Expert Tips for Installing Drywall (2023)

FAQs

How to install drywall step by step? ›

Learning how to install drywall is very much within the reach of the average DIY enthusiast. With patience, the right tools and a friend to help you, hanging drywall is not very difficult. Once you've learned how to hang drywall, learn how to tape and finish the installed drywall for professional-quality results.

Horizontal hanging reduces the lineal footage of seams by about 25%. Keeping the footage of seams to a minimum will result in less taping and a better looking finished job. Hanging horizontally also allows the drywall to flow over the framing so that bowed studs create less of a problem.

There are three phases to drywall finishing: tape coating, finish (or skim) coating, and the sanding and touch-up work you'll do at the end. Before you begin, however, you'll need to mix the fast-setting compound into a paste about the consistency of warm cake icing (without lumps or bubbles).

Unfortunately, there is no retroactive fix. However, during installation, be diligent about keeping that 1/8 inch space between sheets by using a guide. The blade of a drywall square is about 1/8-inch-thick and does the trick.

Paint drywall dark hues. Dark colors act like matte paints. They too reduce the reflection of light and so they hide flaws.

Being one of the weaker areas of the sheetrock, staggering the butt joints is a must-practice to limit cracking. Through staggering your butt joints, you will improve the holding power and strength of the wall even further and make taping and finishing the installation easier.

There are actually some really common drywall installation mistakes that people often make along the way. These include: edge support, framing locations, tapered edges, fit before fastening and minimizing joints. Let's discuss below and see if we can help you avoid these common drywall installation mistakes!

Visible seams

A wall should look smooth and unified. It shouldn't show seams, or places where one sheet of drywall meets another. If it does show seams, it's a sign that the job was rushed or incomplete, or an inadequate job was done with drywall tape and/or drywall compound — a bad drywall mud job, in other words.

How long does it take a professional to drywall? ›

With drywall, it takes a fraction of the time. Two pros can typically cover a 12-by-16-foot room in about an hour. To work that fast takes practice and a few specialized tools. But hanging drywall is not just about speed.

Drywall work is hard. The hanging of the large, heavy sheets is mind-numbing. If you decide to do it yourself, you can rent or buy mechanical lifts that hold the sheets up to save your back.

Hanging drywall perpendicular to the overhead framing members is a good idea for several reasons: Less visible seams – A perpendicular orientation allows each sheet of drywall to float over the framing members, making uneven joists or trusses blend in.

When hanging the drywall on the walls, always hang the top sheet first. Raise a sheet tight to the ceiling and secure it with a drywall nail at the top and bottom at each stud. Complete the top row throughout the room before proceeding to the bottom.

How Many Screws Per Sheet of Drywall. Use about 32 drywall screws per sheet of 4-foot by 8-foot drywall installed horizontally on a wall. This total is comprised of four screws on the five middle studs and six screws on each of the two sides.

While everyone has their own preference in the order that they tape a room, most automatic tool users will tape all the drywall butt joints (where two non-tapered edges of drywall meet) on the walls and ceilings first as they move around the job.

Wall studs whether metal or wood, are framed perpendicular to the floor. When hanging over wooden studs, sheets of drywall should always be hung perpendicular to the direction of the studs.

Hanging Drywall From the Top Down

Hang drywall on the ceiling first, then the walls.

The “first coat” consists of applying the mud-saturated tape to all of the joints and corner beads and filling screw or nail holes for the first time. Begin with the butt joints first, then the horizontal tapered joints, then the angles and finally, the corner beads.

The general rule of thumb is to properly tape and mud drywall joints before painting. Not only will skipping this step lead to unattractive walls, but it is also against building codes. So yes, mudding the drywall before applying the first coat of paint is a necessary step.

What are the 5 levels of drywall finish? ›

Why Sheetrock Should Be Staggered. Sheetrock can be hung in even, parallel rows or it can be staggered to create T-shaped junctions. Ultimately, staggered seams are stronger because the joints – the weakest part of the wall or ceiling installation – are minimized.

Joints are too tight

Without enough space when this happens, you'll get cracks. Keep a 1/8-inch space between sheets during installation to keep this from happening. Using a guide can help make sure your sheets are properly spaced throughout the job.

Using Dark Color Paint:

Just like the same way, flat finishes reduce dent visibility; darker paints also reflect less light than lighter paints. This makes them a better choice for hiding drywall imperfections. The only drawback of using dark color paint often makes the room look smaller.

Color plays a part in revealing or concealing flaws as well. We all know that lighter colors emphasize imperfections while darker colors hide them. This also has to do with light and reflection. Lighter colors reflect more light while darker shades absorb it.

Bulging drywall seams usually occur because of poor joint compound application, drywall screws not properly driven into studs, or because a house has settled in the last few years and the seams are pressing against each other with excess force.

One side is for finishing, and the other goes against the studs. The rear can have special coatings for different moisture level protection. If you accidentally installed the drywall backward. We recommend you remove it and install it correctly.

Drywall screws provide a stronger hold, but cost a bit more than nails. When choosing drywall screws vs. nails, consider the size of your project and the materials you'll be using. Use screws instead of nails when you are working on a ceiling installation or working with metal studs or frames.

What should I charge for drywall work? ›

Low-end jobs can run about $450 while high-end jobs reach $5,000 or more. That means you should charge between $1 and $3 per square foot for materials and labor for an average project.

A pushpin test is what some experts do to find out what wall they're working with quickly. Take a pushpin and press it on the wall using your thumb. If the pin pokes into the wall easily, that's drywall. If it doesn't, then that's plaster.

If you want your walls to look fantastic, it is best to hire a professional painter. The Painting Pros always does proper surface prep, including repairing drywall before we apply any paint. That means we routinely fill cracks, repair holes, caulk edges, and re-tape seams.

Fortunately, fast-drying setting-type compounds allow you to do just that. Setting-type joint compounds harden chemically in anywhere from 20 minutes or 30 minutes to 4 hours or 5 hours, depending on the type used. The compounds with the shortest setting times are ideal for one-day finishing.

Although you can install drywall by yourself, the job will be much easier if you have an assistant. The assistant can help you lift and position the drywall sheets. While the assistant holds the sheet in position, you can tack the sheet in place with nails or screws.

How Long It Takes Drywall Mud to Dry. Drywall mud can take as long as 24 hours to dry for thick applications. The 24-hour drying time recommendation can be applied to nearly all factors.

Drywall is weak because it is composed of a gypsum core between two layers of cellulose. These materials keep the drywall light, cheap, and less flammable than other materials. Drywall is not designed to support the structure of the wall, but to finish them, provide insulation, and block sound.

While taping drywall isn't a difficult task, a flawless finish can be hard to ace. That requires the right techniques, appropriate tools, and patience. With the following guidelines—and a little help from Hyde Tools—you'll be taping walls like a pro in no time.

Front Side

This allows drywall mud and tape on the seams and still provides a level surface with the rest of the panel.

When hanging the drywall on the walls, always hang the top sheet first. Raise a sheet tight to the ceiling and secure it with a drywall nail at the top and bottom at each stud. Complete the top row throughout the room before proceeding to the bottom.

Does drywall have to end on a stud? ›

All edges of all sheets of drywall must land on a solid surface such as a stud. A hanging drywall edge may work in the short-term, but in the long-term it can result in cracks and other serious wall issues.

You need to allow enough space for expansion and contraction of the framing members, which occurs naturally as seasons change. Without enough space when this happens, you'll get cracks. Keep a 1/8-inch space between sheets during installation to keep this from happening.

Being one of the weaker areas of the sheetrock, staggering the butt joints is a must-practice to limit cracking. Through staggering your butt joints, you will improve the holding power and strength of the wall even further and make taping and finishing the installation easier.

Hanging drywall perpendicular to the overhead framing members is a good idea for several reasons: Less visible seams – A perpendicular orientation allows each sheet of drywall to float over the framing members, making uneven joists or trusses blend in.

The “first coat” consists of applying the mud-saturated tape to all of the joints and corner beads and filling screw or nail holes for the first time. Begin with the butt joints first, then the horizontal tapered joints, then the angles and finally, the corner beads.

A gap at the bottom of drywall is left so that if any water penetrates under the skirting, it will not cause the dry wall to deteriorate. It is also easier to secure the top of the drywall very close to the ceiling by putting a 'lever' under the sheet and pushing it upwards.

Nails are a favorite for large jobs in construction because they're cheaper than screws and offer shear strength — or the ability to withstand shear pressure, where two surfaces slide past each other.

Drywall only, please: Don't use drywall screws for sub-floors, tile backing or other non-drywall applications. These denser materials can break the smaller #6 screw during installation. Use a #8 or larger for these jobs.

Drywall Screw Spacing for the Wall Field

Both the International Residential Code (IRC) and USG, the manufacturer of Sheetrock, note that the recommended maximum field screw spacing for wall drywall is 16 inches. Some builders like to space fasteners tighter than that, so they go down to 12 inches.

It might sound counter intuitive at first to leave space between your floor and your wall, but you should always leave a ½ inch to ⅝ inch gap between drywall and the floor.

What do you put between drywall sheets? ›

Mud the Joints and Screw Spots

The drywall edges are put together to create a joint. Use a utility knife or paint scraper to apply about an inch of mud to fill the joints and cover the spots where screws attach the drywall sheets to the studs.