How many sheets of drywall do I need?

Sheet count is wall and ceiling area divided by sheet coverage, with openings deducted and a waste factor added for cuts and damaged edges.

How much joint compound and tape will it take?

Compound and tape are estimated from total seam length and the finish level you choose, including corner bead at outside corners.

How much paint should I buy?

Paint is calculated from finished surface area, your coat count, and typical spread rate, with primer listed separately.

Are the material costs accurate for my area?

Costs are regional estimates only, indexed by ZIP against national material averages. Always confirm current prices with your supplier before buying — the numbers here are for planning and budgeting, not a quote.

Do I need to confirm my measurements first?

Yes. The calculator asks you to verify key dimensions before it will produce material, cut, or shopping lists, because a single mistyped dimension changes every quantity downstream.

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Drywall & paint · Step 1 of 5 · Room size

How big is the space?

Measure wall to wall at floor level. For a whole floor, add the perimeters together and use the total as the length with a width of 0.1 — or run each room separately so the cut lists stay usable.

Room length

Room width

Ceiling height

Live estimate

Prices for your area

Enter your ZIP to re-price materials, or keep national averages.

Reviewed weekly · price book updated 2026-07-27See what changed

$682

Assumes 14×12 ft · 8 ft · 533 sqft, 10% waste, and current U.S. material prices. Estimate only — not a quote.

Materials

Net area: 533 sqft
Sheets: 13
Mud: 2 boxes
Tape: 480 lf
Paint: 4 gal

More planning details

DIY savings, cut planning, structural guidance, and contractor bid checks.

DIY vs. hiring a pro

Free

Save about $1,330 (66%)

building this drywall & paint yourself.

You build it$682

Materials only, your sweat.

A contractor builds it$2,012

Typical bids land $1,770–$2,374.

Materials: $853
Labor: $1,159
Est. hours: 21

Contractor figures assume a $55/hr blended labor rate (national average). Estimates only — use them to sanity-check a bid, not as a quote.

Cut-list optimizer

Free

Buy 13 boards · 0% offcut

156 linear ft purchased, 156 ft used — 0 ft ($0) left over.

13 × 4 @ 12'
Wall sheets, Ceiling sheets · 1 piece per board
0 ft scrap (0%)

Sheet goods and pre-built parts (Corner bead, Per-wall sheet estimate) aren't cut from stock lengths — see the shopping list for those.

Estimates only. Includes a 1/8" blade kerf per cut. Measure your own site and check board lengths at the yard before buying.

Check a contractor bid

Free

Enter what a pro quoted you. We'll break it down against this project's materials and national labor rates.

Bid totalMaterials (optional)Labor (optional)

Drywall & paint calculator questions

Common questions about this takeoff. All output is an estimate only — confirm quantities and prices before you buy.

Est. materials

$682