Hanging Drywall
Project: Hanging Drywall
Materials:
Materials:
- 1/2 x 4 x 8 Water Resistant Drywall (Green Board)
- 5/8 x 4 x 8 Water Resistant Drywall
- 1/2 x 4 x 8 Homasote (Sound Board)
- 1-5/8” & 2” Coarse Drywall screws
- 1-1/2” Roofing Nails
Step by Step:
- Mark the locations of all the studs on the floor with a carpenter’s pencil. This will make it easier to find the studs after the drywall goes up.
- Plan drywall placement so the joints don’t fall at the corners of doors or windows. Drywall joints at corners can interfere with miter joints and trim installation. NOTE: When covering an entire room in drywall, you should always start by covering the ceiling first. However, if your doing a room in which you will be installing a Drop Ceiling like this one, then the walls get covered first. The Drop Ceiling “L” track is then installed over the drywall at the desired height for a more finished look.
- Install the drywall vertically to avoid butt joints that are difficult to finish. Start in a corner and work your way out. Make sure your first panel is plum and falls on the center of a stud. Lift the panel tight against the ceiling with a Drywall Lifter or Cats Claw and screw it into place.
- Using a Screw Gun and Coarse Drywall Screws (the length of the screw depends on the thickness of the drywall) anchor the drywall into the studs. Space the screws about every 10 inches. Sink the screw heads just below the surface of the drywall without tearing the paper.
- How you cut the drywall depends on the type of cut you need to make. Always make sure you cut into the smooth side of the drywall.
- When cutting the length to size - First, find the length needed with a tape measure and mark it with a pencil. Place a drywall T-square on the mark with the short arm resting on the edge of the drywall. Now use the T-square as your cutting guide. While holding the T-square firmly in place with one hand, run a Utility Knife along the edge of the T-square to score the drywall with the other hand. To finish the cut, hold the drywall on the side of the cut that you want to keep and bend the other side of the drywall back until the drywall core breaks. Cut through the back paper to separate the pieces.
- For horizontal cuts - Mark your width at each end of the drywall with a pencil. Using a utility knife or keyhole saw, make a slit across the end of the drywall at the mark. Now, using a Chalk Line, slide the end of the chalk line intothe slit you made to hold it in place. Pull the chalk line out until you reach the other mark on the other end of the drywall and snap the line. Now, using a sharp utility knife, slowly run the blade the length to the chalk line to score the board. Now you can finish the cut the same as in step A.
- For cutting openings like electrical outlets - Use a Key Hole saw to push through the drywall, then with a sawing motion, cut out the opening.