How to Figure How Much Drywall to Use

For homeowners or contractors, knowing how to calculate the amount of sheetrock (drywall) you need to sheetrock a building will keep you profitable. Not knowing how much sheetrock you need can leave you empty-handed, prolonging the time it takes to finish a job, or it can leave you with excess sheetrock that you might not need until the next job comes along. Calculating the amount you need requires simple calculations.

Measuring tape
Calculator

Instructions

- 1
  Measure the height of all the walls needing sheetrock using your measuring tape and recording the height in feet. For instance, if a wall measures 90 inches, it equals 7 1/2 feet.
- 2
  Measure the width of all the walls needing sheetrock using your measuring tape and recording the result in feet. For instance, if a wall measures 240 inches, it is 20 feet.
- 3
  Multiply the height and width of each wall to get square footage (SF) using a calculator. For instance, if the height equals 7 1/2 feet and the width equals 20 feet, your total SF equals 150.
- 4
  Divide the total SF by 32 to get the required number of drywall panels. Because drywall panels measure 8 by 4 feet, they have an SF equal to 32 feet. If your total SF equals 150, you need five drywall panels because 150 divided by 32 equals 4.69 panels.

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