Hanging Drywall

Hanging Drywall on the Ceiling:

1.    Always hang drywall on ceilings first. I recommend that you rent a drywall lift to hold the sheet of drywall up to the ceiling while you attach it. It only cost a few dollars a day to rent one and they will save you a lot of stress.  It may be easier to use drywall nails, but screws are less likely to pop out later on. 

2.    Mark each ceiling joist or strapping with pencil so you remember where they are as you nail your drywall. Using the drywall lift, position the first sheet and make sure each edge is on the center of a joist or strapping.

3.    Drywall is very easy to cut with using a straight edge or a T-square and a utility knife. Just mark the area you want to cut, set your straight edge or T-square in place and run the utility knife alongside it to cut through the paper surface. Always cut through the surface that will face the room. This will ensure that you will have a clean line on the treated paper that will hold plaster or paint.

4.    Once you have cut through the paper into the gypsum you can bend the piece of drywall to crack it through or snap it off. If necessary run your utility knife down the crease in the paper backing of the bend. Be sure that you use a sharp blade and cut by moving the knife away from your body. If necessary use a drywall plane to smooth out the cut edge.

5.    When fastening, set the nails or screws about eight inches apart and stagger them along the seams. For both ceilings and walls, avoid butting four corners together. This offsets the joints so you don't have a continuous seam running the entire length of the room, reducing the possibility of cracking.

6.    Wear safety glasses especially when working on the ceiling to prevent falling debris and gypsum into your eyes.

Installing Drywall on Walls:

1.    Drywall is very easy to cut with using a straight edge or a T-square and a utility knife. Just mark the area you want to cut, set your straight edge or T-square in place and run the utility knife alongside it to cut through the paper surface. Always cut through the surface that will face the room. This will ensure that you will have a clean line on the treated paper that will hold plaster or paint.

2.    Once you have cut through the paper into the gypsum you can bend the piece of drywall to crack it through or snap it off. If necessary run your utility knife down the crease in the paper backing of the bend. Be sure that you use a sharp blade and cut by moving the knife away from your body. If necessary use a drywall plane to smooth out the cut edge.

3.    For cutting holes in the center of a drywall sheet for an electrical outlet measure the location of the hole and transfer those measurements to the drywall. Using a drill and a wide bit, make pilot holes at each of the four corners. Use a drywall saw or saber saw to cut out the hole. A keyhole saw is recommended, as it can be difficult to control the path of a saber saw in the soft gypsum material.

4.    When hanging drywall, use a drywall screw driving gun. Set the depth of the screw gun so the screw is only driven slightly below the service without cutting the sheetrock paper.

5.    Continue the hanging process until all the walls are covered.

6.    Install corner bead along every outside corner of the room. The most common is metal corner bead, although plastic is often used. Trim it to size and nail about every eight inches through the holes in the bead.

That is all there is to it.

See:

Sanding Drywall

Framing Walls