Reference

Drywall Sheet Sizes and Weights

Every stock sheet size and thickness the calculators count in, with the weight per sheet that decides deliveries, trips and how many people a ceiling needs.

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Sheet sizes

Sheet Area Joint length per sheet (one long edge + one end) Where it is used
4 × 8 ft 32 sq ft 12 ft The default: fits a car roof rack, one person can carry it, every store stocks it
4 × 9 ft 36 sq ft 13 ft 9 ft walls hung vertically
4 × 10 ft 40 sq ft 14 ft 10 ft walls hung vertically; fewer butt joints on long walls
4 × 12 ft 48 sq ft 16 ft Walls and ceilings hung horizontally by pros: fewest butt joints
4 × 14 ft 56 sq ft 18 ft Long rooms; special order in many areas
1,200 × 2,400 mm 2.88 m² (31.0 sq ft) 3.6 m Metric standard (Canada, UK, Australia, Europe)
1,200 × 2,700 mm 3.24 m² (34.9 sq ft) 3.9 m 2.7 m ceilings
1,200 × 3,000 mm 3.60 m² (38.8 sq ft) 4.2 m 3 m ceilings, long walls
900 × 1,800 mm 1.62 m² (17.4 sq ft) 2.7 m Handy-size board for small rooms and one-person work

Sheets 54 in wide (4 ft 6 in) are made for 9 ft walls hung horizontally in two rows, and are stocked by drywall supply houses rather than home centres. The calculators use the 4 ft (1,200 mm) widths.

Weight per sheet

Thickness lb per sq ft 4 × 8 4 × 9 4 × 10 4 × 12 4 × 14
1/4 in (6.4 mm) 1.2 38 lb 43 lb 48 lb 58 lb 67 lb
3/8 in (9.5 mm) 1.4 45 lb 50 lb 56 lb 67 lb 78 lb
1/2 in (12.7 mm), regular 1.6 51 lb 58 lb 64 lb 77 lb 90 lb
1/2 in, lightweight 1.25 40 lb 45 lb 50 lb 60 lb 70 lb
1/2 in, moisture- or mold-resistant 1.7 54 lb 61 lb 68 lb 82 lb 95 lb
5/8 in (15.9 mm) type X 2.2 70 lb 79 lb 88 lb 106 lb 123 lb
5/8 in type X, lightweight 1.75 56 lb 63 lb 70 lb 84 lb 98 lb
5/8 in abuse- or impact-resistant 2.5 80 lb 90 lb 100 lb 120 lb 140 lb

Weights vary a few percent by maker and plant; the figures are typical of manufacturers’ data sheets (USG, National Gypsum, CertainTeed, Georgia-Pacific), and the data sheet of the board you buy gives the exact figure. Sound-damping boards are heavier still, and vary by product.

Metric board 1/2 in class (12.5–12.7 mm) 5/8 in class (15–15.9 mm)
1,200 × 2,400 mm about 22.5 kg about 31 kg
1,200 × 2,700 mm about 25 kg about 35 kg
1,200 × 3,000 mm about 28 kg about 39 kg
900 × 1,800 mm about 13 kg about 17 kg

Board types

Type Standard What it is for
Regular gypsum board ASTM C1396 Walls and ceilings in dry rooms
Lightweight ASTM C1396 The same uses, about a fifth lighter; easier ceilings
Type X (fire-resistant) ASTM C1396 Rated assemblies, garage separation, furnace rooms
Type C ASTM C1396 Enhanced type X used in some tested floor-ceiling and shaft assemblies
Moisture- and mold-resistant ASTM C1396 (paper) or C1658 (glass mat) Bathrooms outside the wet zone, laundry rooms, basements
Abuse- and impact-resistant ASTM C1629 Hallways, garages, schools, rental units
Flexible 1/4 in ASTM C1396 Curved walls, in two layers
Veneer plaster base (blueboard) ASTM C1396 Under veneer plaster, not tape and compound
Cement board, tile backer ASTM C1325 Tub and shower walls under tile: not gypsum

Moisture-resistant gypsum board is not a tile backer for showers; the bathroom calculator and its guide explain where each board goes.

Sources

Sizes, thicknesses and weights: manufacturers’ product data sheets (USG Sheetrock, USG UltraLight, National Gypsum Gold Bond, CertainTeed, Georgia-Pacific ToughRock). Board types and standards: ASTM C1396, C1658, C1629 and C1325 as cited by the Gypsum Association. Thickness by framing spacing: International Residential Code Table R702.3.5 and Gypsum Association GA-216.

Calculators that use this table

The guides sheet sizes, orientation and seams, drywall thickness and what drywall weighs explain the figures.