Drywall for a 12x16 Shed
Walls, gable ends and a flat or vaulted ceiling for a 12 x 16 ft shed, with the door deducted and every surface laid out sheet by sheet.
- 12 x 16 ft
- Gable ends included
- Flat or vaulted
- Layout diagrams
Your estimate
12 x 16 ft shed, vaultedfrom a layout of every surface
Area
To finish it
Both gable triangles are cut from one panel the width of the shed and as tall as the gable, so they show as one surface. Add a spare sheet for a small job like this.
4x8, 4x10 or 4x12 for a 12 x 16 shed
| Board | Sheets | Butt joints | Taped seams | Offcut waste | Labor, national range |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4x8 (fewest joints) | 23 | 0 | 113 ft | 12.0% | $777 to $1,620 |
| 4x10 | 18 | 10 | 130 ft | 10.0% | $777 to $1,620 |
| 4x12 | 15 | 9 | 126 ft | 10.0% | $777 to $1,620 |
A 12 x 16 ft shed with 8 ft walls, a 5.5 x 6.5 ft door and one window takes about 14 sheets of 4x8 drywall for the walls alone, 20 with a flat ceiling at wall height, and 23 if you board the gable ends and the underside of a 6 in 12 roof for a vaulted ceiling. That vaulted build has no butt joints in 4x8 and 9 butt joints in 4x12.
Flat ceiling or vaulted in a 12x16 shed?
A flat ceiling at wall height is the least board, 192 sq ft for this shed, and leaves the attic space for storage or insulation. A vaulted ceiling follows the roof: it takes the two roof slopes, 215 sq ft at 6 in 12, plus the two gable triangles, 36 sq ft together. That is 3 more sheets of 4x8 than the flat version, 23 against 20.
Surface by surface: the vaulted 12x16 shed in 4x8
- Door wall, 12 by 8 ft, with the door opening: hung vertically, 3 pieces cut from 3 sheets, no butt joints, 3 ft of taped seam.
- Side wall, 16 by 8 ft, with the window: hung vertically, 4 pieces cut from 4 sheets, no butt joints, 24 ft of taped seam.
- Back wall, 12 by 8 ft: hung vertically, 3 pieces cut from 3 sheets, no butt joints, 16 ft of taped seam.
- Side wall, 16 by 8 ft: hung vertically, 4 pieces cut from 4 sheets, no butt joints, 24 ft of taped seam.
- Ceiling slope, 16 by 6.7 ft: hung vertically, 4 pieces cut from 4 sheets, no butt joints, 20 ft of taped seam.
- Ceiling slope, 16 by 6.7 ft: hung vertically, 4 pieces cut from 4 sheets, no butt joints, 20 ft of taped seam.
- Both gable ends, 12 by 3 ft: hung vertically, 3 pieces cut from 2 sheets, no butt joints, 6 ft of taped seam.
On 8 ft walls the 4x8 layout stands each sheet up from floor to plate with no cut across it. Each gable end is a 12 ft wide triangle rising 3 ft to the ridge; cut one out of a rectangle and the corner offcuts make the other, so both together are one 12 by 3 ft panel, 3 pieces of board in this layout.
In 4x12 board the same shed takes 15 sheets with 126 ft of taped seam, against 23 sheets and 113 ft in 4x8. 4x8 gives the fewest butt joints (0, over 23 sheets); 4x12 gives the fewest sheets (15, with 9 butt joints).
Labor for a 12x16 shed
Walls, gables and roof slopes put 648 sq ft of board up after the door and window. At the national planning range of $1.20 to $2.50 per sq ft to hang and finish, a contractor would charge roughly $778 to $1,620 in labor for the vaulted 12x16 build.
Hanging drywall in a 12x16 shed
- Hang the 215 sq ft of roof slope first, then the gables, then the 397 sq ft of wall, so wall board supports the ceiling edges.
- Insulate the 8 ft walls and the roof before any board goes up. A shed with drywall and no insulation or vapor control can trap moisture behind the board.
- Add a spare: 24 sheets of 4x8 covers the vaulted layout with one to spare for a miscut.
Frequently asked questions
Primary references
Manufacturer and industry guidance used to check this article.
- Sheetrock Brand Installation and Finishing GuideUSG
- Application and Finishing of Gypsum Panel Products, GA-216-2010 archiveGypsum Association
Product instructions, tested assemblies and local code take priority over general guidance.