{
  "slug": "drywall",
  "title": "Drywall Calculator",
  "heading": "Drywall Calculator",
  "category": "other",
  "url": "https://www.revenuelab.fyi/toolbox/drywall",
  "summary": "Sheets, screws, mud, and tape for a hang job.",
  "description": "Standard sheets are 4×8 (32 sq ft) or 4×12 (48 sq ft). Longer sheets mean fewer butt joints to finish, which is where most of the labour hides.",
  "formula": "Sheets = Total area ÷ Sheet area, plus waste. Mud ≈ 0.053 lb per sq ft per coat.",
  "dateModified": "2026-09-30",
  "run_url": "https://www.revenuelab.fyi/api/public/calc?tool=drywall",
  "inputs": [
    {
      "id": "area",
      "label": "Total surface area",
      "kind": "number",
      "hint": null,
      "default": 900,
      "unit": "sq ft",
      "min": 0,
      "max": null
    },
    {
      "id": "sheet",
      "label": "Sheet size",
      "kind": "select",
      "hint": null,
      "default": "32",
      "options": [
        {
          "value": "32",
          "label": "4 x 8 ft (32 sq ft)"
        },
        {
          "value": "40",
          "label": "4 x 10 ft (40 sq ft)"
        },
        {
          "value": "48",
          "label": "4 x 12 ft (48 sq ft)"
        }
      ]
    },
    {
      "id": "price",
      "label": "Price per sheet",
      "kind": "number",
      "hint": null,
      "default": 16,
      "unit": "$",
      "min": 0,
      "max": null
    },
    {
      "id": "waste",
      "label": "Waste allowance",
      "kind": "number",
      "hint": "Cuts, breakage, and mistakes. 10% is standard.",
      "default": 10,
      "unit": "%",
      "min": 0,
      "max": 40
    }
  ],
  "outputs": [
    {
      "id": "sheets",
      "label": "Drywall sheets",
      "format": "number",
      "hint": null,
      "primary": true
    },
    {
      "id": "cost",
      "label": "Sheet cost",
      "format": "currency",
      "hint": null,
      "primary": false
    },
    {
      "id": "screws",
      "label": "Screws needed",
      "format": "number",
      "hint": null,
      "primary": false
    },
    {
      "id": "mudLb",
      "label": "Joint compound (lb, 3 coats)",
      "format": "number",
      "hint": null,
      "primary": false
    },
    {
      "id": "tapeFt",
      "label": "Tape (linear ft)",
      "format": "number",
      "hint": null,
      "primary": false
    }
  ],
  "worked_example": {
    "inputs": [
      "Total surface area: 900 sq ft",
      "Sheet size: 4 x 8 ft (32 sq ft)",
      "Price per sheet: 16 $",
      "Waste allowance: 10 %"
    ],
    "outputs": [
      "Drywall sheets: 31",
      "Sheet cost: $496.00",
      "Screws needed: 1,116",
      "Joint compound (lb, 3 coats): 144",
      "Tape (linear ft): 360"
    ]
  },
  "how_to": {
    "title": "How to use this",
    "steps": [
      "Enter total surface area (sq ft).",
      "Enter sheet size.",
      "Enter price per sheet ($).",
      "Enter waste allowance (%) — Cuts, breakage, and mistakes. 10% is standard..",
      "Read your drywall sheets on the right — it updates as you type.",
      "Hit Share to keep the scenario or send it to someone."
    ]
  },
  "scenarios": [
    {
      "name": "Conservative",
      "description": "Lower-end numbers — what if things land soft?",
      "values": {
        "area": 540,
        "sheet": "32",
        "price": 10,
        "waste": 6
      }
    },
    {
      "name": "Typical",
      "description": "Defaults — the most common real-world setup.",
      "values": {
        "area": 900,
        "sheet": "32",
        "price": 16,
        "waste": 10
      }
    },
    {
      "name": "Ambitious",
      "description": "Higher-end numbers — what if things really pop?",
      "values": {
        "area": 1440,
        "sheet": "32",
        "price": 26,
        "waste": 16
      }
    }
  ],
  "limitations": [
    "Estimates assume standard, average conditions — local rules, pricing, and materials vary.",
    "Results are rounded for readability; add a buffer before ordering, booking, or committing.",
    "Double-check anything with a real cost attached against a local quote."
  ],
  "faq": [
    {
      "q": "How does the drywall calculator work?",
      "a": "Standard sheets are 4×8 (32 sq ft) or 4×12 (48 sq ft). Longer sheets mean fewer butt joints to finish, which is where most of the labour hides. The underlying maths is: Sheets = Total area ÷ Sheet area, plus waste. Mud ≈ 0.053 lb per sq ft per coat."
    },
    {
      "q": "What do I need to enter?",
      "a": "4 values: total surface area, sheet size, price per sheet, and waste allowance. Each field starts with a sensible default, so you can change one number at a time and watch the result move."
    },
    {
      "q": "What does the drywall sheets result mean?",
      "a": "It is returned as a whole number and updates live as you edit the inputs, so you can compare two or three versions of a scenario in a few seconds."
    },
    {
      "q": "Is this calculator free, and do I need an account?",
      "a": "Yes, it's free, and no account is required. Nothing you type is stored on our servers — the maths runs entirely in your browser."
    },
    {
      "q": "How accurate is the result?",
      "a": "It applies the standard formula exactly, so the arithmetic is precise. Estimates assume standard, average conditions — local rules, pricing, and materials vary."
    },
    {
      "q": "Who is this tool for?",
      "a": "It's built for anyone doing everyday planning maths — a quick estimate that would otherwise need four browser tabs and a calculator app."
    }
  ],
  "related": [
    "https://www.revenuelab.fyi/toolbox/paint",
    "https://www.revenuelab.fyi/toolbox/insulation",
    "https://www.revenuelab.fyi/toolbox/square-footage"
  ],
  "license": "CC-BY-4.0",
  "citation": "RevenueLab — Drywall Calculator (https://www.revenuelab.fyi/toolbox/drywall)"
}