A standard 4×8 sheet covers 32 ft².
MEASURE. ESTIMATE. BUILD.
Drywall Calculator
Enter your wall and ceiling area to get the number of 4×8 drywall sheets, plus estimated joint compound and screws.
01 / PROJECT DIMENSIONS↙
Total wall length
Wall height
Waste %%
Change any measurement to update your estimate.
02 / YOUR MATERIAL ESTIMATE
You need approximately
11 sheets
covers 352 ft² (incl. waste)
- Area to cover
- 352 ft²
- Exact amount
- 11 sheets
Field notes
Hang the ceiling first, then let the wall sheets support its edges — it's the difference between a job that holds and one that cracks along the top. Order 10% over: the offcut from around a door is rarely reusable elsewhere. For mud, the rule of thumb is one 4.5-gallon box per 12 sheets across tape and three coats, but skim-coat finishes burn through noticeably more.
How the drywall calculator works
The math behind the tool:
sheets = total area ft² ÷ 32 × (1 + waste%)Sources: Gypsum Association (gypsum board sizes and finishing).
Frequently asked questions
How many sheets of drywall do I need?
Divide your total wall and ceiling area by 32 ft² (the coverage of a 4×8 sheet), then add about 10% for waste. A 12×12 room with 8 ft walls needs roughly 14 sheets.
How much joint compound do I need for drywall?
Plan on about 0.053 lb of ready-mix joint compound per square foot of drywall for taping and three coats — roughly one 4.5-gallon box per 12 sheets.
How do you calculate drywall?
Total the wall and ceiling area in square feet and divide by the sheet size — a 4 by 8 sheet is 32 ft², a 4 by 12 sheet is 48 ft². Add 10% for waste. Longer sheets mean fewer butt joints, which is less taping and a flatter finished wall.
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