Drywall for a 12 × 16 room
Short answer
A 12 × 16 ft room with an 8-ft ceiling has about 640 sq ft of drywall (walls + ceiling) — roughly 22 sheets of 4×8. Installed with materials and labor that runs about $1,276–$2,731 at standard finish.
Sheets (4×8)
22
Installed cost
$1,276–$2,731
Drywall area
640 sq ft
Joint compound
3 boxes
Drywalling a 12 × 16 room
A 12 × 16-foot room with an 8-ft ceiling has about 640 sq ft of drywall once you cover the walls and the ceiling. At 4×8 sheets (32 sq ft each) with ~10% waste, that's roughly 22 sheets.
Sheets are only part of the bill. This room also needs about 3 boxes of joint compound, 800 ft of tape, and 640 screws. Materials plus labor at a standard finish come to about $1,276–$2,731 — and the taping and finishing, not the sheets, is where most of that goes.
What drives your cost
| Factor | Effect on cost |
|---|---|
| Drywall area | ~640 sq ft of walls and ceiling to cover |
| Sheet size | Bigger sheets (4×10, 4×12) mean fewer seams to tape, but are heavier to handle |
| Waste factor | Plan ~10% extra for cuts around doors, windows, and outlets |
| Finishing materials | Joint compound, tape, and screws scale with area on top of the sheets |
| Taping & finishing | The biggest labor cost — 3 coats of mud with sanding between each |
| Level of finish | Level 3 for texture up to level 5 for smooth, glossy walls changes labor a lot |
Sheets & cost by sheet size
Sheets needed and installed cost for this 12 × 16 room, by drywall sheet size.
| Sheet size | Sheets | Installed total |
|---|---|---|
| 4' × 8' | 22 | $1,276–$2,731 |
| 4' × 10' | 18 | $1,282–$2,731 |
| 4' × 12' | 15 | $1,282–$2,740 |
Drywall finishing tips
- Bigger sheets cut your seam count — fewer joints to tape means a faster, flatter finish — but they're heavy, so have a helper or a lift.
- Budget time for three coats of joint compound with sanding between each; rushing the mud is the fastest way to a visibly bad wall.
- Buy about 10% extra sheets for cuts and the occasional broken corner — running one sheet short mid-job is a costly delay.
- Match the finish level to the lighting: level 4 is fine for most rooms, but go level 5 where glossy paint or side light will show every flaw.
Your exact room
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Frequently asked questions
How much drywall do I need for a 12 × 16 room?
A 12 × 16 ft room with an 8-ft ceiling is about 640 sq ft of drywall (walls + ceiling), which is roughly 22 sheets of 4×8 including 10% waste — plus about 3 boxes of joint compound and 800 ft of tape.
How much does it cost to drywall a 12 × 16 room?
About $1,276–$2,731 installed at standard finish — materials ($316–$491) plus labor. Ceilings, higher finish levels (Level 5), and texture add to that.
How many drywall sheets are in a 12 × 16 room?
Roughly 22 sheets of 4×8 (32 sq ft each) after 10% waste. Using 4×12 sheets cuts the count and the number of seams to tape.