Table of Contents
When hanging drywall, always hang the ceiling first. This is the hardest drywall to hang, so get a partner and go slow. Large cracks due to misaligned sheets are hard to repair because the extra mud required to fill them will constantly fall out and drop to the floor (or worse, down the back of your neck!).
Why do you hang drywall vertically?
On commercial jobs, fire codes often require seams to fall on the entire length of the framing, so the drywall must be hung vertically. Hides uneven studs – Hanging horizontally also allows the drywall to flow over the framing so that bowed studs create less of a problem.
Why shouldnt you hang drywall vertically?
Hides uneven studs If the drywall were hung vertically and a seam placed on a bowed out stud, the seam would be magnified because of the bump in the wall.
Why do you drywall the ceiling first?
Doing the ceiling first means you can lift the wall sheets to make a tight joint. By contrast if you do the walls first you would have to sculpt every edge to make it seat tightly, and/or end up with lots of voids to fill before you tape.
Is drywall supposed to touch the floor?
Drywall should never touch the floor. Allow for a 1/2-inch (1.27 cm) space between your new wall and your old flooring, so there is room for expansion of both materials without cracking the drywall.
Should you leave a gap between drywall sheets?
Always leave a 1/2-inch gap at the floor. This allows for floor and wall expansion without cracking the drywall. It also helps prevents moisture wicking if the floor floods.
How many screws go into a 4×8 sheet of drywall?
Use about 32 drywall screws per sheet of 4-foot by 8-foot drywall installed horizontally on a wall. This total is comprised of four screws on the five middle studs and six screws on each of the two sides.
Do you drywall ceiling first?
Hanging Drywall From the Top Down Hang drywall on the ceiling first, then the walls. Check the ceiling for bowed joists using a 4-ft. are of no concern, but seriously warped framing will require you to use drywall shims–long strips of 1/8- or 1/16-in.
Does it matter if you drywall ceiling or walls first?
When hanging drywall, always hang the ceiling first. This is the hardest drywall to hang, so get a partner and go slow. Large cracks due to misaligned sheets are hard to repair because the extra mud required to fill them will constantly fall out and drop to the floor (or worse, down the back of your neck!).
Do drywall edges need to be on studs?
All edges of all sheets of drywall must land on a solid surface such as a stud. A hanging drywall edge may work in the short-term, but in the long-term it can result in cracks and other serious wall issues. Sometimes, the drywall does not horizontally reach a stud.
Can you hang drywall parallel to joists?
The best practice is to install strapping perpendicular to the joists and attach the gypsum board parallel to the strapping. This provides a buffer between the structure and the gyp board and support for the tape joints. Both of these effects reduce cracking at the joints.
When Drywalling a room where do you start?
If you are covering both walls and ceiling with drywall, begin with the ceiling. When attaching drywall to ceiling joists spaced 16 inches on center, fasteners should be spaced 12 inches apart. With wall studs, the maximum spacing between fasteners should be 16 inches.
What’s better drywall nails or screws?
While nails tend to be more flexible and hold up better against shear pressure—or lateral force—screws have much better grip and tensile strength, which ultimately keeps drywall from pulling away from the studs. When it comes to holding power, screws simply can’t be beaten.
Is putting up drywall hard?
With patience, the right tools and a friend to help you, hanging drywall is not very difficult. Once you’ve learned how to hang drywall, learn how to tape and finish the installed drywall for professional-quality results. The joint work is really easier than it seems and provides very satisfying results.
What is the difference between sheetrock and drywall?
Drywall is a flat panel made of gypsum plaster sandwiched in between two sheets of thick paper. It adheres to metal or wood studs using nails or screws. Sheetrock is a specific brand of drywall sheet. These terms are often used interchangeably.
What should I put between drywall and concrete?
The solution is covering concrete with a vapor barrier, which acts like a resistant cell membrane instead. With a shield in place, the drywall is safe. Typically, a stud wall is then installed against the concrete, but furring strips are quick, easy and take up less space.
How tight does drywall need to be?
Hanging Drywall Vertically: Leave a 1/8-in. There’s no reason to measure and cut drywall for an exact fit. It’ll usually just cause trouble. Jamming in a piece that’s too tight will crumble the edge or break out a corner (left). And removing a piece to shave a too-tight edge is messy and time consuming.
Which side of drywall do you cut?
In most cases, drywall is cut by scoring through the paper on the finish side (the one with white paper) using a sharp drywall knife. As soon as you notice the blade dulling, turn it around or replace it.
What is the cause of popped nails in a ceiling?
When nail-pops show up on the ceiling of the floor just beneath the attic and near a wall intersection, the culprit is a phenomenon known as truss-uplift or a variation of it. The framing is flexing and the drywall in those areas where the nails are popping can’t — hence the popping.
