DIY & Home Improvement
DIY Projects, Done Right the First Time
Most DIY headaches start at the store: too little paint, one box of tile short, a pallet of drywall that won't fit the car. Our guides start with the numbers. Every article shows the math, and every calculator uses the same formulas, so you can check our work.
Measure your space, run it through the matching calculator, then read the guide for the details that change the answer, like ceiling height, layout pattern, or how much extra to buy.
Latest DIY Guides
Flooring
How Much Flooring Do I Need? Room Size Chart and Box Calculator Guide
Multiply the room's length by width, add 5–20% for waste depending on the layout, then divide by the square feet in each box. A 12x12 room needs about 159 sq ft of flooring with 10% waste. Here's the full chart.
October 22, 20267 min read
Flooring
How Much Grout Do I Need? Charts by Tile Size and Joint Width
100 sq ft of 12x12 tile with 1/8-inch joints needs about 9 lb of grout, while the same area in 2x2 mosaic needs about 36 lb. See charts by tile size and joint width, and which grout type to use.
October 22, 20267 min read
Interior & Structural
How Much Insulation Do I Need for My Attic? (R-Value, Bags & Batts)
A 1,000 sq ft attic needs about 25 to 47 bags of blown-in insulation for R-30 to R-60, depending on the product. Here's how to pick your R-value, measure the attic and choose between blown-in and batts.
October 22, 20267 min read
Interior & Structural
How Many Sheets of Drywall for a 12x12 Room? (Walls & Ceiling)
A 12x12 room with 8-foot ceilings needs about 17 sheets of 4x8 drywall for the walls and ceiling, or 12 sheets for the walls only. Here's the math, a chart for other rooms, and the mud, tape, and screws to go with it.
October 21, 20264 min read
Flooring
How Many Tiles Do I Need for a Bathroom Floor? (With Size Charts)
A typical 5x8 bathroom with a tub has about 27.5 sq ft of floor to tile, which works out to roughly 30 12x12 tiles or 16 12x24 tiles. Here's how to measure, how much extra to buy, and charts for common tile sizes.
October 21, 20265 min read
Painting
How Much Paint Do I Need for a 12x12 Room? (Walls, Ceiling & Trim)
A 12x12 room with 8-foot ceilings needs about 2 to 2.5 gallons of paint for two coats on the walls. Here's the exact math, plus numbers for taller ceilings and other room sizes.
October 21, 20266 min read
DIY Calculators
Free, instant estimates. No sign-up required.
Paint Calculator
Calculate how much paint you need for any room. Get accurate estimates for walls and ceilings.
Drywall Calculator
Estimate drywall sheets, joint compound, and tape needed.
Tile Calculator
Calculate tiles needed for floors, walls, or backsplashes with grout spacing.
Grout Calculator
Determine how much grout you need for your tiling project.
Flooring Calculator
Estimate flooring materials needed for your project, including waste factor.
Laminate Flooring Calculator
Calculate laminate planks and underlayment for your flooring project.
Carpet Calculator
Estimate carpet and padding needed for any room.
Wallpaper Calculator
Figure out how many rolls of wallpaper you need for any room.
Insulation Calculator
Calculate insulation batts or rolls needed for walls and attics.
Roofing Calculator
Estimate roofing shingles and materials for your roof replacement.
Siding Calculator
Calculate siding panels needed for your home exterior.