Enter your room size and ceiling height to see how many sheets of drywall you need — plus rough joint compound and tape estimates.
Drywall is estimated by area. For the walls, take the room's perimeter — that's 2 × (length + width) — and multiply by the ceiling height. If you're also drywalling the ceiling, add the length × width. Add about 10% for waste and off-cuts, then divide by the square footage of your sheet (32 sq ft for a 4×8, 48 sq ft for a 4×12) and round up to whole sheets.
The 4×8 foot sheet is the standard and the easiest to carry and hang solo. The 4×12 foot sheet covers more area with fewer seams, so there's less taping and a cleaner finish — but it's heavy and usually needs a helper. On long walls, hanging 4×12 sheets horizontally cuts down on joints.
As a rough rule, plan on about 4.5 gallons of joint compound and 370 feet of tape per 1,000 square feet of drywall. The real amount depends on how many seams you have, your finish level and the number of coats, so treat these as ballpark numbers and buy a little extra.
This is a planning aid. Includes 10% for waste and cuts. Joint compound (about 4.5 gallons per 1,000 sq ft) and tape (about 370 ft per 1,000 sq ft) are rough, approximate guides — actual materials vary with openings, seams and finish. Always round up and buy a little extra.