Almost every interior construction project involves some form of drywall work from repairing a hole or crack to finishing out a new space. Hanging and finishing drywall (called Sheetrock in many areas, a company trademark - among construction workers it's just called "Rock") is not too bad once knowing a few tips and steps. The basic materials and tools are very affordable so the homeowner can try this out without a large investment. Applying drywall over studs in a room and finishing it probably makes the most noticeable difference in any such project. Believe it or not, drywall work is almost enjoyable once you catch on (well, perhaps I should say rewarding). There is a good chance that some drywall work may be going on near you. If possible, watch it being done. Also, in the age of digital cameras, it's a good idea to take pictures of the area you are about to drywall. Having images on file of your framing, wiring and plumbing inside the wall may come in handy in years to come if something goes wrong or if you want to add to what is behind the drywall.

Hanging (attaching) Drywall is somewhat demanding but it can be like moving a large rock. You can use your back the hard way or use your head to make the job easier. For hanging drywall on walls, it can be done alone but a helper takes a lot of the load off. For ceilings you need a least two people and three is even better. Most rental centers have drywall lifts for ceiling jobs if you have to apply the "rock" alone. This lift will place the drywall sheet up to the ceiling in position to screw.

Drywall is most available in 4x8 ft sheets which is 32 square feet per sheet. Measure your coverage area to find how much you need. For example, if a wall is 12 ft long and 8 ft high, that would be 96 sq ft (12 x 8). You will need three sheets. If a ceiling is 12 ft in one direction and 14 ft in the other that would be 168 sq feet (12 x 14). You will need six sheets. Some home centers have different sizes available such as 4' x 12' and 4' x 16' sheets. This is because the larger sizes will cover more area which means less edges that need to be finished with tape and mud. When planning your job figure placement of the sheets for the least amount of edges possible. You will certainly need help if you hang the larger size sheets. Work to put seams in the least conspicuous places. Most people use the ½ inch thick drywall for all the house although some use 5/8 thickness on the ceiling. The thicker drywall leaves less sag on the ceiling but is harder to install because of weight. Smaller 3/8 thick is also available. This size is good to simply apply over existing drywall for a new fresh wall or ceiling. For areas that will be wet such as bathroom tubs and showers it is best to use other materials such as "Hardy Board" which is a concrete based product. Ask a tile specialist about the proper installation. There is drywall that is made waterproof but it is not used now very often.
If you are replacing or fixing drywall be sure to use the existing thickness. Drywall also helps make good soundproofing if you double the sheets on each side of the wall and place insulation inside. This method really works great. Depending on the size of the job think about having the lumber yard deliver the drywall to your site. More than 10 sheets is a large job in it's self to load up and bring home then unload again. Be sure to keep the material away from any moister.

You probably have a good idea of where to apply the sheets from having already measured. If you have drywall to apply to the ceiling, start there first. This is because the drywall applied to the walls will give additional support to where it meets the ceiling drywall. At least 2 people are best for applying ceilings. Make a few supports out of 2x4 lumber to hold the drywall once it is lifted up. You can start a few screws in the drywall before lifting it place, then quickly drive the screws in for a quick hold.
For walls, hold the drywall against the ceiling then screw (use a flat nail bar as a floor lever to raise it a bit). Drywall placed on walls should fit snug against the ceiling and be 1/2 to 1 inch off the floor. Floor trim will cover this gap and one reason for this is that if the floor gets wet, there is less chance water will soak into the drywall on the wall. Start with full pieces of drywall first if possible. Drywall nails can be used but drywall screws are easier and best. 1-1/4 inch screws are commonly used . 1 5/8 can also be used, especially for 5/8 thick drywall. You can purchase a drywall gun (a power drill-like tool) or a inexpensive drywall bit for your drill that works great. It's made by DeWalt and sinks the screws right beneath the surface of the drywall without breaking the paper. Place a screw at least every foot for a good hold. Place each sheet so the outer edges are on a stud (the wood framing) as much as possible. Place the outside edge in the middle of a stud then so you can start the next sheet on the other half of the stud.

To cut drywall there are several options on the process. Either work with the stack of drywall flat on the floor or leaning sideways on a wall. You can purchase a 4' metal drywall T-square for drawing lines across the sheet. To save time, place the T-square where you want it and score along the tool with your

razor cutter. Usually, one good score will enable you to then bend the sheet so it snaps open where you cut. Then score the backside of the sheet in the bend to finish the cut. For length cuts longer than 4 ft either use a longer strait edge or a chalk line to make a guide line for cutting. You can free hand cut along the drawn line or use a strait edge.

How neat should your hanging job be? It's best not to leave large gaps between applied pieces. Try to keep spaces between drywall sheets less than 1/8 inch. Any size gap can be fixed but don't make the taping and finishing job harder on yourself. There are places that can be difficult to apply drywall such a angles and crooked areas. Sometimes you have to add more studs to make the drywall screw down well. It's usually okay to add a board anywhere to the existing framing that will help make applying the drywall well. One problem on walls and ceilings is applying drywall over thick insulation. Sometimes the insulation will push out making it difficult to apply the drywall against the studs. Place screws closer together until the sheet screws down properly. You may also want to apply adhesive to the studs in some areas as well to be sure the drywall stays. Drywall adhesive can be found among caulking in most home centers. It's best to save small areas for last so you can use up the pieces left that were cut from larger sheets. But, don't fill a space with a lot of small pieces just to be thrifty, it's not worth your time to tape and mud out more area than necessary. Be sure screws or nails are installed lower than the surface of the drywall but do not break the paper.

One of the most challenging aspects of hanging drywall are making correct cutouts for the outlets and other small openings. There are several methods and it's worth your time to do them correctly. First, cut the sheet to the size needed to apply to the wall or ceiling. When you are sure it will fit, you can measure where the box is on the wall and transfer the measurements it to the sheet. Be sure to take into account that the drywall is to be placed 1/2 to 1 inch above the floor a bit as it should be if it goes on a wall. Another way is to put lip stick or chalk on the outside of the outlet box, then press the sheet in position up against the box to get a imprint. Simply cut out the area marked. Nevertheless, you will sometimes miss the mark. These cutouts are somewhat demanding and it is very easy to be off by a quarter inch or even a few inches. I bet you even place the hole on the wrong end of the sheet sometimes! You will be able to fix these areas when you begin taping and mudding. If you do cut a hole in the wrong place, save the cut out piece and you can use it to fill the hole you patch. If the hole you cut for an outlet is off center a bit, you can patch that too, later!

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