DIY Guides » Drywalls

Drywall Installation

Tom — Tue, 13 Jan 2009 18:50:52 +0000

Drywall Installation

To install drywall on the ceiling and walls of a framed room, you\’ll probably need an assistant, especially for the ceiling. The ideal wall (though possibly not something one can get at all times) will be walls that have been built 16-inch on center (meaning the frame is built so that there is at least a stud every 16 inches) or some other number evenly divided into 48 inches. This prevents necessity for cutting every sheet of drywall to length, and save waste and man-hours. Ensure that there are no uneven surfaces or old nail sticking out of the wood.

Ensure insulation, plumbing and electrical wires (including phone, cable TV lines and alarm systems) are properly run and secured. Electrical boxes would extend beyond the frame by 1/2 inch in order to make sure the box is flush with the outside of the final wall. Dampness in the walls or ceilings should be corrected.

Locations of all wall studs on ceiling and floor for vertical nailing pattern should be marked.

Step 1: Ceiling First

REMEMBER : Ceiling pieces should always be installed before wall boards.

Build two “T”s from two by fours. Cut one 2X4 in half and nail it cross-wise to the top of a 2X4 that is about the height of ceiling. Nail on the horizontal board slightly higher than the end of the vertical board to prevent scratches. Use two of these props to hold up the drywall sheet until it is adequately secured to the ceiling by nails or screws. There are also machines that are designed to lift drywall to the ceiling which can be rented.

Step 2: Cut drywall panels to size. Use a sharp utility knife along a straightedge to cut drywall. After you make the cut through the face paper, place the board over a length of 2 X 4 laid flat on the floor, or some other type of support, and snap the scored section down. The gypsum core will break along the line you cut. Then turn the panel over, cut the paper on the other side, and smooth the rough edges with very coarse sandpaper on a sanding block.

Step 3: Install drywall panels on the ceiling. If possible, try to span the entire width with a single sheet of wallboard to reduce the number of joints. Position and wedge the T-braces against the drywall sheet to hold it in place until you finish nailing it.

Cover the entire surface in this manner, making sure to avoid those hanging corners. If you have a place where a whole side of the board is unattached, you can “scab on” a 2X2 to the frame to create a place to secure the drywall. Scabbing on is frequently necessary at corners where two walls meet or where a ceiling meets a wall and the joists are running parallel with the wall. When the wallboard has been hung, the next step is to plaster.

Step 4: Drive nails at 6-inch intervals into all the joists covered by the sheet. Start in the center of the drywall panel and work out. Give each nail an extra hammer blow to dimple the surface slightly without breaking the face paper.

Step 5: When the ceiling is finished, cut and install wall panels. Carefully measure for any cutouts in the drywall, including electrical outlets, switches, or light fixtures. To make cutouts, draw a pattern of the cutout on the wallboard, drill a hole on the pattern line, and then use a keyhole saw to follow the pattern.

Hanging Drywall against Wall Frame

Most drywalls are installed horizontally (means the 8 feet length is parallel to ceiling with 4 feet length dropping down to floor), with the top pieces secured first. This can be done on your own, although it would be recommended to get a help from a second person to life up the drywall boards when installing the top pieces first.

Step 1 : Lean a piece of drywall horizontally against the wall in the area where you plan to install it. Drive long screws into the studs closest to the edges of the drywall, 48″ from the ceiling. Leave about 1″ of the screws protruding from the studs so they can support the drywall.

Step 2 : Rest the drywall on the screws. You\’ll probably need some help to lift it.

Step 3 : Using a framing square and a pencil, draw light lines on the drywall to indicate where the studs are located. This will help when you start driving the screws.

Step 4 : Secure the drywall to the studs with drywall screws. The screw head should go just below the surface of the paper. Be careful to drive the screws only enough to dimple the surface; it\’s easy to overtighten and cause the screw head to go all the way through the paper surface. If you accidentally break through the surface, drive another screw nearby.

Continue hanging panels along the top of the wall, right over any window and door openings. (The excess will be trimmed later.) Make sure no seams line up with a door or window corner. Don\’t fasten panels to the framing around the openings yet.

Remove the supporting screws you installed earlier.

Step 5 : Lean the bottom piece of drywall against the wall, and transfer the stud lines onto it. You might want to use a speed square or a level and a straightedge to help you draw the lines.

Step 6 : Jack up the bottom of the lower piece of drywall so it butts closely against the upper piece. If you don\’t have a helper, use a drywall jack to lift the lower piece. It\’s okay if there\’s a slight gap between the top and bottom pieces. This will be covered by joint tape and compound later.

The next step after you’ve installed all drywalls against your frames is to tape the joints

Drywall Installation is a post from: DIY Guides

Estimating Material for your Drywall Installation

Tom — Tue, 13 Jan 2009 18:46:52 +0000

Estimating material for your drywall project

Quality drywalling requires accurate estimations of material. Even though it may not be as much a hassle to run off to the hardware store to get more materials, breaking your stride in the midst of installing your drywall too often can lead to some fair bit of demotivation.

Drywall/wall board : For every increment of 4 feet of perimeter of room, add one additional 4 x 8 wallboard. A 36 feet perimeter wall will need 9 pieces of 4 x 8 wallboard; thus a 48 feet perimeter room needs 12 pieces of wallboard;

A deduction allowance is done for windows, doors, fireplaces, etc.- door : 1/3 wallboard; window : 1/4 wallboard; fireplace : 1/2 wallboard

Thus a 14 x 16 ft room (60 ft perimeter: 15 pieces) with 2 windows, a door and a fireplace requires (-1 1/3 of a piece) requires 14 pieces of wallboard (always use the next highest number of wallboards needed when perimeter total is between each 4 ft ranges). This is calculation is for rooms with 8 feet ceiling height or less.

After estimating the number of drywall required, add another 5 percent for waste.

Joint compound : You’ll need roughly a gallon for every 100 square feet of drywall

Joint tape : To finish 500 square feet of drywall, you will need roughly 400 feet of tape

Nails/Screws : This varies depending on stud spacing (walls framed 16 inches on center require more fasteners than those framed at 24 inches) and on nail or screw schedule (panels fastened with adhesive require fewer fasteners).

You will roughly need one fastener for every square foot of drywall. For example, an 18 x 18 foot ceiling (324 square feet) will need 320 screws/nails; 1 lbs of 1 ¼ inch nails contains about 320 crews, you will need 1 lbs of screws for every 320 square feet of drywall

Extension box – for lifting existing socket to flush with your new drywall; amount dependant on number of sockets you have on your walls.

Estimating Material for your Drywall Installation is a post from: DIY Guides

Drywall Mudding, Taping and Plastering

Tom — Tue, 13 Jan 2009 18:45:02 +0000

Taping/mudding/plastering

Drywall taping is a tedious job, but if it not done properly any defects will show up when the wall is painted. Taping has to be in certain way for the finished wall to look perfect. The first task is to make sure that metal corners have been installed on all the outside corners and that the screws or nails are sunk below the surface of the drywall. Other terms like mudding or plastering is also commonly used for describing taping. We will use the term taping on this guide.

Step 1: Use a 5-inch-wide drywall taping knife to spread joint compound into the slight recess created by the tapered edges of the drywall sheets. Smooth the compound until it is even with the rest of the board surface.

Step 2: Taping a joint means applying joint compound followed by a strip of drywall tape, normally done at a seam between two pieces of drywall.

Center the drywall tape over the joint and press it firmly into the compound. Because some compound will squeeze out, make sure that there is still a good bed underneath. When you get the tape embedded into the compound all along the joint, smooth it with the taping knife. At the same time, fill all the nail dimples with compound.

Some drywall taping tips:

Don’t use too little plastering compound. It is better to scrape off the excess than have the tape come off.
Make sure you remove all excess compound. This reduces the amount of sanding you will have to do.
When doing overhead taping get yourself a safe stand or stilt.
If you can use a special drywall lift to easily access all areas around.

Step 3: When the compound is completely dry (usually 24 hours later) apply a very thin second coat of compound that extends out a few inches to either side of the first coat. After the second coat dries completely, apply a third coat, this time with a 10-inch-wide taping knife, extending the compound about 6 inches to either side. When the third coat is dry, feather all the edges with a sanding block covered with medium-grit sandpaper.

Recommended reading :

Ultimate Guide to Floors, Walls & Ceilings: Build, Remodel, Repair (Paperback)

by The Editors of Homeowner

# ISBN-10: 1580113427 / # ISBN-13: 978-1580113427

Drywall Mudding, Taping and Plastering is a post from: DIY Guides

Drywall odd corners

Tom — Tue, 13 Jan 2009 18:41:39 +0000

For most DIY handymen a drywall project is relatively simple. Cut the drywall sheets to size and nail and / or screw it to wall studs or, in the case of a resurfacing project on top of older drywall or plaster. If the room or area that you are planning to drywall is relatively square, the aforementioned techniques work fine.

But what is the walls were curved? And what do you need to do for protruding corners or corner walls where two walls or the ceiling/wall meet?

Protruding corners/inverted corners

Drywall corners are needed for protruding corners. These angled piece of metal is nailed into the stud over the applied drywall that is attached to the frame. It allows ease in the application of plaster and also provides protection for the wall from bumps, scrapes, and wear and tear.

To tape inside corners (inverted corners), including the spots where the walls and ceiling meet, cut the tape to length and fold it in half. After laying the bed of compound, press the folded tape into the compound and feather the compound out at least 1 1/2 inches to each side. The corners require three coats, and the last coat should extend about 8 inches to each side. Sanding is required here, too.

To finish the outside corners, install a metal corner (from your building-supply store), then apply three coats of compound that taper up to the bead. The last coat should extend the compound on each wall to about eight inches wide. Sand as with other drywall joints.

Let the walls dry for up to five days, following the recommendations of the joint compound manufacturer. Give the surface of the drywall a coat of primer made for paint or wallpaper. When the primer is dry, sand the drywall surface lightly with fine-grit sandpaper on a sanding block. Be sure to sand between each additional coat of paint with fine-grit sandpaper. New drywall should receive at least three coats: a sealer, primer, and finish coat.

Curved wall in home with a drywall face

What if the surface you wish to cover is curved? Drywall doesn\’t bend overly well, it cracks.

Drywall comes in four thicknesses 1/4″, 3/8″, 1/2″, and 5/8″. While the most common thickness used in residential applications is 1/2″, the other thicknesses have definite uses.

To cover a curved wall in drywall the wall should be constructed of plates and studs, as you would a straight wall. The wall framing can be either wood or steel.

If the curve is relatively shallow you can use 3/8″ drywall and 16″ centers for the stud spacing. For tight curves use 1/4″ drywall and increase the studs to every 8″ rather than every 16″

Installing Drywall On An Outside Curve:

Step 1 : Measure the length of the curved surface and cut drywall to size.

Step 2 : Screw edge of drywall to stud in far corner.

Step 3 : Attach a temporary piece of 1×2 to outside edge of drywall. Secure with screws into stud.

Step 4 : Moisten inside and outside of drywall at initial bending point using a water spray.

Step 5 : Apply pressure to drywall, approximately 3/4 of the length towards stud wall.

Step 6 : Once drywall has made contact with second stud, fasten it to the stud using screws, every 6″.

Step 7 : Moisten next section of drywall and continue bending, fastening and moistening as you progress down the full length of the drywall.

Installing Drywall On An Inside Curve:

Step 1 : Center piece of drywall over curved surface.

Step 2 : Moisten entire sheet of drywall, inside and outside using a water spray.

Step 3 : Apply pressure to the center of the sheet of drywall.

Step 4 : Once drywall has made contact with middle stud, fasten it to the stud using screws, every 6″.

Step 5 : Fasten drywall to the other studs moving first to the stud to the right of the center stud followed by the stud on the left of center stud, followed by the stud second on the right of the center stud, using screws every 6 inches.

If you are using 1/4″ drywall you may want to consider installing a second sheet of 1/4″ drywall over the first sheet for more strength and rigidity. Follow the installation procedure for the first sheet in the same manner, for the second sheet.

Drywall odd corners is a post from: DIY Guides

Drywall Repair Extension

Tom — Tue, 13 Jan 2009 18:38:43 +0000

Outlet-Hole Patch

When installing new electrical outlets and wall switches, it\’s easy to cut the holes for the electrical boxes a bit too big. In some cases, the outlet cover or switch plate won\’t be able to hide the mistake. Plus, oversize holes allow cold drafts to blow in around the electrical box.

The traditional way to fix this problem is to fill the space with joint compound and apply a single strip of joint tape. Although that approach conceals the damage temporarily, the repair is relatively brittle.

A much better option is to cover the entire area — including the electrical box — with a FibaTape Outlet Repair Patch. This 7×8 inch fiberglass patch is similar to standard fiberglass-mesh tape, except that it is reinforced with thick diagonal strands of fiberglass. These strands lend the tape superior strength.

Step By Step

Step 1: Begin by turning off the electricity to the room. Then wipe the wall around the electrical box clean of all dust and dirt. Peel off the backing paper from the patch and press the fiberglass-mesh patch to the wall directly over the outlet.

Step 2: Use a sharp utility knife to carefully cut away the mesh section that\’s covering the electrical box.

Step 3: Use a 6-inch-wide drywall knife to spread joint compound over the entire patch, spreading it well beyond the 7×7-inch fiberglass-mesh patch.

Don\’t worry if some of the compound oozes into the electrical box; it will break off easily once it has dried. Lightly sand the patch, then apply two thinner coats of compound.

Electrical box extenders

Bring existing switch and outlet boxes flush with new drywall by adding extensions. Start by turning off the power and removing the device.

Add a code-approved extension to the existing box; screw the outlet or switch back in place; and turn on the power.

Drywall Repair Extension is a post from: DIY Guides

Drywall Repairs

Tom — Tue, 13 Jan 2009 18:31:24 +0000

Drywall Repairs

Drywalls can be easily damaged. A door flung open with too much force can produce a doorknob-size hole in the wall, or a careless mover may accidentally run a table/chair leg into your wall. This kind of damage looks bad, but fixing a drywall be farily easy, even large holes.

Repairing with simple tools

For a small 1 inch damage :

Get some fibreglass mesh tape (self-adhesive type) and tape it over the damaged area (make sure it covers a little over 2-3 inch longer than the damaged area). Spread joint compound evenly over the taped area with spatula/putty knife. Spread it evenly and remove any bubbles. Let the compound dry, and then sand it. After it has been allowed to thoroughly dry, skim another layer over it (with wider radius, feathering out the edges which will hide the small bump made from the first layer). Let the second coat dry then sand and prime it.

To make a repair to a small drywall hole without a kit, follow these directions:

What You\’ll Need

Clean tin can lid
Tape measure
Keyhole saw
Awl
Thin wire or string
Scissors or wire cutters
Scrap wood
Putty knife
Drywall patching compound
Sandpaper
Primer and paint
Paintbrushes

Step 1: Use a keyhole saw and cut out a narrow horizontal slit in the wall on each side of the damaged area. Punch two holes in the center of the tin can lid and thread 12 inch piece of wire or string through the holes. Insert the lid through the narrow horizontal slit.

Step 2: Pull lid towards you until it\’s flat against inside of wall. Set a stick through the string/wire and twist it until the tin lid is firmly secured flat against the back of the wall board.

Step 3: Apply premixed drywall patching compound over the patch (Don\’t use spackling compound because it shrinks as it dries), or mix plaster of paris with water to make thick paste. Pack compound or plaster into hole against backing and behind stick. Keep compound inside hole, cover backing, and fill slits, but don\’t spread it on wall surface. Leave patch slightly low, and don\’t try to level it. Let patch dry for at least 24 hours. When dry, cut string or wire and remove stick.

Step 4: Fill it completely with more plaster of paris or drywall patching compound to make patch level with wall surface. Let dry, lightly sand area, prime, and paint.

Repairing Drywall with kits

What you’ll need :

Keyhole saw/utility knife
Metal mounting clips
Needlenose pliers
Self-adhesive fiberglass mesh tape
Joint compound
Spatula
Orbital sander/sandpaper

Step 1: Cut out the damaged portion with a utility knife/keyhole saw and even out broken pieces around the cutout area.

Step 2: Install four metal mounting clips onto the edge of the cutout, making sure the two spring tabs on each clip face out.

Step 3: Cut a new drywall patch to fit the cutout and secure it with two screws driven into each of the metal clips.

Step 4: Grab onto the metal spring tab with needlenose pliers and snap them off below the drywall surface.

Step 5: Cover the seams around the drywall patch with strips of self-adhesive, fiberglass-mesh tape.

Step 6: Spread a coat of joint compound over the whole patch, not just the taped seams. When it\’s dry, sand it smooth and repeat 2 times. Prime then paint.

Drywall Repairs is a post from: DIY Guides

Drywall Types of Tools

Tom — Tue, 13 Jan 2009 18:28:45 +0000

What is Drywall?

Drywall is a modern building material used for the finish construction of interior walls and ceilings. It came about in the mid-twentieth century when the old methods of plaster and

lath were too cumbersome and manpower intensive. The drywall (or also known as Sheetrock® (USG Product), Gyp Board, Gypsum Board, Plaster Board, Wallboard) was invented in 1916 by the US Gypsum Company. It is basically gypsum squeezed between fiberglass matting or heavyweight paper. Additions such as anti-mildew and fire-resistant materials, are mixed with the gypsum plaster before applying the paper (depending on manufacturer of material). It is then nailed onto a frame and the seams between the sheets are plastered, or special tape – tape is then covered with spackle-like paste called joint compound, then sand to smoothness.

Types and Applications

Drywall come in various thickness – 1/4″, 3/8″, 1/2″ (typical), 5/8″, and panel lengths range from 8 feet to 10 feet. It can go as long as 16 feet. Panel widths are usually 48″ and the most common panel size found is a 4\’x8\’ panel in a 1/2″ thickness.

1/4″ and 3/8″ thick panel are recommended for residential repair / renovation and is typically used in a single or double layer application when covering a curved surface with a small radius. One common use of these thin and relatively lightweight panels is to go over the top of severely cracked old plaster ceilings to get a nice smooth surface.

1/2″ thick panel are used in residential construction. Recommended application is for single-layer applications over studs spaced 16″ on center. Most doors frames and window frames are designed for use with 1/2″ drywall thickness.

5/8″ Thick Panel are recommended for residential single-layer applications over studs spaced 24″ on center or where more sound control or a one-hour fire rated wall is required such as between the garage and the house. To achieve the one-hour rating use a Type “X” 5/8 wallboard. Type “X” drywall usually has perlite, vermiculite or boric acid added for added fire resistance.

Special water and mold resistant drywall is used in wet applications such as in bathrooms and usually has a green paper face.

Tools for Drywall Installation

Wallboard / drywall

joint compound/plaster – plaster should match drywall type;

adhesive/tape;

utility knife / Keyhole Saw;

hammer / electric drill (cordless or otherwise);

trowel / joint-knives (6 to 10 inches at minimum);

sander (electric) or sandpaper 80-100 grit plus sandpaper block;

nails/screws (for hanging drywalls – Generally approximately one pound of nails for every five 4X8 sheets is needed);

Drywall corners – made of light angled metal for protruding angle; approximately the same number of linear feet of this product needed for the same linear feet of protruding corners;

goggles, hardhat, face mask and gloves (for personal safety);

Drywall Preparation

The ideal wall (though possibly not something one can get at all times) will be walls that have been built 16-inch on center (meaning the frame is built so that there is at least a stud every 16 inches) or some other number evenly divided into 48 inches. This prevents necessity for cutting every sheet of drywall to length, and save waste and man-hours. Ensure that there are no uneven surfaces or old nail sticking out of the wood.

Locations of all wall studs on ceiling and floor for vertical nailing pattern should be marked.

Drywall Types of Tools is a post from: DIY Guides