Calculator Tag: Wall & Ceiling

Wallpaper Calculator

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Wallpaper Calculator

Calculate how many rolls of wallpaper you need for your project by entering your room’s dimensions and coverage per roll below. Estimate the cost by adding the price per roll.

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Wallpaper Estimate:

Wallpaper Needed

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Estimated Material Cost

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Total Square Footage

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How to Estimate How Much Wallpaper You Need

Whether you choose to use wallpaper on an accent wall or to cover all the walls of your home, it’s important to understand how much material to order. Dye lots often mean that if you run out and order more later, you may not get an exact match of color between rolls, so ordering the correct amount from the beginning can help ensure your project goes smoothly.

To calculate how much wallpaper you need, follow a few simple steps. First, find the square footage of the surfaces to be wallpapered, determine the usable wallpaper per roll, then calculate how many rolls of wallpaper will be needed to cover the room’s square footage.

Step One: Find the Square Footage of the Room

The first step in estimating wallpaper is to find the square footage of the area to be papered. Square footage is the measurement of the area in feet. You can find the square footage by measuring the length and height, and then multiplying them together.

Make sure length, width, and height measurements are in feet before you multiply to find the square footage. It may be easiest to round your measurements to avoid working with inch fractions and decimals.

However, if you are measuring for a wallpaper border, or if you want to estimate the wallpaper for a short section of wall, you can measure in inches; once you get the height and width and multiply for square inches, divide by 144 to get the square feet. Round up to the nearest whole foot.

For example, let’s find the square footage of a wall that is 12 ft wide by 9 ft high.

sq ft = width × height
sq ft = 12 ft × 9 ft
sq ft = 108 sq ft

If your walls are not simple rectangles or are complex, then you can split up the wall into smaller chunks and find the square footage of each part separately, then add the square footage measurements together.

For example, if your wall is not a simple rectangle, break it into different sections and measure the square footage of each section and add the different sections together.

Illustration showing how to break up a complex wall shape into smaller pieces to measure.

Learn more about how to measure rooms and complex spaces with our step-by-step guide.

Once you know the square footage of each wall, add all of them together to find the total project square footage.

Here’s a tip: try using our square footage calculator to easily find the square footage of your room.

If you have a lot of windows or doors in the room, you may want to subtract them from your total square footage. Measure the width and height of each window or door in feet, and multiply them together to get its square footage. Subtract the square footage of each area not being papered from the total.

Step Two: Find the Wallpaper Coverage

The next step is to find the usable coverage for your chosen wallpaper in square feet. Different wallpaper patterns have different amounts of usable square footage, which is determined by the drop match pattern.

Drop match patterns align both horizontally and vertically. They can be full, 1/2 drop or 1/4 drop, depending on the size of the pattern. In order to line up, you need to start the next row of wallpaper a certain distance from the last, by measuring a “drop” on the roll of the recommended number of inches.

When you drop the next section of wallpaper to align the pattern with the previous section, there will be waste that needs to be cut to make the pattern line up. This waste reduces the usable square footage of the roll.

The following are estimates of the coverage of different drop patterns.

Usable wallpaper per roll for various drop patterns. A standard US wallpaper roll with no pattern will cover 36 square feet, and a standard European roll will cover 29 square feet

Drop Pattern Wallpaper Coverage
no drop pattern 29 – 36 sq ft
0″ – 6″ drop pattern 25 sq ft
7″ – 12″ inch drop pattern 22 sq ft
13″ – 18″ inch drop pattern 20 sq ft
19″ – 23″ inch drop pattern 15 sq ft

Step Three: Calculate Wallpaper Rolls Needed

The final step in estimating wallpaper is to use the total square feet and coverage per roll to find the number of rolls you need. Find the number of rolls needed by dividing the total square footage by the usable square footage per roll.
For example, find the number of rolls needed to cover a room with 350 sq ft of walls using rolls that have 25 usable square feet.

rolls = wall sq. ft. ÷ usable sq. ft.
rolls = 350 sq. ft. ÷ 25 sq. ft.
rolls = 14

We recommend ordering about 10% to 20% extra to allow for cuts and waste material. If you are fairly close to an even roll, then it may be a good idea to order an extra roll to ensure you are not short on material.

It might even be worth ordering some extra to allow for future patches and repairs, if needed.

If you’re also doing some painting in this space, you might be interested in estimating how many gallons of paint you’ll need.

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Paint Calculator

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Paint Calculator

Calculate how much paint and primer you need by entering the dimensions of your room below. Optionally, include ceiling paint in your estimate.

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    FindPros

    FindPros connects consumers with professionals in over 600 different categories.

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    Jacky L.

    FindPros connects consumers with professionals in over 600 different categories.

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Paint Estimate:
{{wall_paint}}
{{cell_paint}}
{{total_primer}}

Paint Area:

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{{ceiling_area}}
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{{total_sq_mt}}
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*results assume 350 square feet of coverage per gallon of paint and 200 square feet of coverage per gallon of primer, some paints and primers may cover more or less

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How to Calculate Paint and Primer

When you’re painting a room, a fence, or your whole house, you might be wondering how many gallons of paint you’ll actually need. There are a few methods to figure this out.

The first method is to use the paint calculator above. It estimates the amount of paint, primer, and ceiling paint you’ll need for any project.

Simply enter the size of the area, and the calculator finds the square footage of the walls, then estimates the paint and primer needed for that area.

Of course, you can estimate paint without a calculator as well. You can calculate how many gallons you need in a few simple steps.

How Many Gallons of Paint Do You Need?

The first step is to calculate the size of the area you will be painting. Paint is a most costly material, and while you do want a small amount extra for touch-ups later, you don’t want to order much more than you need, as it is not returnable.

By far, the easiest way to estimate how many gallons of paint you need for a project is to consult the quick reference table below.

Paint Coverage Estimates

This table shows the estimated amount of paint needed for average-sized rooms.

One gallon of typical latex paint usually covers 350 to 400 square feet of wall area.

This does assume that the paint you are using can cover in one coat. If you are going from light to dark or dark to light, you may need either a tinted primer and one to two coats of paint or two to three coats of paint without primer to get the desired color.

Paints that contain paint and primer in one will usually cover in one coat, but always check the brand and type of paint you’re using for recommendations, particularly for bright or dark colors. If you’re painting new drywall, then it’s a good idea to apply a coat of primer first.

Room Size Gallons of Paint Needed
small room (8′ x 8′) 1 gallon
medium room (12′ x 12′) 2 gallons
large room (18′ x 18′) 3 gallons
bathroom 1 gallon
kitchen 1-2 gallons
bedroom 2 gallons
family room 3 gallons

Amount of paint needed to cover the average-sized room, using a standard latex paint

How to Measure a Room

Using a reference table is quick and easy, but the most accurate method of calculating paint and primer for a project is to measure the surfaces to be painted and use the coverage estimate for the specific product you’re using.

Step One: Measure the Walls

The first step in estimating paint material is to measure the walls or ceilings you will be covering. Measure the length and height of each wall in feet and write them down. It may be easiest to round up to the next foot measurement for measurements that contain partial feet.

You can also measure the walls in inches and convert the area to square feet later for more accurate measurements, particularly in small spaces, closets, or small bump-out walls.

Step Two: Calculate Square Footage of Each Surface

The next step in the process is to calculate the square footage of the walls and ceilings. Square footage is an area measurement of a space, measured in feet, and we have a simple calculator to help with these calculations.

For each set of measurements from step one, multiply the width and height together to get the square footage.

If you measure in inches, divide the number you get from multiplying by 144 to convert to square feet. If doing this method, it is sometimes easiest to add up the square inches from each area first, then convert to square feet. Write down the square footage of each wall.

For example, let’s find the square footage of a wall that is 10 ft. wide by 9 ft. high.

sq ft = 10 ft. × 9 ft.
sq ft = 90 sq ft

Pro Tip: use an area calculator to find the area of complicated wall shapes.

For walls that have large banks of doors or windows, consider subtracting the area of those from the wall square footage to avoid ordering too much paint. To do that, measure the length and height of each door and window and multiply to find the square footage. Then, subtract the door and window square footage from the wall square footage to find the area that needs paint.

If the walls are not simple rectangles or are complex, then consider breaking the wall into smaller sections and calculate the square footage of each section individually. To illustrate this, if your wall is not a normal rectangle, break it into different sections and measure the square footage of each section. Learn more about how to measure irregular walls.

Illustration showing how to break up a complex wall shape into smaller pieces to measure.

Step Three: Add Square Footages Together to Find the Total

Once you know the square footage of each wall, add them together to find the total square footage. If you had split complex walls into several surfaces, then be sure to add each surface to get the total.
For example, let’s find the total square footage for two walls that are 120 square feet and two walls that are 150 square feet.

total sq ft = 120 + 120 + 150 + 150
total sq ft = 540 sq ft

Step Four: Calculate Paint Coverage

The final step is to find the coverage ratio of your paint and calculate the number of gallons needed to cover the total square footage. Most professionals use the formula of 350 to 400 square feet of wall coverage per gallon of paint and 200 square feet of wall coverage per gallon of primer.

It’s important to note that different types and manufacturers may cover more or less area. It’s also important to note that different application methods, such as spraying, rolling, or brushing, will cover differently.

These figures also assume that you will be giving an even, solid coat of paint. If you are choosing to use a faux finish, this will change the calculations as well.

Your paint vendor should be able to tell you the coverage for your selected paint, and it’s often indicated on the container.

Divide the total square footage by the coverage rate to find the number of gallons needed.

For example, let’s find the paint needed to cover 540 square feet using a product that covers 350 square feet per gallon.

gallons = sq ft ÷ coverage
gallons = 540 ÷ 350
gallons = 1.54 gallons

You’ll need to round up to the nearest full gallon or quart. It is not a bad idea to have some leftover paint at the end of a project since it can be used for touch-ups, particularly with some shades that can be difficult to match or that can vary slightly from lot to lot.

How to Estimate Paint for Trim

Here’s a tip: estimate the paint and primer needed to cover trim or small surfaces by taking the linear footage of the room – or the number of feet around the perimeter, and multiplying this by the height of the trim. To make it more accurate, measure the perimeter in inches or divide the linear feet by 12 before multiplying.

Once you have the total square inches, divide by 144 to get the square feet. This can be an easier method than attempting to find the height in feet of some trims, like a pencil, which may be less than 1 inch tall.

You can also estimate trim using the measurement method above. Start by measuring the height of the trim in inches, then convert that to feet. For example, trim that is 4 inches tall is 0.33 feet tall.

Then multiply the height by the length of trim to find the square footage. Then follow the rest of the steps above to estimate the paint needed to cover that square footage.

How to Estimate Exterior Paint

You can estimate the exterior paint you’ll need just like interior projects. Start by measuring each exterior wall of the home, then calculate the square footage of each one.

For walls with a gable, measure the square portion and the gable portion separately. You might find a triangle area calculator helpful to find the square footage of the gable.

Then, add the square footage of each area together. Subtract the square footage of any doors and windows that you won’t be painting from the total square footage.

Consult the directions on the specific product you’ll be using for a coverage estimate.

Keep in mind that walls with porous surfaces such as concrete, brick, or rough wood will soak up much more paint than a smooth surface. We suggest ordering more paint than you estimate to cover these surfaces.

Or speak to the paint retailer about what they recommend for painting these surfaces. Likewise, a home with wood siding that is older will require more paint than a home with new wood siding.

When making dramatic color changes, you might also need an additional coat of paint to get adequate coverage; be sure to account for this in your estimate.

You can also use our fence stain and deck stain calculators to estimate how much you’ll need.

Estimation Tips

It may be a good idea to order 10-20% extra, probably an extra quart or gallon, depending on your project, to allow for differences in coverage and to have extra material for touch-ups down the road. If you are fairly close to an even gallon on a small project and want to save some money, consider ordering a quart for your overage.

Don’t forget to estimate other supplies needed for a painting project. Learn more about the costs associated with a painting project.

Be sure to grab plenty of tarps and use a good blue masking tape to tape off any surfaces for a clean paint job. Finally, make sure you choose a good brush and rollers; spending an extra dollar or two on these will have just as much impact on your finish as the quality of the paint itself.

You might also be interested in estimating wallpaper for your space.

Frequently Asked Questions

This can vary depending on the type of paint and the surface you are covering. The general rule of thumb, however, is that 1 gallon of latex paint will cover 350 to 400 sq ft.

Most likely, you will need two gallons of paint to cover a room of this size. However, things like windows and doors, the color of the paint, and the current color of the walls can all influence the total amount you will need.

This depends a lot on the project. For cedar or redwood, vinyl, or big color changes – from very light to dark or dark to light, as well as to cover stains from things like mold, then yes, primer is required. Otherwise, it may not be necessary, depending on the paint you choose.

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Drywall Calculator

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Drywall Calculator

Calculate drywall or Sheetrock panels, screws, joint compound, and tape needed for your project by entering your room’s dimensions. Optionally include the ceiling if you’re drywalling that as well.

  • By
    FindPros

    FindPros connects consumers with professionals in over 600 different categories.

  • Reviewed by
    Jacky L.

    FindPros connects consumers with professionals in over 600 different categories.

Room Dimensions

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Sheet Details

Optionally enter the price per sheet

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Drywall Material Estimate:

Material Estimate:

{{drywall_sheets}}
${{drywall_cost}}

Screws

{{total_pound_of_screws}}

Tape

{{tape}}

Joint Compound

{{total_pounds}}
{{gallons}}
{{pounds_of_lightweight}}
{{quick_setting}}

Total Area

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{{total_area_sqmeter}}

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How to Calculate Drywall

Drywall, also referred to as Sheetrock or wall-board, is used to cover wall studs in modern construction. Drywall creates the solid wall surfaces you see in your home.

It’s usually finished and painted after installation. When you’re completing a renovation or construction project, you’ll likely need drywall to cover the studs or wall frame of the home.

There are a few ways to estimate the amount of drywall and materials you’ll need for the project.

The first method is to use the drywall calculator above.

Enter the size of your room, and the drywall calculator finds the square footage of the walls, estimates the amount of drywall needed to cover those surfaces, and estimates additional supplies, including screws, joint compound, and tape.

How to Estimate Drywall Without a Calculator

To estimate the amount of drywall needed for your project, you need to calculate the square footage of the walls and ceilings that you’ll be sheetrocking.

Square footage of the walls is the length in feet times the width in feet of each wall. , Thus, you can calculate square feet by multiplying the length times the width.

Do this for each wall, then add them all together to get the total square footage.

If the walls are complex and not rectangular, then it may be easiest to split the walls into smaller sections, and calculate each section individually, then add them together.

For example, to measure walls that have a vault, it will be easiest to determine the square section and vault separately.

If you have doors, windows, or other areas where you won’t be installing drywall, find the square footage of those areas and subtract it from the total square footage figure. This will make your calculation more accurate and reduce excess materials and waste.

After you find the square footage of drywall needed, simply divide it by the square footage of the sheet size you will be using to find the number of sheets needed.

We suggest ordering about 10% additional materials to account for cuts and material waste. Having additional material can help prevent delays due to waste for offcuts and broken pieces.

How to Estimate Joint Compound and Tape

Estimating the amount of joint compound and drywall tape you need starts with finding the square footage. Different joint compound or mud products have different coverage levels, so it’s best to check the product you intend to use to verify the coverage.

If you’re using a lightweight joint compound (not premixed), then you’ll probably need 0.053 pounds of mud per square foot of drywall. If you’re using a quick-setting product, then you’ll likely need 0.073 pounds of mud per square foot. Drywall tape typically covers about 2-3 square feet of Sheetrock per foot of tape.

Likewise, when finishing the drywall, it may be given different textures. These textures may change the amount of coverage that a compound could give you.

How to Estimate Drywall Cost

To effectively estimate the cost of a drywall project, you need to calculate how many sheets you’ll be installing, the tape and joint compound required, and how many screws are necessary for the project.

Keep in mind that there are different types of drywall for different areas. For example, drywall that is mold or moisture-resistant is best for bathrooms. These can have different costs as well.

The calculator above can estimate the material costs for the project, but every drywall project needs one critical component – a skilled laborer to install and finish the project.

The cost of labor varies drastically based on your geographic area and the skill of the craftsmen. We suggest getting several quotes in your area to get an accurate cost estimate for the project.

You can also use our drywall cost calculator to estimate the cost of the project in your area.

Bear in mind that more complex framing, layouts, or exclusions will require manual estimation of materials, any automated estimation will have a reduced level of accuracy as the complexity of the framing or exclusions rises.

Sheetrock Panel Size Factors to Consider

  • Long sheets require fewer seams and cost much less to finish, but are more difficult to install.
  • Long sheets may not fit in tight spaces or through stairwells.
  • Long sheets are significantly heavier to lift and transport. A 4’x8′ 1/2″ sheet of drywall weighs 54 pounds, while a 4’x12′ 1/2″ sheet weighs 82 pounds.

Don’t forget to consider transportation and delivery requirements when ordering materials. Drywall products are very heavy, and you’ll want to make sure you have the appropriate tools for moving large amounts of Sheetrock.

We recommend using a panel carry tool, which basically adds a set of handles at just the right height to make carrying large Sheetrock panels very easy.

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Using tools like this can make life easier moving heavy sheets, but can also help prevent damage to the drywall sheets as well.

Frequently Asked Questions

If you are purchasing 4′ x 8′ sheets, then yes; they are designed to butt against one another. Drywall can be found in many different sizes, however, such as 4′ x 10′ and 4′ x 12′, as well as different thicknesses, such as 1/4″, 1/2″, and 5/8″.

The most common size of drywall for walls is 4′ x 8′. However, if you have taller ceilings or an unusual layout, you can purchase larger sheets as well.

If the room is exactly 10′ x 10′ with a 9′ ceiling, then you would need 15 sheets of 4′ x 8′ drywall to cover the walls and ceiling. Likely, this number will be lower, however, once things like doors and windows are subtracted.

Yes, in that Sheetrock is a brand of drywall. Much like people use brand names like Kleenex or Jacuzzi to describe a product, Sheetrock is sometimes used to describe generic drywall.

Next Step – After drywall, it’s time to finish the space. Estimate how much primer and paint you’ll need to finish this room. Or, estimate how many rolls of wallpaper you’ll need.

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