Interior design is an integral part of every home, and every seasoned designer knows several ways to put this in place. Decoration options include artwork, photographs, furniture, and even the paint color.
To get the best paint output, designers explore new options like drywall which is well-known for its ease of installation and ability to create smooth and even surfaces for painting or finishing.
Aside from its ease of use, drywall is also popular for its cost-effectiveness, making it a common option among many homeowners. If you need to know how much drywall will cost for your home, you are in the right place.
How to Calculate the Cost of Drywall
There is a straightforward formula to calculate the cost of drywall for your home. However, this formula is dependent on some variables including decisions made by the homeowner.
Nonetheless, the formula is quite helpful and can help you calculate the total cost of drywall installation in a few minutes. Let’s find out how it works.
The following formula can help a homeowner calculate the amount of drywall needed for a project and the total cost.
- To determine the number of drywall panels needed, first, calculate the area’s square footage by multiplying its width and height.
- Then, divide the result by 32 for 4-by-8-foot sheets or by 48 for 4-by-12-foot sheets.
- Next, add the price of a half-gallon of ready-mix compound for every 100 square feet.
- Add the expense of 40 feet of drywall tape for every 100 square feet.
- Finally, add the cost of drywall screws: In general, 3 pounds of drywall screws will cover approximately 1,000 feet.
On average, it will cost between $200 and $300 to purchase enough drywall panels for a 12-foot-by-12-foot room.
However, several factors affect the cost of drywall including the type and thickness of the panels and the number of odd cuts, to mention a few.
Nevertheless, this formula should help homeowners with an estimate of the cost of materials to begin a drywall project.
Types of Drywall (Cost-included)
Before a contractor begins a drywall project in your home, they will first determine the type of drywall to be used.
There are different types of drywall and they all have distinct purchasing and installation costs. Let’s discuss the types of drywall.
Standard or Regular Drywall
This is the most popular drywall variant used in the interior of most homes. Standard or regular drywall costs between 40 – 50 cents per foot or $12 – $17 per panel.
Regular drywall is easy to cut, install and finish. Also, it works well in rooms with low humidity.
Water-Resistant (Green Board) Drywall
Water-resistant drywall is commonly used in areas at home that are usually exposed to moisture, including bathrooms, laundry rooms, and kitchens.
The name green board comes from a surface layer of water-resistant green material, though it is not water-resistant itself. Green Board costs 55 – 70 cents per square foot.
Moisture and Mold-Resistant (Purple) Drywall
Although green boards are more common, purple drywall offers better moisture resistance. Also, purple drywall comes with anti-microbial properties that prevent mold, making it a better option for water-prone areas in the home.
Purple drywall is more expensive than green board and costs 65 – 75 cents per square foot or $17 – $33 per panel.
Blue Board Drywall
Blue board drywall is also known as a plaster base and is popular for its strength and ability to handle heavy plaster finishes. However, it costs more than the regular drywall options.
Blue board drywall costs 65 – 80 cents per square foot or $12 – $15 per panel.
Paperless Drywall
Paperless drywall boasts a moisture-resistant fiberglass outer layer, though additional finishing is required for complete concealment of the fiberglass texture.
This type of drywall typically ranges from 65 cents to $ 1 per square foot or $21 – $31 per panel.
Fire-Resistant (Type X) Drywall
Although all drywall is fire-resistant, they all have different levels of tolerance. Type X drywall is the most preferred because it burns very slowly and resists fire twice as long as regular drywall.
Depending on the type of building, codes may require that Type X drywall is installed in garages or utility rooms, in case of a fire outbreak. It costs 55 – 90 cents per square foot or $20 – $30 per panel.
Soundproof Drywall
You might be surprised to hear that there is a type of drywall that is also resistant to sound. It reduces noise transmission through walls and is commonly used in music rooms, studios, bedrooms, or any space where sound control is crucial.
Soundproof drywall is usually thick and is the most expensive among the types of drywall. It costs $1.85 – $3 per square foot or $40 to $55 per panel.
Eco-Friendly Drywall
This type of drywall is crafted from recyclable gypsum, with certain products incorporating a higher proportion of post-consumer material.
These eco-friendly or recycled options are available for 70 – 90 cents $0.70 per square foot.
Now that you are familiar with the various types of drywall, let’s see some of the factors you should consider while calculating the total cost for drywall.
Factors in Calculating Drywall Cost
Earlier in this article, I provided a basic formula to calculate the cost of drywall installation. I also mentioned that some variables must be considered to arrive at an accurate cost estimate.
Drywall is used in several areas in the home and there are varieties in shape, thickness, and other materials incorporated into the panels that influence the total cost.
These factors you should consider include:
Panel size
Drywall panels are available in standard dimensions of 4 feet by 8 feet or 4 feet by 12 feet. Depending on the room’s size and layout, a one-panel size might be more efficient, resulting in less waste.
Although 4-by-12-foot sheets may be slightly more expensive, using them could lead to fewer sheets needed for high ceilings, resulting in cost and time savings during cutting and taping.
Installation Location
The total cost of drywall installation is influenced by the location where it’s being installed, taking into account the room’s square footage and the type of drywall selected.
Smaller rooms like bathrooms generally have a lower overall cost, ranging from $430 to $500, but the price per square foot may be higher in such cases.
Drywall Thickness
Drywall comes in four thicknesses: ¼ inch, ⅜ inch, ½ inch, and ⅝ inch, with the cost rising as the thickness increases. A sheet of ¼-inch drywall typically costs around $10 to $12 and is commonly used for wall repairs to strengthen existing structures.
On the other hand, ⅜-inch drywall can cost up to $15 per sheet and is often preferred when ½-inch drywall is too large for the available space.
Labor
For optimal results, I will advise you to hire a qualified professional drywall manager, as the process involves separate costs. Hanging drywall typically ranges from $0.15 to $0.65 per square foot.
Taping and mudding after hanging can cost between $0.40 and $0.70 per square foot while sanding and priming come to about $0.10 to $0.50 per square foot.
Overall, finishing the drywall can amount to $0.50 to $1.15 per square foot. Combining these expenses results in a total drywall installation cost ranging from $1.15 to $3 per square foot.
Additional factors to consider before installing drywall include:
- Finishing
- Geographic location
- Project target
- Insulation
- Old drywall removal
- Customization, etc.
