DRYWALL/SHEETROCK INSTALLATION AND FINISHING

Hanging and finishing drywall (sheetrock) is not difficult.

INSTALLATION

The panels are fairly heavy but there are some tricks to handling the weight. Save your hands and back, get a panel carrier.

Panel Carriers are simple devices, basically a handle with a hook that catches on the bottom of the panel so you don't have to wrap your fingers around it. These devices don't look like much, but they are amazing! You can carry a lot more weight with the hook than your fingers can stand. The carriers even work on those crummy plastic bags the grocery store uses. There are several varieties of these carriers. Some even fold up and go in your pocket. These photos show a molded plastic and a deluxe version.

Another discovery that made this job much easier for me is Self-stick drywall tape. This is a roll of fiberglass mesh with a tacky side so it sticks to the drywall. Self-stick tape eliminates the two-step process of getting conventional drywall paper tape to stay on the wall. The fiberglass mesh is also better reinforcement for joints, especially if you are repairing a crack.

I use 5/8" drywall for just about everything. It's heavier and harder to work with than 1/2" but it has a better fire rating. The 1/2" or 3/8" thick drywall panels are good for a re-finishing job. If you are dealing with badly damaged walls or a poorly-finished job, sometimes the easiest fix is to add a new layer of drywall on top. Some of our walls were finished with a textured paint. Sanding that smooth would make a horrible mess. New 3/8" drywall on top allowed us to start over. DO use a stud-finder, mark stud locations and use longer screws. Make absolutely sure you are securing the new panels to the structure. I use drywall SCREWS rather than nails. Screws take longer to install, but they hold much better, especially for ceilings. Our house is only 5 miles from the epicenter of the 5.6 Mineral, VA earthquake. All of our ceilings stayed where they belong.

A good drywall job starts with good framing. If the framing isn't square straight and true, the drywall is a lot harder to fit and finish. Check framing while it is being built because it's often too late to fix it when you start hanging drywall.

Drywall panels are 8-feet by 4-feet. Try to plan wall/ceiling framing so the drywall will fit without too many cuts. My preference is to install drywall panels standing on end so that the beveled side edges run vertically. Some drywall contractors prefer to hang drywall panels sideways so the beveled seam runs around the room. If that's the way your daddy trained you to do it, great, no problem. Either way works. Some rooms will dictate which way the panels will work best. The intent is to end up with the fewest number of seams. The seams that will end up in the most visible locations should have the beveled edges.

Drywall panels must not touch the floor. Scrap drywall makes good spacers. Throw a couple pieces at the base of the wall and set the edge of the panel on them. Make sure you allow for the spacers when measuring holes for outlets. Measure twice, cut once. I precut holes with a sheetrock saw. Most contractors now use a Dremel type tool and side-cutting bit to cut the holes after the drywall is up. You are welcome to try that, but I've seen what the saw does to wiring, no thanks.

When working alone, I find it best to do ceilings last, and plan the walls so the drywall stops about 3/4" from the ceiling. That allows the ceiling panels to sit on the edge of the walls while they are being hung. Sometimes I need to leave a little more space at the floor, so the gap at the ceiling works out right. I have made custom spacers to hold panels at a specific height. Ceilings are MUCH easier if you make a "T" brace to hold panels in place while they are being fastened.

The "T" brace should be slightly longer than the floor to ceiling height. Set so the brace leans and pushes the ceiling panel towards the wall. One is all you need but sometimes a second one helps when working alone. Drywall contractors often have hydraulic panel jacks. If you can rent one of those, ceilings are a lot easier. Vaulted ceilings may require use of a jack or even scaffolding to get up there and work.

DRYWALL FINISHING

For small jobs, the ready-mix mud comes in various size containers. It isn't expensive, so make sure you buy enough to finish the job. There is a new light-weight product that I have tried, but don't like. The containers are certainly lighter, and easier to handle, but I do not like the way it goes on the wall. I pick up the containers and buy the old heavy kind.

Less is better. Mud goes on in layers with several hours of drying time between layers. Regardless of the size job, it always seems to take me three days to finish drywall. The only difference is how long I work each time. The only secrets to mud work are don't use too much and don't overwork it trying to get it perfectly smooth. One or two passes with the knife should apply the mud smooth enough to let it dry. Wait for the next step, then scrape off any high spots with a dry knife, and let the next layer of mud fill any voids.

The first layer, using a 3" taping knife, fills the holes in the tape and generally covers the tape mesh. The second layer, using a 6" knife, completely covers the tape and begins to taper to the drywall at inside corners. The third layer, using a 10" or 12" knife, fills the beveled joints and finishes the taper at corner joints. When the third layer dries, I take my 3" knife and scrape off any high spots left by the wide blade, then apply a little mud to fill any low spots. When that dries, my work is ready for primer and paint.

WHAT! NO SANDING! Yes, that is correct. Plenty of experts will disagree, but I have found that the few knife marks left by the wide blade are easily removed with a couple scrapes of the dry 3" knife. After priming and painting, I can see no difference in the final finish that would justify the incredible mess that sanding makes. Scraping with the knife makes a little dust, but much less than even a light sanding. It's your wall, sand it if you like. DO use a good primer like Kills before applying finish paint. A good primer will provide a consistent base for the paint. Read the label. Most primers and paints need to be applied with adequate ventilation. Just opening a window isn't enough. You need a fan to move the fumes out of the space.

If you have any questions, problems with this site, or the information on it, please send me a message at:
kl@myfordtractors.com

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