Drywall Installation Made Easy

Posted by hw on September 4th, 2019

Installing drywall panels has to be done by at least two people. Why? The major reason is that they are heavy and can be awkward to work with in certain spaces. The 4x8 size weighs 55 lbs while the 4x12 size weighs 82 lbs. The 8ft panels can be easily carried in your pick-up truck however the bigger sizes should be delivered to your home with something larger.

The following are the basic tools and materials that you will need for installation:

Tools

Materials

All you need to do is to follow these simple and very easy steps to install your drywall panels.

1. Make sure you bought enough drywall panels before you start your renovation. Measure your walls and your ceiling. Use 3/8" to ½" thick drywall panel for your walls and 5/8" thick drywall panels for your ceiling.

There are larger drywall panels that you can order if you have a wide ceiling. Drywall panels are available in up to 52 ft lengths and 9 feet widths. However, the bigger your choice of drywall panel, the heavier they are. Better choose the right size based on your measurements.

2. Install the drywall panels in the ceiling first before you install the drywall panels to the walls. Find an assistant to help you position the drywall panels in the wall before you nail them.

Maintain 6 inches distance between each nail. Nails are only secondary fasteners. The drywall screws are the fasteners. Choose medium size nails and screws to prevent the nails and screws from popping out. This can cause problems when you start taping later.

Use a lift to install panels in your ceiling with the help of your assistant. It is better to install ceiling panels using a lift so that the panel is as tight to the ceiling as possible. After you finish installing the panels in the ceiling, start installing the panels to your walls, and around doors and windows.

3. Once you start installing the wall panels, make sure to always keep them tightly pushed against the ceiling panels. The wall panels should help support the ceiling pieces. Remember that installing panels in the wall often requires several specific holes to be cut first - like electrical outlets, windows and doors.

For windows, doors, electrical outlets and other holes that you need to cut, measure carefully and draw a pattern on the panel to indicate where the hole should be. Cut these patterns using the keyhole saw or the spiral cut-out saw. Use the T-square to make sure your pattern and cut is straight. Once the holes are cut, start positioning the panels in the walls. A good rule of thumb here is to measure twice, cut once.

4. If you have long walls, use more than one drywall panel. And maintain the 6 inches distance from each nail. This will help your drywall stick to the frame firmer. Do the nailing and screwing from center out.

5. Once you are done installing the panels, prepare the tools you need for taping. Taping is the process of polishing and hiding the joints of the drywall installation. You should use a drywall flusher and applicator to evenly distribute the mud solution to the corner and flat surfaces after the installation process (highly recommended).

Drywall flushers and drywall applicators are both made of aluminum steel. They invaluable tools for taping and should be purchased before hand. You will be using a mud solution to polish the edges, corners and surfaces of the drywall.

When you are dealing with the corners and the edges, you need to use the drywall flusher while the applicator handles the curves. Drywall flushers are preferable for corners in between ceiling and walls. After applying the mud solution to the corners, a flusher is used to save a great deal of the time and effort by making the mud "flush" to the wall with a minimum of effort.

A drywall applicator is preferable for flat surfaces and curves.