Drywall for an 11 × 12 ft room
With 8 ft ceilings, the walls are 368 ft² and the ceiling 132 ft². Sheet counts include 10% waste; supplies are rules of thumb.
| What you hang | Area | 4×8 sheets | 4×12 sheets | Joint compound | Joint tape |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Walls only | 368 ft² | 13 | 9 | 3.7 gal | 136 ft |
| Walls and ceiling | 500 ft² | 18 | 12 | 5.0 gal | 185 ft |
| Ceiling only | 132 ft² | 5 | 4 | 1.3 gal | 49 ft |
Hanging tips
Hang the ceiling first, then the walls, running sheets horizontally. Stagger the joints, use about one screw per square foot, and tape and mud every seam in three coats. Use moisture-resistant board in bathrooms and fire-rated (5/8 in Type X) in garages and next to furnaces. See the drywall calculator to adjust for your ceilings.
Hauling, studs and screws
A ½ inch 4 × 8 sheet weighs about 55 lb, so the 18 sheets for the walls and ceiling weigh roughly 990 lb (0.50 tons). Most pickups can take a few sheets flat, but a full order is a delivery, or several trips. Carry them on edge, and use a helper.
The walls are 46 ft around, which is about 39 studs at 16 inch centers (the corners add a few). Plan on roughly one screw per square foot, which is 576 screws for this order.
An 11 × 12 room: one wall fits, the other does not
An 11 × 12 room takes 18 sheets of 4 × 8 drywall for walls and ceiling with 8 ft ceilings, or 12 sheets if you buy 4 × 12.
The 12 ft walls take three sheets stood upright with no waste, while the 11 ft walls lose a foot from the last sheet. Those one-foot strips are useful above doors and around window openings, so set them aside. The ceiling is about 4.1 sheets of area before waste, and hanging it first lets the wall sheets support its edges.
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Tools & materials for this project
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Frequently asked questions
How many sheets of drywall for an 11x12 room?
18 sheets of 4 × 8 ft for the walls and ceiling with 8 ft ceilings and 10% waste, or 13 for the walls only. With 4 × 12 ft sheets it is 12 for both.
How much joint compound for an 11x12 room?
About 5.0 gallons for the walls and ceiling as a rule of thumb (1 gallon per 100 ft²), so buy 2 boxes of 4.5 gallons.
Do I subtract windows and doors for drywall?
Not usually. The cut-outs are offset by the waste allowance, and you need the cutoffs for filling around openings.
Related sizes and guides
Estimates only. Results assume standard materials and simple shapes. Supplier products vary, and the final call on quantity, structure and safety is yours. Check your local code and your supplier's guidance before ordering.