If you’re planning on renovating your whole house, the cost of Drywall is something you probably should calculate beforehand. It’s easy to say how much Drywall you’d need for a 1200 Square foot house, but one should also check what type of Drywall is needed and the quality of the product.
When installing Drywall, the number of sheets needed for a 1200-square foot house is exactly 38. The average costs fall between 1 and 3 dollars per square foot which would total between 1200 and 1800 dollars if purchased in full amount.
The amount of material you need for your project depends on several factors, including the size and type of room that needs to be covered, as well as what dimensions are being worked with. Suppose large surfaces like walls or ceilings require more coverage than smaller areas. In that case, such can be achieved by using larger sheets, which makes calculations slightly less straightforward but certainly not impossible.
How Much Drywall Do I Need For A 1200 Square Foot House?

The answer to this question depends upon several factors, including the size of your selected drywall sheet, its type, and your room space: whether you include the ceiling or not. On average, you’ll need up to 37.5 drywall sheets to cover a 1200-square-foot house.
That being said, drywall sheets are sold in different sizes and thicknesses. The estimation mentioned above is for Drywall with dimensions of 4×8. Regarding Drywall for residential use, 4 by 8 feet is the standard size. However, you can find larger drywall sheets for industrial use as well.
Fortunately, numerous drywall estimators available out there can help you calculate the number of panels you need to cover your entire house. To use these estimators, you’ll need some information, such as room dimensions, ceiling, room surface area, drywall panel type, and drywall dimensions.
How Do I Calculate How Much Drywall I Need?
Although numerous drywall estimators are available, it’s still recommended to do the calculation independently. With this approach, you can make tweaks according to your needs and requirements. Moreover, you’ll also need to measure the amount of joint compound that is essential to hang Drywall in a 1200-square-foot house.
Before you go on and calculate how many drywall sheets and joint compounds you’ll need to cover a 1200-square-foot house, there are some tips you should keep in mind, such as:
- Measure everything: drywall sheets, drywall mud, drywall screws, and corner beads.
- Always get extra drywall sheets as a contingency fund.
- Consider the additional cost.
- Check the local building code before buying a drywall type.
Also, make sure to calculate according to specific areas. By this, I mean that if you want to Drywall your basement, next to a fireplace, or maybe your bathroom, you’ll be going to need other types of Drywall sheets specifically designed for those types of areas. Also, calculate how you’ll bring them home. You might, in some instances, need to use a much bigger truck depending on the dimensions and the type of Drywall.
Estimate Drywall Sheets
First, you’ll need to calculate how many drywall sheets you’ll need to cover the entire home. For this approach, you’ll need to divide the total square footage of the area by the area of a drywall sheet. As a standard drywall sheet comes with dimensions of 4×8, its area will be 32.
Alternatively, if you are using a 4×12 drywall sheet, you’ll need to divide the total square footage of the area by 48. Let’s say you are investing in 4×8 sheets to cover a 1200-square-foot house. Then the actual number of sheets you’ll need is
1200÷32 =37.5
Adding up to 10% for odd cuts and waste is best. So, the total number of drywall sheets that you’ll need to order will be 41.25.
Estimate Joint Compounds
You’ll also need to invest your money into the joint compound to hang your Drywall. Well, as a general rule, you should get 0.053 lbs. of joint compound per square foot. So, simply multiply the total square footage of the area by 0.053 to determine how much drywall mud you need:
1200×0.053=63.6 lbs.
Estimate Drywall Screws
To find out how many drywall screws you’ll need to hang your Drywall, divide the total square footage of the area by 300. For 1200 square foot house, you’ll need:
1200÷300=4 pounds of screws
Tip: If you’re going to use your Drywall outside, you might want to check if the screws you’re buying are rust resistant or not.
Estimate Drywall Tape
Another important thing that you’ll need while hanging Drywall is the drywall tape. To find out how much drywall tape you need, you should multiple the perimeter of a drywall sheet with the total number of drywall sheets. For a 1200-square-foot house, the calculation will be:
16×37.5=600 feet
Note: This is also possible if you decide not to use Tape. You can find more info in this article.
What Is The Cost Of Drywalling A 1200 Square Foot House?
The answer to this question depends on several factors, including the brand, drywall type, thickness, drywall size, and much more. On average, drywall costs can fall between $1.5-$3 per square foot. So, for 1200 square foot house, you might have to invest $1800-$3600 for both material and installation.
Keep in mind that this is just an estimation. Several factors can affect these numbers. For instance, regular Drywall is probably the most budget-friendly type of Drywall available out there. However, it is not moisture or mold-resistant. So, if you are getting moisture-resistant Drywall, also known as the green board, you’ll be investing more money.
To give you a better perspective, below, we have provided a table containing common types of Drywall and their available price:
Drywall Type | Average Cost |
Regular Drywall | $10/Sheet |
The Green Board | Up to $25/Sheet |
Type X Drywall | Up to $12/Sheet |
Eco-Friendly Drywall | Up to $9/Sheet |
Soundproof Drywall | $51/Sheet |
Moreover, while getting Drywall, some miscellaneous costs might apply, such as:
- Insurance
- Permit fees
- Sandpaper
- Additional supplies
- Waste removal and cleaning
If you decide to hire a professional team to finish the job in a much shorter time, the cost might go up significantly.
Frequently Asked Questions – FAQs:
How Do You Calculate Square Footage For Drywall?
Measure the square footage of an entire house, measure the length and width of each room, then multiply the length and width together to get a certain room’s actual square footage area. Lastly, add all the numbers to get your house’s total square footage area. For instance, if you have a 12×20 room, the square footage area will be 240.
How Many 4×8 Sheets Of Drywall Do I Need?
Well, the answer to this question depends upon how much square footage of the area you want to cover. A 4×8 drywall sheet can cover 32 square feet of area. So, divide the area’s square footage by 32 to determine how many drywall sheets you require to cover the entire area.
Here are some standard calculations that might help you determine how many sheets of Drywall you need:
- You would need 31.25 sheets of 4 by 8 feet to cover a square footage area of 1000
- You would need 37.5 sheets of 4 by 8 feet to cover a square footage area of 1200
- You would need 50 sheets of 4 by 8 feet to cover a square footage area of 1600
- You would need 62.5 sheets of 4 by 8 feet to cover a square footage area of 2000
- You would need 75 sheets of 4 by 8 feet to cover a square footage area of 2400
Is Drywall Cheaper Than Plywood?
Yes, Drywall is cheaper than most wood wall-covering materials. However, some drywall types might cost you more than plywood. However, they will be mold, moisture, mildew, and fire-resistant, making them worth every penny.