Drywall Installation | DoItYourself.com – DIY Home Improvement …

Obviously, walls are a key element of a home. So now that you are completing the addition to your home, or you've decided to finish the basement, it's time to install the drywall. Here are some simple step by step instruction to get the job done right.

Always start by making a sketch of the wall and ceiling areas to be covered before applying the drywall. A sketch enables you to detect errors on paper--not on the job. Always install the wallboards perpendicular to (across) the joists on ceilings. You should apply drywall to the ceiling first, then to the walls.

Use a special water-resistant drywall where excessive moisture may be a problem. In most cases, water-resistant drywall is covered with a green finish paper.

Use a special fire-rated (Type X) drywall where building codes require the use of a fire-rated material.

If a vapor barrier is needed, use a special insulating, foil-backed wallboard, or create a vapor barrier with sheets of plastic material.

You can easily cut wallboard with a scoring or trimming knife and a 4-foot straightedge. You may prefer to use a T-square for an even and straight cut. Measure accurately and make marks before cutting the wallboard. Use a straightedge for accuracy, and score along your marks. Be sure to cut through the paper and into the inner core. Hold the knife at a right angle to the board and score completely through the face paper. The board will break easily at the point where it is scored. After it is snapped, trim the paper on the uncut side with a pair of shears or a sharp knife. Make circular cuts and irregular angles with a keyhole or sabre saw. To cut holes in the wallboard for electrical outlets, light receptacles, switches, etc., carefully measure and mark the location of the opening of the face of the wallboard. Outline the opening in pencil and cut it out with a keyhole saw or circle cutter. The hole must be accurately located and cut to size, or the electrical coverplate may not cover the hole.

A single layer wall of 1/2-inch or 5/8-inch drywall is the simplest, fastest and most economical type of wall construction. Use a double-layer installation where extra fire protection or sound deadening is important. A double-layer also reduces the possibility of cracking and the nuisance of nails popping out if the wallboard warps or strains. This double-layer usually uses a 3/8-inch finish wallboard laid over a 3/8-inch backing board.

Apply drywall to leave the fewest possible joints. If the ceiling is less than 8 feet 2 inches in height, use a horizontal application for 25 percent fewer joints than a vertical one. If the ceiling is higher than 8-foot 2, install the drywall vertically (Fig. 4). On a two-layer installation, lay the base boards either vertically or horizontally--whichever requires the fewest cuts. Lay the top or finish layer over the base boards according to the preceding instructions. Any seams in the finish layer should be offset at least 10 inches from the seams in the base layer, or set at right angles from seams.

Apply drywall to the ceiling at right angles to the joists. If two layers are installed, set the bottom layer at right angles to the joists and the finish layer the way that leaves a minimum of seams. Holding the ceiling board in position can be difficult. If you are working alone, solve this problem by making a "T" brace from a 2-foot piece of a 1x4 nailed to the end of a 2x4 of sufficient length to reach from the floor to the ceiling.

Tip: The supporting 2x4 should be about 1 foot longer than the floor-to-floor ceiling height. If you are using only nails, nail the board to the ceiling with the proper length of nails and space them about 7 inches apart. Ceilings should be double nailed. When using the nail-on and adhesive method, use three nails across each wallboard at each joist. Drive one nail firmly into place at each edge and one into the center of the board. Drive the nails in just enough to tighten the wallboard to the framing. Then set the nail with a blow just hard enough to dimple the wallboard. Do not drive the nails hard enough to break the coating paper.

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Drywall Installation | DoItYourself.com - DIY Home Improvement ...