How much does drywall cost?

Materials: standard 4x8 sheet (1/2 inch): $10-$15. Specialty (moisture-resistant, fire-rated): $12-$25. Professional installation: hang and finish: $1.50-$3.00 per square foot. Average room (12x12, walls only, ~400 sq ft of drywall): $400-$800. Whole house (2,000 sq ft): $8,000-$18,000. DIY: materials for a room: $50-$150. The biggest cost savings from DIY is in the hanging (labor-intensive but straightforward). The finishing (taping and mudding) is skill-intensive and where most DIY jobs look amateur.

What type of drywall do I need?

Standard (white): most interior walls and ceilings. Moisture-resistant (green): bathrooms, kitchens, laundry (not for showers/tubs). Mold-resistant (purple): high-humidity areas, behind cabinets. Fire-rated (Type X, 5/8 inch): garage walls adjacent to living space, furnace rooms, some ceilings. Cement board: behind shower tile and tub surrounds (not technically drywall). Thickness: 1/2 inch for walls. 5/8 inch for ceilings (less sag). 5/8 inch Type X for fire-rated applications.

How do I fix a hole in drywall?

Nail/screw holes: fill with spackle, dry, sand, paint. 5 minutes. Small holes (up to 6 inches): use a peel-and-stick drywall repair patch. Apply the patch, skim with joint compound, dry, sand, paint. Medium holes (6-12 inches): cut a clean rectangle, use the California patch method (cut a patch slightly larger, score the back, snap off the gypsum leaving paper edges, glue over the hole, mud the paper edges). Large holes: cut back to studs, install a new piece, tape, mud (3 coats), sand, prime, paint. Tools needed: utility knife, drywall saw, joint compound, putty knife, sandpaper (120-150 grit). The key to invisible repairs: feather the joint compound wider than you think necessary, sand lightly, and prime before painting. Two thin coats are better than one thick coat.

How long does it take to install drywall?

Hanging: 1-2 rooms per day (DIY). Professional crew: 1,000-2,000 sq ft per day. Finishing: 3-5 days minimum (multiple coats with drying time). Day 1: tape and first coat. Day 2: second coat. Day 3: third coat. Day 4: sand. Day 5: prime. Each coat needs 24 hours to dry (faster with good ventilation and low humidity). Total for a room (hang and finish): 5-7 days. Total for a whole house: 2-4 weeks. The waiting between coats is the bottleneck. You cannot rush the drying time without risking cracking and shrinking.

Article

Home Improvement

Drywall Guide: Types, Installation & Repair

Lumberama Editorial Team, Drywall & Interior Construction Specialists Oct 21, 2026 11 min read

What Is Drywall?

Drywall (also called sheetrock, wallboard, or gypsum board) is the standard interior wall and ceiling material in modern construction. It is made of gypsum plaster pressed between two sheets of heavy paper. Why drywall: Fast installation compared to plaster. Consistent, smooth finish. Fire resistant (gypsum contains water that slows fire spread). Easy to repair and modify. Cost-effective.

Types

Regular (white face): The standard. For most interior walls and ceilings. Cost: $10-$15 per 4x8 sheet.

Moisture-resistant (green board): Moisture-resistant paper facing. For bathrooms, kitchens, and laundry rooms. NOT for direct water contact (use cement board for that). Cost: $12-$18 per sheet.

Mold-resistant (purple board): Fiberglass facing instead of paper (mold cannot feed on fiberglass). Superior moisture and mold resistance. For high-humidity areas. Cost: $15-$25 per sheet.

Fire-resistant (Type X): Thicker (5/8 inch) with special additives. 1-hour fire rating. Required by code for: garage walls/ceilings adjacent to living spaces, some multi-family separations, furnace rooms. Cost: $12-$18 per sheet.

Soundproofing: Denser or layered construction. Reduces sound transmission. For bedrooms adjacent to noisy rooms, home theaters, offices. Cost: $40-$60 per sheet.

Thicknesses: 1/4 inch: for curves and covering existing walls. 3/8 inch: for repairs and overlay. 1/2 inch: standard for walls. 5/8 inch: standard for ceilings and fire-rated applications.

Installation

Hanging: Start with the ceiling. Hang walls horizontally (fewer joints, stronger). Stagger joints (do not align seams). Use screws every 12 inches on ceilings and 16 inches on walls. Leave a 1/2 inch gap at the floor (covered by baseboard). Cut around outlets and switches.

Finishing (taping and mudding): Level 0: no finishing (fire blocking only). Level 1: tape embedded in joint compound (above ceilings, in attics). Level 2: one coat over tape, thin coat over screws (garage, storage). Level 3: two coats over tape (areas receiving heavy texture). Level 4: three coats, sanded smooth (standard for most walls). Level 5: skim coat over entire surface (for flat paint, critical lighting, or high-gloss finishes).

The process: Apply tape and first coat of joint compound (mud). Let dry (24 hours). Second coat (feather wider). Let dry. Third coat (feather even wider). Sand smooth. Prime.

Common Repairs

Small holes (nail holes, screw holes): Fill with spackle. Let dry, sand, paint. 5-minute fix.

Medium holes (fist-sized): Cut a clean rectangle around the damage. Cut a patch piece. Use a drywall repair patch or backing strips. Tape, mud, sand, paint.

Large holes (door knob, plumbing access): Cut back to the nearest studs. Install a new piece of drywall. Tape all joints. Mud, sand, prime, paint.

Cracks: Hairline cracks: fill with flexible spackle or joint compound. Recurring cracks (at corners, around windows): use mesh tape over the crack, then mud and sand. Structural cracks (wide, growing, or diagonal): investigate the cause before patching.

Costs

Materials: Drywall (4x8 sheet): $10-$25 depending on type. Joint compound (5-gallon bucket): $15-$25. Tape (500 ft roll): $5-$10. Screws (box of 1,000): $20-$30.

Professional installation: Hang only: $1.00-$1.50/sq ft. Hang and finish (Level 4): $1.50-$3.00/sq ft. Average room (12x12): $400-$800 (walls only). Whole house (2,000 sq ft): $8,000-$18,000.

Repairs: Small patch (under 6 inches): $50-$150. Medium patch (6-12 inches): $100-$300. Large repair: $200-$500+.

DIY savings: Materials are inexpensive. Hanging is straightforward but physically demanding (sheets are heavy). Finishing (mudding and sanding) is the skill-intensive part. It takes practice to get smooth, invisible joints. Tip: if you can hang it yourself but struggle with finishing, hire a finisher to tape and mud. This is often the best value.