Free Drywall Calculator
Calculate how many sheets of drywall you need for walls and ceilings. Accounts for standard 4x8 sheet coverage and waste.
Enter 0 if not doing ceiling
Sheets Needed
17
Sheets Needed vs Total Wall Length (Perimeter)
How to Calculate Drywall Sheets
Formula
Sheets = Total Area / Sheet Area × (1 + Waste Factor)
A standard 4×8 sheet covers 32 sq ft. A 4×12 sheet covers 48 sq ft. Add 10% for waste in rectangular rooms, or 15% for rooms with many corners and cutouts. One 4.5-gallon bucket of joint compound covers approximately 1,500 sq ft.
Example Calculation
A room with 60 ft of wall perimeter, 8 ft ceilings, using 4×8 sheets with 10% waste.
- 01Wall area = 60 × 8 = 480 sq ft
- 02Ceiling area = 0 sq ft
- 03Total area = 480 sq ft
- 04Sheets (no waste) = 480 / 32 = 15 sheets
- 05With 10% waste = 15 × 1.10 = 16.5 → 17 sheets
Frequently Asked Questions
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