Standard 4 x 8 ft sheet = 32 sq ft.
Only used if you chose square feet above.
An estimate. How much compound you actually use depends heavily on your technique. First-time finishers typically use 30 to 50 percent more than an experienced taper, mostly because more gets sanded off than needs to be.
Calculated entirely in your browser. Nothing you enter is sent anywhere.
How to use it
Count your sheets
A standard 4 by 8 sheet is 32 square feet. Or switch to square feet directly.
Choose a finish level
Level 4 is the normal target for flat paint. Level 5 means skimming everything.
Allow for learning
First-timers use noticeably more than the base figures. The waste allowance is not optional.
How the calculation works
The calculation works from a rate of compound per 100 square feet, which changes with finish level: roughly 0.9 gallons at Level 3, 1.2 at Level 4 and 1.6 at Level 5.
Joint tape is estimated at 0.4 linear feet per square foot of surface, which covers the seams on a typical layout with standard sheets.
Setting-type compound is shown as bags rather than buckets, because it is sold as powder. It hardens chemically rather than by drying, which makes it far stronger and far less forgiving. Mix only what you can use before it goes off, because there is no reviving it.
What this calculator does not do
It cannot account for your technique. The gap between an experienced taper and a first-timer is 30 to 50 percent more compound, almost all of which gets sanded back off.
It does not cover corner bead accurately. The figure is a rough estimate from area, not an actual count of your corners.
It assumes standard sheet sizes and a normal layout. Vaulted ceilings, small rooms or many openings all increase seam length.
Questions
How many buckets for a room?
A 12 by 12 room with an 8 ft ceiling is around 500 square feet, so roughly 6 gallons at Level 4, about one and a half buckets.
All-purpose or lightweight?
All-purpose for taping coats because it bonds better. Lightweight for final coats because it sands far more easily.
Level 4 or Level 5?
Level 4 finishes seams and screw heads. Level 5 adds a skim coat over everything, worth it only under gloss paint or raking light.
How many coats?
Three for Level 4: tape, fill and finish. Four if you are going to Level 5.
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