for waste. The compound, tape, and screws follow from that same area.
Divide your total drywall area by the coverage of one sheet and round up, after adding about 10 percent for waste. A 4×8 sheet covers 32 square feet, a 4×12 covers 48. So 600 square feet of walls and ceiling at 4×8 is 600 × 1.10 ÷ 32 = about 21 sheets. Bigger sheets mean fewer boards and fewer seams to tape.
A 12 by 12 foot room with 8 foot walls and a sheeted ceiling is about 528 square feet of drywall: 384 square feet of walls (2 × (12 + 12) × 8) plus a 144 square foot ceiling. At 4×8 sheets with 10 percent waste that is about 19 sheets. A 10 by 10 room works out to about 15 sheets, and a 12 by 14 room about 21.
Measure the length, width, and ceiling height. The walls are the perimeter times the height, 2 × (length + width) × height, and the ceiling is length × width if you are boarding it. Add the two, take off any opening bigger than a full sheet, add 10 percent for waste, and divide by 32 for 4×8 sheets. This calculator does all of it and adds the compound, tape, and screws.
4×8 is the standard and the easiest to carry and hang. Longer 4×10 and 4×12 sheets cover more (40 and 48 square feet) and leave fewer joints to tape on long walls and higher ceilings, which is why pros use them, though they are heavier to handle. On a 9 foot wall, a 54-inch-wide sheet hung sideways covers the height in two courses with no seam in the middle.
Plan on about one gallon of ready-mixed compound per 100 square feet of drywall for a standard taped and three-coat (Level 4) finish, which is one 4.5-gallon bucket for roughly every 450 square feet. So 584 square feet needs about 6 gallons, or 2 buckets. Textured walls, lots of butt joints, or a smooth Level 5 skim use more.
About 0.37 linear feet of tape per square foot of drywall, which works out to roughly 12 feet per 4×8 sheet. A 584 square foot room needs about 216 feet, so one 250-foot roll covers it. Paper and self-adhesive mesh tape use the same length; paper is stronger on inside corners, mesh is faster on flat seams.
About one screw per square foot, which is 32 per 4×8 sheet on walls (framing 16 inches on center) and about 36 per sheet on ceilings, where they sit closer together. A pound of 1-1/4 inch drywall screws holds roughly 238, so a typical room takes only a few pounds. Use 1-1/4 inch screws for a single layer of 1/2 or 5/8 inch board on wood framing.
Usually not. Crews hang the sheet right over an opening and cut it out afterward, so the cutout becomes scrap that counts toward your waste. The common rule is to deduct only openings bigger than one full sheet (about 32 square feet), like a sliding door or storefront, and leave standard doors and windows in. For a tight square-foot bid you can deduct the exact area, about 21 square feet per door and 12 to 15 per window.
About 10 percent for a simple square room with a flat 8 foot ceiling, and 15 percent for a cut-up space with cathedral ceilings, lots of corners, small rooms, or many openings. On a small room, rounding every sheet up already adds overage, so 10 percent is a safe floor. Buy a sheet or two extra for mistakes and future repairs.
Half-inch is standard for walls and most ceilings. Five-eighths inch Type X is thicker and fire-rated, required by code in many garages and between attached units, and it holds a ceiling flatter against sagging. Quarter and three-eighths inch are for curves and going over an existing surface. Thickness does not change the square footage or the sheet count, only the screw length and the price.
A standard 1/2 inch 4×8 sheet weighs about 52 pounds, a 5/8 inch Type X 4×8 sheet about 70 pounds, and a lightweight 1/2 inch 4×8 sheet about 40 pounds. That is roughly 1.6 pounds per square foot for regular half-inch board and 2.2 for five-eighths. A full sheet is a two-person lift, especially overhead on a ceiling, which is one reason lightweight board is popular.
Hung and finished, drywall runs about $1.50 to $3.00 per square foot of board in 2026, or roughly $77 for a 4×8 sheet installed, with labor the larger share. Materials alone are about $0.60 to $0.75 per square foot: a 1/2 inch 4×8 sheet is $12 to $20, a bucket of compound $20 to $25, and tape, screws, and corner bead a few dollars each. Prices vary by region.
Measure the height of every outside (sticking-out) corner and buy one full stick per corner, in the length closest to your wall height (8, 9, or 10 feet), plus about 10 percent for damaged pieces. Inside corners do not use bead; they get tape. This calculator adds corner bead when you enter the total outside-corner length.
Yes. It is free, needs no signup, and runs entirely in your browser. Nothing you enter is uploaded anywhere.
No. This calculator works from dimensions you type in. To pull wall and ceiling areas straight off a PDF plan to scale, so your sheet, compound, and screw counts come from the drawing, use Easy Takeoffs, the construction takeoff software built to measure off plans. 14-day trial, no card.
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