How many plasterboard sheets do I need for a 12 m² ceiling?

With a standard 3 m² sheet: 12 × 1.1 ÷ 3 = 4.4, so 5 sheets. The extra 10 % is for the cuts along the walls and around downlights.

When do I need moisture-resistant board?

In bathrooms, kitchens and on any wall that will get water or steam. It’s the green board (H1). The calculator counts it in 3.12 m² sheets with studs every 40 cm, which is why a wall needs more profiles and 21 screws per m² instead of 15.

Why does a ceiling need a different frame from a wall?

Because the ceiling hangs. The sheets are screwed to main CD profiles suspended from the slab with hangers, with a U-shaped profile (UD) round the whole perimeter and cross connectors where the profiles meet. A wall, on the other hand, is built with tracks on the floor and ceiling and vertical studs.

Does the calculator work for a partition boarded on both sides?

It calculates one side. For a partition with board on both sides, double the sheets, board-to-metal screws, tape and joint compound; the frame (tracks and studs) stays the same. If you also want sound insulation, mineral wool goes inside before you close the second side.

How much does it cost to fit a plasterboard false ceiling?

Here we only calculate materials, not prices. The plasterboard false ceiling cost guide on the blog has the published ranges per square metre, and if you want a fixed price for your ceiling you can ask for a free quote with photos.

How many plasterboard sheets do I need?

Sheets = m² × 1.1 ÷ 3 m² per standard sheet (3.12 m² for moisture-resistant board); the extra 10 % covers offcuts. On a wall, studs go every 0.6 m with 15 screws per m². On a ceiling, 3.2 m of CD profile, 0.7 hangers and 23 screws per m². Tape: 1.3 m per m²; joint compound: 0.4 kg per m².

What you need

Area: 12 m²

Material	Quantity	Unit
Plasterboard sheets3 m² sheet	5	pcs
Main profile 60/27 (CD)	39	m
Perimeter U profile 28/27 (UD)	14	m
Direct hangers	9	pcs
Cross connectors	28	pcs
Board-to-metal screws	276	pcs
Joint tape	16	m
Joint compound	4.8	kg

Continuous single-board ceiling on a frame of main profiles suspended from the slab.
Openings are not deducted: sheets are cut and there are always offcuts left over.
These are quantities for buying materials, not prices: the price of the job is fixed by the professional.

Have a professional work it out and do it

If you’d rather not haul sheets and profiles about, tell us about the ceiling or wall with two photos and we’ll send you a fixed price before work starts.

Get a free quote

Where the figures come from

The calculator uses the same usage norms that are used to measure up a job before buying materials. These are guide quantities for a flat surface: the exact amount depends on the surface, the cuts and how the person fitting it works.

Usage norms used in this calculation
Norm	Value	Source
Standard sheet	3 m² per sheet	Source: standard 1200 × 2500 mm sheet
Moisture-resistant sheet (H1, green)	3.12 m² per sheet	Source: moisture-resistant 1200 × 2600 mm sheet, usual size at Bricomart
Stud spacing	0.6 m	Source: Pladur, technical documentation
Board-to-metal screws, studs at 60 cm	15 pcs per m²	Source: Pladur, Knauf and CYPE agree
Board-to-metal screws, studs at 40 cm	21 pcs per m²	Source: Pladur, technical documentation
Metal-to-metal screws	3 pcs per m²	Source: Pladur, technical documentation
Sealing strip under profiles	1.72 m per m²	Source: Pladur, technical documentation
Ceiling: CD 60/27 profile	3.2 m per m²	Source: Knauf D112, single-level frame
Ceiling: direct hangers	0.7 pcs per m²	Source: Knauf D112, single-level frame
Ceiling: cross connectors	2.3 pcs per m²	Source: Knauf D112, single-level frame
Ceiling: board-to-metal screws	23 pcs per m²	Source: Knauf D112, single-level frame
Joint tape	1.3 m per m²	Source: Pladur, technical documentation
Joint compound	0.4 kg per m²	Source: Pladur, Q3 finish

Price, service and other calculators

This calculator doesn’t give prices. Market ranges, with their sources, are in the blog guides.

What it costs

Plasterboard false ceiling cost