ProjectCalc (working name)

Drywall Calculator

Sheets for walls and ceiling, plus the screws, mud and tape to finish them — the whole lumber-yard run in one list.

Feet
Feet
Feet
Cuts, openings and the sheet you score wrong

ItemAmount
Drywall sheets
Total area
Screws (1-1/4″ coarse thread)
Joint compound (4.5-gal buckets)
Joint tape (250-ft rolls)
Corner bead (8-ft pieces)

Planning figures: ~32 screws per sheet, one bucket of mud per ~400 sq ft, one tape roll per ~450 sq ft. Openings (doors/windows) aren't deducted — the waste allowance absorbs them on typical rooms.

🛒 Shopping list

ItemQty
Drywall sheets
Screws, 5-lb box (approx.)
Joint compound, 4.5-gal
Joint tape, 250-ft
Corner bead 8-ft + spray adhesive (outside corners)
120/150-grit sanding sponges + dust masks1 pack

✅ Project checklist

  • Hang the ceiling first, then walls top-down; stagger butt joints
  • Leave a 1/2″ gap at the floor (covered by baseboard later)
  • Screws: 8″ apart on edges, 12″ in the field; dimple, don't tear the paper
  • Tape and three coats of mud, each wider and thinner than the last
  • Sand with a mask and a work light held sideways — raking light shows everything
  • Prime with PVA drywall primer before paint — bare mud flashes through

How the math works

Wall area = perimeter × ceiling height; add length × width if the ceiling is in. Sheets = area ÷ sheet size, plus waste, rounded up. Bigger sheets mean fewer joints to finish — 4×12s are heavier but cut finishing time on long walls; 4×8s are the one-person-manageable default.

For estimation only. Moisture-resistant board for baths and type X where code requires fire rating (garages) — check local code.