Drywall for an 11 × 13 ft room
With 8 ft ceilings, the walls are 384 ft² and the ceiling 143 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 | 384 ft² | 14 | 9 | 3.8 gal | 142 ft |
| Walls and ceiling | 527 ft² | 19 | 13 | 5.3 gal | 195 ft |
| Ceiling only | 143 ft² | 5 | 4 | 1.4 gal | 53 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 19 sheets for the walls and ceiling weigh roughly 1,045 lb (0.52 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 48 ft around, which is about 40 studs at 16 inch centers (the corners add a few). Plan on roughly one screw per square foot, which is 608 screws for this order.
An 11 × 13 room: count on a few extra cuts
An 11 × 13 room with an 8 ft ceiling needs 19 sheets of 4 × 8 drywall for the walls and ceiling (14 for the walls only), which weighs about 1,045 lb.
Thirteen feet is one foot longer than the 12 ft sheets most stores stock, so the long walls have a butt joint whichever size you buy. Butt joints have no taper and take a wider, thinner band of compound to hide, so allow more finishing time than the sheet count suggests. Keep them away from the middle of the wall and never stack one directly above another.
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Tools & materials for this project
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Frequently asked questions
How many sheets of drywall for an 11x13 room?
19 sheets of 4 × 8 ft for the walls and ceiling with 8 ft ceilings and 10% waste, or 14 for the walls only. With 4 × 12 ft sheets it is 13 for both.
How much joint compound for an 11x13 room?
About 5.3 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.