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Title: Drywall Installation
Author: Mark J. Donovan
Article:
Installing Drywall, or hanging drywall as the professionals
usually refer to the task, can be done by the homeowner.
However, it is usually best done with two or more people as it
requires significant lifting of heavy material. Mudding and
Taping can also be performed by the homeowner, however these
tasks require some practice and artistry.
Measuring and Ordering Drywall
Prior to actually hanging the drywall, the material first needs
to be ordered and delivered. To determine how much material to
order, measure all of the surface area, starting with the
ceilings and then the walls. Calculate the total square feet and
divide by 32. The result should give you the number of 4’x 8’
sheets of drywall required for the job. I would also recommend
adding another 5-10% to this figure to account for
inefficiencies. Drywall does come in larger sheets, such as
4’x12’, however for a Do-it-Yourself homeowner these larger
sheets can become unwieldy and maybe even impossible to bring
into the existing home.
For bathrooms or other moist areas Greenboard should probably be
used as this material is moisture resistance.
For bathroom areas where ceramic tile is to be applied, e.g.
Shower/Bathtub areas, Concrete board should be used. The
concrete board is also referred to as Wonderboard or Durock.
Joint Compound and Fiberglass tape will also be required for
Taping and Mudding. Joint Compound typically comes ready-mixed
in 5 gallon containers. I would suggest 1-2 containers per 500
square feet of drywall. Fiberglass tape is quite inexpensive so
I would suggest picking up 2 to 3 roles for most Do-it-Yourself
drywall projects.
Drywall screws or ringed nails will also be required. Typically
I use 1.25” length screws or nails. Also, strips of corner bead
will be required.
Drywall Tools
Prior to starting drywall installation, you need to obtain the
proper tools. A Drywall Lift really comes in handy when hanging
sheetrock/drywall on the ceilings. You can rent Drywall Lifts at
hardware or home improvement stores. If your budget does not
allow for this cost, Jacks (or Ts) can be made out of 2”x 4”s.
The Jacks (or Ts) should be of a length such that they are just
an inch or two taller than the height of the ceiling and have a
cross beam that is approximately 3’ in width. Usually there are
a couple of 45o angle braces connecting the crossbar to the main
stem of the Jack. The Jack can then be used to hold up the
drywall to the ceiling while it is screwed/nailed into place. In
addition to the Lift or Jacks, a drywall screw gun, hammer,
T-square, carpenters knife, drywall saw and a keyhole saw are
required. The keyhole saw is used for cutting around electrical
boxes.
If mudding and taping are to be performed then Taping knifes, a
Corner knife, sand paper, a pole sander and a Mud easel or pan
will be necessary. For the taping knifes you will need a 6” wide
blade and a 12” wide blade.
Preparing the site for Drywall
Prior to hanging the drywall, make sure the building inspector
has first approved the Framing, Plumbing, Electrical and
Insulation jobs. Secondly, a vapor barrier should be applied
over the insulation on the outside walls if un-faced insulation
was installed. Frequently sheets of plastic are used for
creating the vapor barrier. The plastic is simply stapled to the
framing, covering the insulation. Finally, inspect all of the
framing carefully. Ensure that nailers (e.g. 2” x 4”s) are
existent at each corner and header, that the framing is
straight, and that the framed walls create smooth planes. In
addition, the ceiling should have strapping applied (1” x 3”
cross boards). Also, make sure metal protection plates have been
installed to studding where sheetrock screws or nails could
inadvertently penetrate plumbing pipes or electrical wire.
Safety
Drywall installation is dirty, heavy work. The Gypsum in drywall
can be irritating to the eyes, lungs and sinuses so wear safety
goggles and masks to avoid breathing in the material. Gloves are
also recommended to protect against sharp blades.
Installing Drywall
Start with the ceiling as this will allow the sheets on the
walls to help hold the sheets on the ceiling. Use the Drywall
lift or Jacks to hold the sheets in place while screwing or
nailing them to the ceiling. The screws or nails should be
installed such that they are slightly recessed and create a
small dimple without breaking the paper. Screws or nails should
be applied every 8 to 12 inches on each stud. Screws are
typically stronger and can be placed further apart, e.g. 12
inches. It is best to fasten the screws/nails to the edges of
the drywall first and then fill in the field afterwards.
Rows of drywall should be applied in a staggered pattern. This
will create an interlocked pattern that creates a tighter and
stronger ceiling/wall. After the ceiling has been completed it
its time to move on to the walls. Drywall should be applied from
the top down, with the sheets hung perpendicular to the floor
joists or studs. Again the rows should be staggered. The bottom
piece should sit about ½ inches from the sub-floor.
For purposes of efficiency and strength it is best to apply the
large sheets of drywall over the doors and window openings and
cut out the excess later. This will create stronger/cleaner
looking walls and save significant time.
Installing Corner bead
Once the drywall has been installed, corner bead should be
applied to all outside edges. Corner bead should be nailed every
6-8 inches and penetrate the framing.
Taping and Mudding
Again start with the ceiling. Apply a skim coat of joint
compound over the surface of a seam using a 6” wide taping
knife. If the seam is wide, apply a liberal amount of joint
compound to fill it. While the Joint compound is still wet,
apply the fiberglass tape over the skim coat of Joint Compound.
Make sure the seam is centered under the tape. Once the tape has
been installed, apply additional Joint Compound over the tape,
again using the 6” wide taping knife. Continue this for all of
the seams. Note: the tape will still be visible. Additional
coats will eventually hide it.
The inside corners are usually the most tricky and require
practice. Patience is the best advice and note that additional
coats will be applied later to smooth out any imperfections.
Once the seams are done, using the 6” wide taping knife, apply
mud to all of the screw/nail dimples. A skim coat is all that is
initially required.
Note: When applying the mud over the tape and screw/nail
dimples, make sure all excess material and uneven patches are
smoothed down with the blade. This will reduce sanding later.
Once the ceiling is done, you can move on to the walls. Repeat
the same process, however with the outside corners just apply a
liberal coat of joint compound to the valley that is formed by
the corner bead. This valley typically represents the first 3 or
4 inches from the edge of the corner.
Once the first coat has been applied let it sit overnight or
until it is dry, prior to starting the second application of
Joint compound. Make sure to completely clean off the taping
knife, the mud easel and any other containers or instruments
that have mud on them prior to finishing up for the day.
Applying the Second Coat of Mud
After the first coat has thoroughly dried, it is now time to
apply the second coat of mud. It is this coat that should hide
the tape. Again, start with the ceiling. Using the wider taping
knife apply a generous amount of joint compound over the taped
seams as you want to build up the area over the tape. Taking
large strokes smooth the joint compound over the tape applying
more pressure to the side of the taping knife further away from
the tape. This will help to leave more mud over the tape. When
complete, the mud should cover an area that extends beyond the
width of the tape by 2 to 3 inches.
After the seams have all been completed, apply a second coat of
mud over the screw/nail dimples. With this second coat, flare
out the mud over the dimples such that the diameter of the
mudded area is about 3-4 inches in diameter.
For the inside corners a Corner knife may come in handy. Corners
involve a little artistry so again take your time. Apply a
generous amount of joint compound and then run the Corner knife
down the corner starting from the top. Take long, even strokes.
A 6” taping knife may also be helpful to smooth out any
imperfections. For the outside corners, using the broad taping
knife apply a generous amount of joint compound and flare out
the material such that it extends out 6 inches or so from the
corner. Again, apply more pressure to the blade side that is
further away from the corner so that you leave more mud nearer
the outside corner.
Once the second coat has been applied let it sit overnight or
until it is dry, prior to starting the final application of
Joint compound. Make sure to completely clean off the taping
knife, the mud easel and any other containers or instruments
that have mud on them prior to finishing up for the day.
Applying the Final Coat of Mud
After the first coat has thoroughly dried, it is now time to
apply the final coat of mud. It is this coat that requires the
most artistry and the least amount of joint compound. Here you
are simply applying a final skim coat to the already mudded
areas.
Prior to applying the skim coat it is best to take your wide
taping blade and lightly pass over the mudded surfaces. This
will remove any bumps or ridges.
Again start with the ceiling seams and apply a small amount of
joint compound using the broad taping knife. Again continue to
flare out the seam by extending the mudded area such that about
6 inches resides on each side of the now invisible tape.
Remember this is a skim coat so little mud is required. The
purpose of this coat is to effectively fill in any lines or
recessed areas.
After the seams have all been completed, apply a final coat of
mud over the screw/nail dimples. With this second coat, flare
out the mud over the dimples such that the diameter of the
mudded area is about 6-8 inches in diameter. For the corners use
the broad taping knife and add just enough mud such that you can
flare out the mudded surface area to about 8-12 inches, taking
care to filling in any lines or dimples. Once the final coat has
been applied let it rest overnight or until it is dry,
Sanding
Sanding is a very dusty and dirty mess so please uses goggles
and a mask.
I find it best to use a pole sander with an open screened sand
paper material specifically designed for sanding
sheetrock/drywall mud. Lightly sand all of the taped areas,
however concentrate sanding on the outer edges of the mudded
areas such that all seams and ridges are eliminated and blend
into the main surface areas.
Once sanding is complete, vacuum up the dust and you are ready
for priming and painting the walls and texturing the ceilings.
About the author:
Me_Donovan@comcast.net http://www.homeadditionplus.com
http://www.homeaddition.blogspot.com
Over the past 20+ years Mr. Donovan has been involved with
building homes and additions to homes. Mr. Donovan's formal
education and profession have been as an Electrical Engineer and
Marketing Manager.
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