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Drywall Sheet Calculator

Room dimensions → sheets of drywall for walls and ceiling, with waste and tape.

Where this fits

This tool lives inside Going 1099 and is most useful for freelancers and founders.

Corp Tax Rate21%
SE Threshold$400
FICA Cap 2024$168,600

Room Dimensions

Total sheets
21
4×8 sheets
Wall sheets
15
417 sq ft net
Ceiling sheets
6
168 sq ft
Joint tape
126 ft
~3 lb screws
1

Total wall area

wallArea = 2 × (length + width) × height

= 2 × (14 + 12) × 9

= 468 sq ft

2

Door & window deductions

deductions = (doors × 21) + (windows × 15)

= (1 × 21) + (2 × 15)

= −51 sq ft

Standard door = 3×7 ft (21 sq ft); standard window = 3×5 ft (15 sq ft)

3

Net wall area

= 417 sq ft

This is the area that needs drywall after openings

4

Wall sheets (with waste)

sheets = ⌈netArea × (1 + waste%) ÷ 32⌉

= ⌈417 × 1.12 ÷ 32⌉

= 15 sheets

Standard 4×8 sheet = 32 sq ft

5

Ceiling sheets

sheets = ⌈(L × W) × (1 + waste%) ÷ 32⌉

= 6 sheets (168 sq ft)

Key insight

For a room with standard 9 ft ceilings, plan 12% waste minimum. Ceilings waste more — add 15% if you're hanging 12-ft sheets on an irregular ceiling. Count sheets by area, not perimeter.

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