Drywall Calculator

Calculate total wall and ceiling area, subtract door openings (~20 sq ft each) and window openings (~15 sq ft each), add 10% waste, then divide by sheet size (32 sq ft for 4×8, 40 sq ft for 4×10, 48 sq ft for 4×12). Always round up to whole sheets. Hire a drywall calculator or use this tool for multi-room estimates.

Approximately 32 screws per 4×8 sheet at 16-inch stud spacing — screws every 8 inches along studs in the field and every 6 inches at edges/seams. For 4×12 sheets: ~50 screws. Buy 10% extra; screws are cheap insurance against running short mid-job.

Estimate 1 bucket (4.5 gallon / ~17 litres) per 500 square feet of drywall for three-coat finishing. For a typical 12×15 bedroom (≈500 sq ft walls + ceiling): 1 bucket for taping coat, 1 bucket for finish coats = 2 buckets minimum. Complex rooms with more inside corners and seams need more.

½ inch (12.7mm) is standard for walls and ceilings in residential construction. ⅝ inch (15.9mm) is used for fire-rated walls (garages, between living units) and reduces sound transmission. ¼ inch is for curved surfaces and over existing walls. ⅜ inch is used where weight matters (mobile homes, some repairs).