How to use the drywall calculator
Enter the room length, width and wall height, the number of doors and windows, and pick your sheet size. Tick "include ceiling" if you are covering it too. The calculator works out the total area, the sheets to buy with waste included, and the finishing supplies: joint compound, tape and screws.
Bigger sheets (4×10 or 4×12) mean fewer seams to tape, which saves finishing time — but they are heavy and awkward for one person, and harder to get up stairs.
The drywall formula
Sheets = (Wall area + Ceiling area) × (1 + Waste) ÷ Sheet area
Joint compound ≈ 1 pail (4.5 gal) per 450 sq ft
Tape ≈ 380 ft per 1,000 sq ft
Example: a 14 × 12 ft room with 8 ft walls has 416 sq ft of wall. Minus a door and a window that is 380 sq ft, plus a 168 sq ft ceiling makes 548 sq ft. With 10% waste you need 19 sheets of 4×8.
Drywall cost in 2026
| Item | Typical price |
|---|---|
| 1/2" 4×8 sheet | $14–$19 |
| 1/2" 4×12 sheet | $20–$27 |
| Moisture-resistant / fire-rated | +$4–$10 per sheet |
| Joint compound (4.5 gal) | $18–$26 |
| Hung only (labor) | $0.80–$1.50 per sq ft |
| Hung, taped & finished (level 4) | $2.00–$3.50 per sq ft |
| Level 5 smooth finish | +$0.50–$1.00 per sq ft |
Labor is where most of the money goes. Taping and finishing takes three coats with drying time in between, so even small rooms take a pro two to four days.
Drywall tips
- Hang ceilings first, then walls. Hang wall sheets horizontally to cut down on seams.
- Space screws 12 inches apart on ceilings and 16 inches on walls, set just below the surface without tearing the paper.
- Stagger the end joints so butt seams don't line up. Lined-up butt joints show through paint.
- Use setting-type compound (hot mud) for the first coat on big gaps. It cures hard and doesn't shrink.
Drywall cost by state
Hanging and finishing a 14×12 ft room (walls + ceiling) — estimated cost by state. Figures use the same assumptions as the calculator above.
| State | Low | High | vs. US avg |
|---|---|---|---|
| US average | $1,096 | $1,918 | — |
| Alabama | $954 | $1,669 | -13% |
| Alaska | $1,370 | $2,398 | +25% |
| Arizona | $1,052 | $1,841 | -4% |
| Arkansas | $943 | $1,649 | -14% |
| California | $1,337 | $2,340 | +22% |
| Colorado | $1,129 | $1,976 | +3% |
| Connecticut | $1,249 | $2,187 | +14% |
| Delaware | $1,140 | $1,995 | +4% |
| District of Columbia | $1,260 | $2,206 | +15% |
| Florida | $1,041 | $1,822 | -5% |
| Georgia | $997 | $1,745 | -9% |
| Hawaii | $1,447 | $2,532 | +32% |
| Idaho | $1,030 | $1,803 | -6% |
| Illinois | $1,206 | $2,110 | +10% |
| Indiana | $1,041 | $1,822 | -5% |
| Iowa | $1,041 | $1,822 | -5% |
| Kansas | $1,019 | $1,784 | -7% |
| Kentucky | $1,008 | $1,765 | -8% |
| Louisiana | $986 | $1,726 | -10% |
| Maine | $1,096 | $1,918 | 0% |
| Maryland | $1,118 | $1,956 | +2% |
| Massachusetts | $1,315 | $2,302 | +20% |
| Michigan | $1,096 | $1,918 | 0% |
| Minnesota | $1,173 | $2,052 | +7% |
| Mississippi | $921 | $1,611 | -16% |
| Missouri | $1,074 | $1,880 | -2% |
| Montana | $1,052 | $1,841 | -4% |
| Nebraska | $1,019 | $1,784 | -7% |
| Nevada | $1,140 | $1,995 | +4% |
| New Hampshire | $1,140 | $1,995 | +4% |
| New Jersey | $1,282 | $2,244 | +17% |
| New Mexico | $997 | $1,745 | -9% |
| New York | $1,315 | $2,302 | +20% |
| North Carolina | $975 | $1,707 | -11% |
| North Dakota | $1,052 | $1,841 | -4% |
| Ohio | $1,063 | $1,860 | -3% |
| Oklahoma | $964 | $1,688 | -12% |
| Oregon | $1,162 | $2,033 | +6% |
| Pennsylvania | $1,129 | $1,976 | +3% |
| Rhode Island | $1,206 | $2,110 | +10% |
| South Carolina | $964 | $1,688 | -12% |
| South Dakota | $986 | $1,726 | -10% |
| Tennessee | $986 | $1,726 | -10% |
| Texas | $1,008 | $1,765 | -8% |
| Utah | $1,052 | $1,841 | -4% |
| Vermont | $1,118 | $1,956 | +2% |
| Virginia | $1,052 | $1,841 | -4% |
| Washington | $1,206 | $2,110 | +10% |
| West Virginia | $997 | $1,745 | -9% |
| Wisconsin | $1,107 | $1,937 | +1% |
| Wyoming | $1,019 | $1,784 | -7% |
Frequently asked questions
How many sheets of drywall do I need for a 12×12 room?
A 12×12 room with 8 ft walls has 384 sq ft of wall. After one door and one window that is about 348 sq ft, or 12 sheets of 4×8 with 10% waste. Add 5–6 more sheets if you are also doing the 144 sq ft ceiling.
How much does it cost to drywall a room?
Hung, taped and finished, drywall typically costs $2.00–$3.50 per square foot of wall and ceiling surface — about $1,100–$1,900 for a 14×12 room including the ceiling at the US average.
How much joint compound do I need?
Plan on about one 4.5-gallon pail of all-purpose compound for every 450 sq ft of drywall, covering tape, three coats and screw heads.
Should I use 4×8 or 4×12 drywall sheets?
4×12 sheets mean fewer seams and faster finishing, which is why pros prefer them. 4×8 sheets are lighter and easier for DIYers to handle, transport and carry through doorways.
What thickness drywall should I use?
1/2 inch is standard for walls and most ceilings. Use 5/8 inch for ceilings with wider joist spacing, for fire-rated walls (such as between a garage and the house) and for better sound control.