Watch time: 6 minutes
When measuring drywall in BuilderBid—especially for spaces with vaulted ceilings—it’s important to break out your measurements correctly and select the right drywall assembly for your workflow. This guide walks you through how to measure flat vs. pitched ceilings, link multiple measurements, and choose between per-square-foot or per-sheet assemblies.
Watch this video to learn more: (6 minutes)
Steps to Measure Drywall Walls & Ceilings
1. Measure Wall Areas
Go to your project and launch a measurement.
Enter the wall height (e.g., 10 ft).
Start by measuring your walls.
2. Measure a Flat Ceiling
Navigate to the room with a standard ceiling (e.g., Office).
Launch measurement from the spreadsheet.
Use either:
Shift key to toggle Point-to-Point tool
Or switch to the Box tool for clean rectangles.
Draw the ceiling area to capture the flat portion.
3. Measure a Vaulted or Pitched Ceiling
Vaulted ceilings must be measured separately to apply the correct pitch.
A. End your flat ceiling measurement
Press Enter to finalize the flat-ceiling measurement.
B. Link a new measurement for the pitched area
Right-click the ceiling measurement you just created.
Select Link New Measurement.
C. Adjust the pitch settings
Click on Advanced Options.
Input the pitch of the vaulted ceiling.
D. Measure the vaulted ceiling
Use the measurement tools to trace the pitched section.
Your right panel will now show:
Flat ceiling measurement
Vaulted ceiling measurement with pitch applied
E. Review your totals
Right-click the linked measurement to view square footage breakdowns.
Choosing Your Drywall Assembly Method
Builderbid offers multiple drywall assemblies depending on how you prefer to calculate materials.
Option 1: Standard Drywall Assembly (Per Square Foot)
This is the default out-of-the-box setup.
How to Convert to Sheets
Scroll down to the sheet-conversion fields.
Enter square footage per sheet:
4×8 sheet = 32 sq ft
4×12 sheet = 48 sq ft
The system automatically calculates:
Regular drywall
Moisture-resistant
5/8" type
Option 2: Drywall Per Sheet Assembly
If you want everything calculated strictly by sheet count:
Add a new line to your estimate.
Click Search Library.
Search for “Drywall – Per Sheet” assembly.
Insert the assembly into your project.
This option comes preconfigured with common sheet sizes (4×8, 4×12). Adjust as needed.
Option 3: Separate Interior vs. Exterior Wall Assemblies
Some contractors prefer to measure:
Exterior walls once (one-sided)
Interior walls once (auto-multiplied x2)
How this assembly works:
Two-sided walls (interior): Multiplies measurement by 2
One-sided walls (exterior): Multiplies by 1
Steps:
Add the assembly from the library:
Select between per SF or per Sheet
Two-Sided Interior Walls, One-Sided Exterior Walls
When measuring walls:
Interior walls: traced once → auto-doubles
Exterior walls: traced once → counted as single-side coverage
This saves time and avoids double-measuring interior walls.
