Enter your wall and ceiling area to get the number of 4×8 drywall sheets, plus estimated joint compound and screws. A standard 4×8 sheet covers 32 ft².
You need approximately
11 sheets
covers 352 ft² (incl. waste)
Area to cover
352 ft²
Exact amount
11 sheets
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Field notes
Hang the ceiling first, then let the wall sheets support its edges — it's the difference between a job that holds and one that cracks along the top. Order 10% over: the offcut from around a door is rarely reusable elsewhere. For mud, the rule of thumb is one 4.5-gallon box per 12 sheets across tape and three coats, but skim-coat finishes burn through noticeably more.
Divide your total wall and ceiling area by 32 ft² (the coverage of a 4×8 sheet), then add about 10% for waste. A 12×12 room with 8 ft walls needs roughly 14 sheets.
How much joint compound do I need for drywall?
Plan on about 0.053 lb of ready-mix joint compound per square foot of drywall for taping and three coats — roughly one 4.5-gallon box per 12 sheets.