Cutting Drywall
- Lay the piece down (unfinished side down) on a
flat clean surface free of anything that could damage the drywall.
- Measure your piece and place marking where the
cut is to be made. It is often helpful to make a mark along
the entire length of your cut. Always make your pieces a little
smaller (1/8" to 1/4" less) than you measured to account for extra
gypsum on the edges and lack of square-ness. Also, cut pieces so
there is a 1/4" gap
at the floor to prevent moisture or water absorption at the
floor level (especially on concrete).
- Place your
T-square so that the
square rests on top of the piece you will be using. This insures
that if your knife strays, it will not damage your piece.
Firmly hold the T-square in place. I like to use one hand and
a knee.
-
Make your cut. You only have to
break the surface of the paper and cut slightly into the gypsum.
- Tip your piece up so that you can apply pressure
to the opposite side of the cut. The sheet should then snap
and fold. I like to have my sheet standing on end with the cut
running vertically if possible.
- You need to then cut the paper at the fold.
The two pieces will snap apart. Be careful not to have the
pieces rip apart with one taking paper off the other. Watch my kids cut and install a piece of drywall in this video.
Installing Drywall - Drywall Installation Tips
- Make sure there is fastening material (studs)
running the length of all joints and
inside corners.
If needed, install wood studs.
- When installing both wall and ceiling drywall,
make sure to
install ceiling drywall first. Then install the wall drywall so
it acts as a support for the ceiling. If you must install the
ceiling 2nd, use extra fasteners.
- Cut your pieces to allow a 1/4" space at the
floor level. Keeping the drywall edge off the floor will
prevent water and moisture damage. Place a wood shim at the floor as
a spacer for the sheet of drywall to rest on.
Check out my other DIY sites:
How to Level the Ground and Setup an Above Ground Pool
Raising Chickens in Your Back Yard
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- Remember to place a
moisture barrier
under your drywall for cold-climate homes! This will keep
moisture from condensing in your insulation which then can result in
mold and reduced R-values. Also, for very cold climates, you should
consider converting your two-by-four walls into two-by-six walls by
adding 2-inch ripped
studs and new insulation - you will be glad you did! For
details on my project, click here.
- Use 1 1/4" drywall screws rather than nails.
Screws won't come loose - nails will. In our 35-year old
house, many of the nails have worked their way out. Be careful if you use screws longer than 1 1/4" since you may very easily screw into wiring running through studs!
- To prevent missing the studs, pre-mark where the
studs are before you hide them with your sheet of drywall. You
can do this by making a mark on the floor and the ceiling and then
drawing a line on the piece of drywall from the floor to ceiling
marks.
- The rule of thumb for drywall screw placement is
to place screws no more than 16 inches apart on walls and no more
than 12 inches apart on ceilings. Placing screws closer than
the minimum will not hurt - you just have more screw depressions to
fill.
- Set screws so the head does not
rupture the paper.
If you do rupture the paper, simply place and additional screw
within an inch or two.
- After all screws have been applied, run a 4 inch
putty knife over the surface of the drywall. The edge of the
knife can NOT hit any screws. If the knife hits a screw head,
set the screw a little deeper.
- A cordless driver is handy for setting screws.
For small jobs,
this inexpensive driver (around $30 at a Menards Home Store)
works well. For larger jobs (whole house), you should probably
invest in a higher end driver. My NEW driver is a Rockwell cordless and it has worked incredibly well for years.
- You should find a friend experienced in building
to help you out on your first job of hanging drywall - at least to
get you started.
- For installing high ceiling drywall, you should
probably hire a professional. For this type of drywall
installation, expensive scaffolding and a drywall lift are needed.
To find used drywall panel lifts and a
used drywall lift for sale go to this link.
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