Drywall for a 12 × 16 Room

A 12 × 16 ft room with 8 ft ceilings needs about 22 sheets of 4 × 8 ft drywall for the walls and ceiling (640 sq ft ≈ 59.46 m²).

Sheets (4×8)
22
walls + ceiling
Surface area
640 sq ft
59.46 m²
Joint compound
~7 gal
ready-mix
Screws
~640
planning estimate

Adjust the numbers

Pre-filled for a 12 × 16 ft room with 8 ft ceilings — change sheet size or ceiling, or switch to metric.

Length, width & wall height

ft
ft
ft
Sheet size, waste & cost
%
$
You need
22sheets of drywall
704 sq ft (incl. 10% waste)
Joint compound~7 gal
Joint tape~256 ft
Screws~640
Sheet cost$352
Compound, tape & screw figures are rough planning estimates — buy a little extra mud and tape.

Estimate only. These figures help you plan how much to buy — they are not engineering or structural advice. Actual needs vary with site conditions, waste, and installation method, so order a little extra and confirm final quantities with your supplier or contractor before you buy or start the job.

Other room sizes

Frequently asked questions

How many sheets of drywall do I need for a 12x16 room?

A 12 × 16 ft room with 8 ft ceilings has about 640 sq ft of wall and ceiling. With 10% waste and 4 × 8 ft sheets (32 sq ft), that's about 22 sheets.

How much joint compound and tape for a 12x16 room?

Roughly 7 gallons of ready-mix compound, 256 ft of tape, and about 640 screws. These are planning estimates — buy a little extra.

Should I use 4x8 or 4x12 drywall sheets?

4 × 8 ft sheets are easiest for DIY. Larger 4 × 12 sheets mean fewer seams to finish but are heavy and harder to handle. Switch sheet size in the calculator to compare.

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