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Drywall calculator

Drywall cost calculator

Square footage in, board type, finish level, and regional labor applied — material cost, hang and finish labor, and installed cost per square foot out. Updates as you type.

Area & board inputs

Walls + ceilings after openings. Don’t have it? Run the sheet calculator first.
2026 supply-house sheet pricing: regular $12–18, Type X $14–22, green board $16–24 per 4×8.
L4 = standard painted walls. L5 adds a full skim coat (+20–35% finishing labor).
Low ≈ 0.85×, high-wage metros (NYC, SF, Chicago, Boston, Seattle) ≈ 1.35× national labor.

Rates & overrides settings

Typical 8–15%.
Leave 0 to use board-type default.
Combined hang + finish. Leave 0 to auto.
Leave 0 for bare cost. Typical drywall sub markup 15–30%.
Download CSV
Sheets (4×8, w/ waste)
0
Sheets
Board material
0
$ board only
Fasteners, tape & mud
0
$ accessories
Hang labor
0
$
Tape & finish labor
0
$
Total cost
0
$ installed
Cost per square foot
0
$/sf of board
Sell price w/ markup
0
$
Sell per square foot
0
$/sf
Show methodology & 2026 rate assumptions

Formulas

  • Sheets = ceil(area × (1 + waste) / 32) (4×8 basis for pricing)
  • Board $ = sheets × sheet price — defaults: regular $15, Type X $18, moisture-resistant $20 per 4×8
  • Accessories $ = area × $0.20/sf (screws, tape, joint compound, corner bead)
  • Hang labor = area × $0.90/sf × region × height factor
  • Finish labor = area × base × region × height — L3 $1.10/sf, L4 $1.45/sf, L5 $2.05/sf
  • Region factors: low 0.85×, average 1.00×, high/union metro 1.35×
  • Height factor 1.18× above 10 ft (staging, lifts, slower production)
  • Sell price = total cost × (1 + markup%)

Sources & benchmarks

  • 2026 supply-house sheet pricing surveys and national distributor list pricing.
  • Hang/finish production rates consistent with published drywall labor guides (hang 25–35 sheets/day per hanger; finisher 900–1,200 sf/day at L4).
  • Installed totals cross-checked against the $2.25–4.50/sf national installed range for L4 work.

What this does NOT account for

  • Metal stud framing, insulation, or act ceilings — board scope only.
  • Scaffolding beyond simple lifts, shaft wall, or area separation walls.
  • Prevailing-wage / Davis-Bacon premiums — set the labor override for certified-payroll work.
  • Sales tax, delivery surcharges, or boom pump/stocking fees on high floors.

Drywall cost FAQs

How much does drywall cost per square foot installed in 2026?
Installed drywall runs $2.25 to $4.50 per square foot of board for standard 1/2-inch at Level 4 — roughly $0.55–0.90 material and $1.70–3.60 hang-and-finish labor. Type X, Level 5, tall ceilings, and union metros push past $5.50/sf.
How much does it cost to drywall a 12x12 room?
About 432 sf of wall plus 144 sf of ceiling at 9-ft ceilings — roughly 550 sf of board after openings. At $2.25–4.50/sf installed that is $1,250–2,500 for standard board at Level 4. Get the exact sheet count with the sheet calculator.
What does a sheet of drywall cost in 2026?
A 4×8 sheet of 1/2-inch regular board costs $12–18; 5/8-inch Type X $14–22; moisture-resistant $16–24; abuse-resistant or shaft liner $25–45. Add ~$0.15–0.25/sf for screws, tape, and mud.
How much is drywall labor per square foot?
Hang plus tape-and-finish to Level 4 runs $1.70–3.60/sf in 2026: hanging alone $0.60–1.20/sf, finishing $1.00–2.40/sf by level. See the drywall labor estimator for crew-hours math.
What does Level 5 finish add to the cost?
A full skim coat over the entire surface — typically +$0.45–0.90/sf (20–35% more finishing labor and material). Specify L5 for gloss paint, harsh side lighting, or high-end spaces; L4 is standard for typical painted walls.

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