Drywall Calculator

To calculate the number of drywall sheets, find the total square footage of your walls and ceilings, subtract the square footage of doors and windows, and divide by the square footage of a single drywall sheet (typically 32 sq ft for a 4x8 sheet).

A general rule of thumb is 0.053 pounds of joint compound per square foot of drywall. So for a standard 4x8 sheet (32 sq ft), you'll need about 1.7 pounds of mud.

For standard 16-inch stud spacing, you typically need about 28 screws for a 4x8 drywall sheet on walls, and 32 screws if installing on ceilings.

It's standard practice to add a 10% waste factor to your total drywall sheet calculation to account for cuts, mistakes, and off-cuts.

You'll need approximately 1.5 linear feet of joint tape for every square foot of drywall. A standard 250-foot roll covers about 166 square feet.

1/2 inch drywall is standard for residential walls. 5/8 inch drywall is commonly used for ceilings (to prevent sagging) and for areas requiring a fire rating, like garages.