Overview
This calculator turns your wall or ceiling area into a material estimate for plasterboard work. It uses the board dimensions you enter, then adds waste so you can plan for cuts, trimming, and damaged sheets. You can also set how many screws you want per board and how many profile meters you need per square meter. The result is useful when preparing a quote, checking a shopping list, or comparing sheet formats before ordering. The numbers are estimates, not a cutting plan. Openings, multi-layer cladding, stud spacing, and framing layout can all change the final amount of material.
Use cases
- Partition wall material listEstimate boards and framing for a single-room drywall partition before you order supplies.
- Suspended ceiling planningWork out how many sheets and profile meters a ceiling run will need with a chosen waste allowance.
- Renovation purchasing checkCompare board formats before buying so you can see which size reduces the number of joints.
- Fastener and profile budgetingConvert a surface area into screws and linear profiles for a basic interior build-up.
How it works
- 1
Enter the total surface area in square meters.
- 2
Add the board width and height in centimeters.
- 3
Set a waste percentage for offcuts and trimming.
- 4
Specify screws per board and profile meters per square meter.
- 5
Read the estimated board count, screw count, and profile length.
Examples
Small office partition
Input: Area 21.6 m², board size 120 × 260 cm, waste 8%, 9 screws per board, 3.2 m profiles per m².
Output: Estimated result: 8 boards, 72 screws, and 69.1 m of profiles.
Shows how a modest wall area becomes a practical purchase list.
Kitchen ceiling repair
Input: Area 13.5 m², board size 120 × 200 cm, waste 12%, 10 screws per board, 4.1 m profiles per m².
Output: Estimated result: 7 boards, 70 screws, and 55.4 m of profiles.
Useful when the ceiling uses shorter boards and more framing.
Basement lining with larger sheets
Input: Area 32 m², board size 120 × 300 cm, waste 10%, 8 screws per board, 2.8 m profiles per m².
Output: Estimated result: 10 boards, 80 screws, and 89.6 m of profiles.
Helpful for comparing longer boards against standard sheet sizes.
FAQ
Does the board count include waste?
Yes. The waste percentage is added to the covered area before the board count is calculated, so the result already includes allowance for cuts and offcuts.
Why can the board count look higher than the area suggests?
Because the calculator rounds up to full sheets. Even a small remaining area still requires another board, and waste can push the total higher.
Are screws calculated per sheet or per area?
They are calculated from the estimated board count. If you change the screws-per-board input, the total screw count changes directly.
Can I use the result for double-layer cladding?
You can, but you need to treat each layer separately or adjust the area and screw assumptions yourself. A double layer usually needs more screws and may change framing needs.
Why do profile meters stay approximate?
Profile length depends on the framing layout, stud spacing, perimeter details, and openings. The tool uses your per-square-meter value as a planning estimate, not a final cut list.