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Drywall calculator

15 sheets of 4' × 8'11 wall sheets · 4 ceiling
Wall area
352.00 SF
Ceiling area
120.00 SF
Sheets
15 × 4' × 8'
Screws
448 screws (28 per wall sheet, 35 per ceiling sheet)
Joint tape
253 ft
All-purpose compound
1 pail of 4.5 gal (4.2 gal)
Each wall shown once (× 2), ceiling below — sheets laid across the framing

These sketches are here to help you order material and price the work quickly. They are not engineered or shop drawings — always build from your approved project drawings.

Doors and windows (not covered)

Sheet size
Stud / joist spacing
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No waste is added unless you enter it. It is added to sheets, tape and compound. Sheets for walls and ceiling are rounded up separately.

Show the math▾
  1. Wall area
    2 × (length + width) × height − openings
    2 × ( 12' 0" + 10' 0" ) × 8' 0" = 352.00 SF
  2. Ceiling area
    length × width
    12' 0" × 10' 0" = 120.00 SF
  3. Sheets
    area ÷ 32 SF per 4' × 8' sheet, rounded up (walls and ceiling separately)
    352.00 SF ÷ 32 → 11 + ceiling 4 = 15
  4. Screws
    framing members a sheet crosses (96" ÷ 16" + 1) × screws per member (48" ÷ 16" + 1 walls, 48" ÷ 12" + 1 ceilings)
    11 × 28 + 4 × 35 = 448
  5. Joint tape
    SF × (4 + 8) ÷ 32 ft per SF + inside corners
    472.00 SF × 0.3750 ft + 76' 0" = 253' 0"
  6. Joint compound
    SF × 9 gal per 1,000 SF ÷ 4.5 gal pails
    472.00 SF × 0.009 gal = 4.2 gal ÷ 4.5 = 1

Where the numbers come from

  • Screw spacing: 16" apart on walls, 12" on ceilings (wood or steel framing)USG. The count is worked out from that: a sheet laid across the framing crosses (sheet length ÷ framing spacing + 1) members, each with (48" ÷ spacing + 1) screws — a 4' × 8' sheet on 16" studs = 7 × 4 = 28 on a wall, 7 × 5 = 35 on a ceiling. Fire-rated assemblies follow their tested design instead.Source
  • Joint tape: Half of each sheet's edges: (width + length) ÷ area — 4×8 = 0.375 ft per SF (375 ft per 1,000 SF)Every edge is shared by two sheets, so each sheet carries half its perimeter. USG quotes about 370 ft of tape per 1,000 SF, which agrees for 4' × 8' sheets. Room mode adds the inside corners (4 wall corners + the wall-ceiling line). Outside corners take corner bead, not tape.Source
  • Joint compound: About two 4.5 gal pails of ready-mix all-purpose compound per 1,000 SF (9 gal)USG FAQ for Sheetrock UltraLightweight All Purpose; USG says other ready-mix compounds are comparable. A rule of thumb — the finish level and the finisher change it.Source

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Sheets, screws, tape and joint compound for a room or for wall and ceiling areas.