Work out drywall sheets plus jointing tape, compound and screws for walls and ceilings.
Drywall — called “plasterboard” in the UK and also known as gypsum board, wallboard or by the brand Sheetrock — comes in large sheets fixed to studs. Enter the total wall (or ceiling) length and height, subtract the area of doors and windows, and pick your sheet size. The tool returns the number of sheets plus a waste allowance.
| Size | Region |
|---|---|
| 4 × 8 ft | US standard |
| 1.2 × 2.4 m | UK standard |
| 12.5 mm (1/2 in) | Walls |
| 9.5 mm (3/8 in) | Ceilings |
| 15 mm (5/8 in) | Fire-rated |
A room with 40 ft of wall at 8 ft high = 320 ft². Minus a door and window (≈ 30 ft²) leaves 290 ft². Each 4 × 8 ft sheet covers 32 ft², so 290 ÷ 32 ≈ 10 sheets, plus 10% waste ≈ 11 sheets.
Tip: hang boards horizontally on walls to reduce the number of joints, and stagger the joints so they do not line up between rows.
Measure total wall area, subtract openings, divide by sheet area (32 sq ft for 4×8), and add 10% for waste.
About 28-32 screws per 4×8 sheet, spaced every 12 inches along studs.
1/2 inch (12.5 mm) is standard for walls. 5/8 inch (15 mm) for ceilings or fire-rated applications.
Yes. "Drywall" is the American term and "plasterboard" is the British term for the same gypsum board. If you want a simple sheet count plus a cost estimate, use our Plasterboard Calculator instead.
As a rough guide, allow around 1 gallon (about 3.8 litres) of ready-mixed compound per 100 sq ft of board and roughly 12 ft of tape per sheet. This calculator estimates both for you.
