Calculate how many drywall sheets you need — plus screws, joint compound, and tape estimates
Units:
Total deducted:0
10%
Results
Enter room dimensions to see results
About This Tool
Estimating drywall by hand means measuring every wall, subtracting openings, dividing by sheet area, and then figuring out how many screws and buckets of mud you need. One miscalculation means an extra trip to the store — or worse, leftover sheets you can't return.
This calculator does all of it: enter room dimensions, choose walls and/or ceiling, deduct doors and windows, pick your sheet size, and get exact quantities for sheets, screws, joint compound, and joint tape. It rounds up to whole sheets and adds a configurable waste factor so you're always covered.
Works for single rooms or entire houses. Supports standard US sheet sizes (4×8, 4×10, 4×12 ft) and metric equivalents (1200×2400, 1200×2700, 1200×3000 mm).
How to Use
1. Enter room length, width, and wall height
2. Check "Include ceiling" if you're drywalling the ceiling too
3. Add door and window deductions (presets or custom sizes)
4. Choose a drywall sheet size
5. Adjust waste percentage
6. See total sheets, screws, joint compound, and tape needed
Frequently Asked Questions
How many sheets of drywall do I need for a room?
Calculate total wall area (perimeter × height), subtract doors and windows, divide by sheet area (32 sq ft for 4×8 sheets), and add 10% waste. For example, a 12×12 ft room with 8 ft ceilings has 384 sq ft of wall — minus about 38 sq ft for a door and window — equals 346 sq ft, or about 12 sheets of 4×8 drywall.
What size drywall sheets should I use?
4×8 ft (1200×2400 mm) is the most common and easiest to handle. Use 4×12 ft sheets for rooms with 9–10 ft ceilings to avoid horizontal seams. 4×10 ft sheets split the difference. Fewer seams means less taping and better finish.
How many drywall screws do I need?
The standard is about 32 screws per 4×8 sheet (one every 12 inches on edges, every 16 inches in the field). That works out to roughly 1 screw per square foot. This calculator computes the exact count based on your sheet size and area.
How much joint compound do I need?
Plan for about 0.053 gallons (0.2 liters) of premixed joint compound per square foot of drywall for three coats. A 4.5-gallon bucket covers roughly 85 sq ft of finished surface. The calculator estimates this for you.
How much joint tape do I need?
You need tape for every seam between sheets. A rough estimate is about 0.85 linear feet of tape per square foot of drywall area. A standard 500-ft roll covers about 590 sq ft of drywall.
Should I deduct for doors and windows?
Yes. A standard interior door opening is about 21 sq ft (3×7 ft) and a standard window is about 12 sq ft (3×4 ft). Deducting these saves material. However, keep the waste factor at 10% to cover cuts around these openings.