How Much Drywall for 700 Square Feet?
Drywall sheets
25 sheets
700 square feet of board, 4 by 8 sheets, ten percent waste.
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How that number is worked out
These are the figures this page was built with and every line the calculator produces from them. Change anything above and all of it moves.
- Total area to cover700 sq ft
- Sheet size4 x 8 ft, 32 sq ft
- Waste allowance10 %
Drywall sheets25 sheets
| Area with 10% waste | 770 sq ft |
|---|---|
| Sheets at 32 sq ft | 25 |
| Joint compound, 4.5 gal buckets | 2 |
| Joint tape | 293 lf |
| Screws | 800 (about 3 lb) |
| Corner bead, rough guess | 47 lf |
The material list this produces
| Drywall sheets | 25 |
|---|---|
| Joint compound, 4.5 gal buckets | 2 |
| Joint tape, linear ft | 293 |
| Drywall screws, lb | 3 |
Sheet size compared
Longer sheets mean fewer butt joints and less taping. Same area, three sheet sizes.
| Sheet size | Drywall sheets |
|---|---|
| 4 x 8 ft | 25 sheets |
| 4 x 10 ft | 20 sheets |
| 4 x 12 ft | 17 sheets |
What else matters here
Twenty five sheets and about 800 screws, which is roughly three pounds. Screws are sold by weight and counted by the sheet, at about 32 per sheet on framing 16 inches on center.
Length matters more than count. Inch and a quarter screws are the standard for half inch board on wood, and five eighths board wants an inch and five eighths. Too short and it does not hold, too long and it blows through into whatever is behind the stud.
Do not use nails, and do not sink the screw through the paper. A nail works loose as the framing dries and pops a dimple in the finished wall a year later, which is where most drywall pops come from. A screw driven so hard it tears the face paper has no holding power at all, which is why every drywall gun has a depth setting and why the dimple should be a shallow dish rather than a crater.
What this calculator assumes
- Joint compound is figured at one 4.5 gallon bucket per 475 sq ft of board for a full three coat finish. A level 5 finish uses more.
- Tape is figured at 380 linear feet per 1000 sq ft of board, screws at 32 per sheet for 16 inch on center framing.
- Longer sheets mean fewer butt joints, which is less taping and a flatter wall. Use 12 footers where they will fit through the door.
Questions people ask
How many drywall screws for 700 square feet?
About 800, or roughly three pounds, at 32 screws per sheet across 25 sheets on framing at 16 inch centers.
What length drywall screws do I need?
Inch and a quarter for half inch board on wood framing, and an inch and five eighths for five eighths board.
Why do drywall nails pop?
The framing dries and shrinks around them and they work back out. Screws hold through that movement, which is why nails are rare in residential drywall now.
The drywall calculator takes any dimensions you like and hands back the same list.