Drywall Mud Calculator
Calculate the amount of drywall mud (joint compound) needed to finish your drywall project. Enter your wall area, select the number of coats and texture type, and add a waste factor for accurate material estimates.
Base Mud = (Wall Area × Coats) / Coverage Rate
Coverage Rate: Smooth = 400, Light = 350, Medium = 300, Heavy = 250 sq ft/gal
Total Mud = Base Mud × (1 + Waste%/100)
Five-Gallon Buckets = Total Mud / 5 (rounded up)
Cost = Total Mud × Price per gallon
Example:
Wall Area: 500 sq ft
Coats: 2
Texture: Medium (300 sq ft/gal)
Waste: 10%
Base Mud = (500 × 2) / 300 = 3.33 gallons
Total Mud = 3.33 × 1.10 = 3.67 gallons
Buckets = 1 (5-gallon)
Mud per Coat = 1.83 gallons
Cost = 3.67 × $15 = $55.00
🔗 Related Calculators
📐 Formula
Base Mud = (Wall Area × Coats) / Coverage Rate
Coverage Rate: Smooth = 400, Light = 350, Medium = 300, Heavy = 250 sq ft/gal
Total Mud = Base Mud × (1 + Waste%/100)
Five-Gallon Buckets = Total Mud / 5 (rounded up)
Cost = Total Mud × Price per gallon
📝 Example Calculation
Example:
Wall Area: 500 sq ft
Coats: 2
Texture: Medium (300 sq ft/gal)
Waste: 10%
Base Mud = (500 × 2) / 300 = 3.33 gallons
Total Mud = 3.33 × 1.10 = 3.67 gallons
Buckets = 1 (5-gallon)
Mud per Coat = 1.83 gallons
Cost = 3.67 × $15 = $55.00