# easy way to calc materials



## git-r-dun (May 1, 2010)

I was wondering whats the easiest way to calculate how much tape and mud i would need?


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## Capt-sheetrock (Dec 11, 2009)

git-r-dun said:


> I was wondering whats the easiest way to calculate how much tape and mud i would need?


Just look at the job and run it through your mind. Might want to count the cornerbeads too


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## cazna (Mar 28, 2010)

I do as the Capt does, never managed to get meter rates to work.


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## git-r-dun (May 1, 2010)

I usually end up calculating a little too more or not quite enough. Is there a way to figure it out by the square footage?


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## Bill from Indy (Apr 26, 2010)

here is what i go by...usually I am pretty close, but i sometimes have left over or have to get more time to time

tape, 250ft rolls will do 750sf/roll or 500sf/roll standup...15000sf per case if you use big rolls, just double footage/roll....case will be same

mud for tape...i tool angles so I usually get about 1000sf/bucket...overall footage I go about 600sf/bucket to t/b/s

cornerbead, if you do 8-10 or 10 over 10, will do about 250lf/bucket

texture...if you do a regular stipple, you get about 350sf/bucket or if its a stipple knockdown, about 250/bucket...I have no clue on orangepeel or popcorn...I sub that out usually

L5 if doing by hand, I get about 8-1000sf/bucket...if spraying, I get 5-700sf

hope this helps...no golden rule cause things factor job to job, but it gets you in the ballpark and most of the time puts you on 2nd base...(middle of the park)


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## tricounty dwall (Apr 29, 2010)

:thumbup:i usuall figure it by board.. if i order 200 boards i get 20 buckets.. it always depends on how cut up the house is and how many beads u have. It also depends on how many butt joints u have and how wide u bust them..but my rule of thumb is a bucket for ten boards and a bucket for every ten beads . And a box of tape will run about 250-300 boards.. same with a box of nails and screws.. Like i said depends on the job.. im usually pretty close


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## ThatDrywallGuy (Oct 30, 2008)

easy enough,

a box of mud per 7 sheets
a 250ft roll of tape per 15 sheets.


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## rockdaddy (Jul 2, 2009)

take the total board footage and use 6,7,or8% depending on how large a house it is. This will tell you your accessories cost.
One bucket of mud will cover 350 sq ft. every thing else you should know how to figure. box of tape,box of nails, box of screws etc.
anything left over move to the next house or keep for patch guys.


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## Mudstar (Feb 15, 2008)

I do the walk trough and count the board and bead total my sqft of board and divide by 500 for the boxes of mud if thers a lot of bead and 600 if thers little bead then divide that by 2 for my 500 ' rolls


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## mudslingercor (Jul 2, 2009)

I think it depends on your situation, if you have a garage like my self I just buy a box of 7,8,9,10 of bead and never let them run out. Same with mud buy a pallet of taping mud and pallet of finish then you always have it handy. Of course not every one can do this. I keep averages with footage count to how much material is used as well.


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## Capt-sheetrock (Dec 11, 2009)

mudslingercor said:


> I think it depends on your situation, if you have a garage like my self I just buy a box of 7,8,9,10 of bead and never let them run out. Same with mud buy a pallet of taping mud and pallet of finish then you always have it handy. Of course not every one can do this. I keep averages with footage count to how much material is used as well.


Thanks man. It is SO much easier just to load a few buckets on your truck from the shack before ya leave the house.


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## Mudstar (Feb 15, 2008)

Capt-sheetrock said:


> Thanks man. It is SO much easier just to load a few buckets on your truck from the shack before ya leave the house.


so true


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## joepro0000 (Jun 14, 2008)

Do you guys get any special discounts buying mud by the pallet?

I figure 1 bucket for 10 sheets. Usually end up with 1 or 2 extra, and as far as tape goes, I don't know. I always buy a box of tape, and when I get down to 1 or 2 500 ft rolls left, I buy another box. since tape is cheap, and easy to carry.


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## joepro0000 (Jun 14, 2008)

BTW:

For cornerbeads, I do buy by the case of 50- 12 footers. Much better


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## Capt-sheetrock (Dec 11, 2009)

I don't think anybody gets a discount on mud untill you get into the tractor-trailer loads. I'm fast, but i ain't that fast !!! LOL


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## D's (Jan 15, 2009)

I wish I had a garage to store materials! But living in a small town the hardware store is only ever 5 mins. away.


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## florida drywall (May 20, 2010)

I try to get all of my small materials by the truckload; I have a 20 x 20 storage unit. 
Talk with you suppler most likely they will work with you and split the load up for you. Their goal is to sell as much material a month as possible no matter how they sell it. 

This is what I stock up on once a month or every two months, and if there is price increases coming I really stock up. 

One tractor-trailer load. 

10 palates of box mud, no bucket mud cost to much.
2 to 3 palates of texture
1 palate of screws and nails mixed sizes
1 palate of 90min, 45min, 20min and 5 min mixed
1 palate of trimtex bull corner bead mixed
1 palate sq metal bead 8’ and 10’ 

I end up saving around 1,300 to 1,500 a month and the storage unit is only 135.00 a month. That’s an average of $16,800.00 savings a year.


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## Capt-sheetrock (Dec 11, 2009)

florida drywall said:


> I try to get all of my small materials by the truckload; I have a 20 x 20 storage unit.
> Talk with you suppler most likely they will work with you and split the load up for you. Their goal is to sell as much material a month as possible no matter how they sell it.
> 
> This is what I stock up on once a month or every two months, and if there is price increases coming I really stock up.
> ...


Impressive,,, Makes me think, I need to talk to my guys,,, sounds like a great idea/plan


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## Custom Drywall Svc. (Oct 31, 2008)

florida drywall said:


> I try to get all of my small materials by the truckload; I have a 20 x 20 storage unit.
> Talk with you suppler most likely they will work with you and split the load up for you. Their goal is to sell as much material a month as possible no matter how they sell it.
> 
> This is what I stock up on once a month or every two months, and if there is price increases coming I really stock up.
> ...


Hes absolutely right, I do the same.


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