Close Article
Drywall Tips
Drywall is a very common these days because it is affordable and relatively
easy to install. Here are a few facts and things to keep in mind when buying,
installing, or hiring someone to drywall.
-
Typically drywall is four-feet wide and comes in a length of 8, 9, 10, 12,
or 14 feet. Also, the most popular drywall is 1/2 an inch or 5/8 an inch
thick, but can be found as thin as 3/8 an inch or as thick as 1 inch.
-
If you are adding drywall to your home, and not building a new home, then
before you install the new drywall make a few decisions. Once your old walls
have come down and before you add the new drywall figure out if you want to
rewire anything, add central heating, air or vacuum, and if you want to
insulate or soundproof your walls. This is an excellent opportunity to do
so.
-
Whether installing the drywall yourself, or hiring someone to do it, keep in
mind that drywall work is very dusty, so you are going to want to block off
the area of work so that you are free from any resulting dust.
-
If you are installing the drywall yourself, remember to install from the
center of the wall and work your way out to the edges.
-
Drywall is fastened to studs and rafters, and can be done so with nails or
screws. Nails are more likely to pop through the surface if hit
or when settling.
-
Once drywall is hung, it needs to be finished. This involves
putting a piece of tape over the seams where the pieces of drywall meet and
covering it with a plaster like compound.
-
Always prime new drywall.
Drywall installation contractors may also provide the following services:
-
Framing
-
Carpentry
-
Plastering
-
Wallpapering
-
Painting
-
Handyman
Close Article
Repairing a Hole in Drywall
By Andrew Seltz
I received a call this week from my church�s office manager saying we needed to have some repairs made before a visit from the building inspectors next week. One of the repairs was a hole in the drywall where a door handle had punched through the wall. The doorstop had broken and next thing you know there�s a repair job for the Go-To Guy.
Knowing how to do a patch like this is handy even when you�re not repairing damage. The first time I did one was when I installed phone and cable television service into an older home that my parents had purchased. My brother and I cut holes at the top and bottom of the wall to fish through the new wire, and then I patched up the holes and repainted and you�d never know the wall had been repaired. The same goes for running a new electrical wire or anything else that requires getting inside the wall.
If you don�t already know, a typical wall is mostly air. It is either 2�4 wood studs or metal studs that are placed every 16 inches on-center (when building walls you measure from the center of each stud and not the edges.) The surface is covered with drywall (a gypsum board covered with a heavy layer of paper) which is screwed or nailed to the studs. It�s quick to build and looks great, but can be easily damaged - especially when the builder uses 1/4 inch thick drywall instead of 1/2 inch or 3/4 inch (these are the standard thicknesses.)
When you have a damaged wall you need to replace the broken area with new drywall and then patch the seams and paint.
The supplies you�ll need for this project are:
- Drywall Saw
- Utility Knife
- Drywall piece large enough to fill the hole
- 1�3 inch Lumber or pieces of Scrap Plywood for supports
- Drywall Screws
- Joint Compound
- Mesh Fiberglass Drywall Tape
- 6 inch or larger Spreader
- Fine Grit Sand Paper or Drywall Sanding Screen
- Drill with Drywall Bit
All of these supplies can be found at your local home center in the construction materials area near the drywall. If you have a small patch, they may give you a scrap of drywall so you won�t have to buy a full sheet. There are usually plenty of scraps laying around in various thicknesses.
Here�s the step-by-step process:
- Cut a hole larger than the damaged area. Make the corners of the cut as square as possible to make it easier to cut the replacement patch. Use a drywall saw cut the hole
- Cut several pieces of 1�3 inch wood or plywood scraps that are several inches taller than the hole. Place them in the wall near the edges of the hole and use drywall screws to secure the wood to the exisiting wall. (Tighten the screws until the heads are slightly below the surface but don�t completely tear through the paper. A drywall bit for your drill is designed to prevent overtightening. It�s not essetial, but recommended.) The point here is to create a good solid surface to attach the patch too. If you have a large opening you can put an additional support in the center.
- Using a utility knife, cut a new patch piece that is slightly smaller than the hole. (To cut drywall, cut the paper on the finished side and then bend the board backward until the gypsum �snaps.� You�ll want to support the back along the cut so it breaks evenly. Once it has snapped, use the utility knife to cut the paper on the back.)
- Insert the patch into the opening and securely attach it to the supports you installed using drywall screws. One screw at the top and bottom of each support should be sufficent. (Don�t put the screws too close to the edges or the gypsum will crumble.)
- Now that the hole is filled you need to cover the seams. Apply fiberglass mesh tape over the seams. (The joint compound used to fill the seams is not strong and will crack if not reinforced.)
- The last step is applying joint compound to the seams with a wide spreading knife Spread the joint compound over the screw holes and tape creating the smoothest surface you can. Don�t get too fussy at this stage. Just get it close. Let this dry overnight and then put on one more light coat. After this coat dries, smooth out any surface bumps with a light sanding.
Your wall is repaired, good as new. Put a coat of wall primer over the patch to seal the surface and then paint it to match the rest of the wall. It�s important to put on the primer, because raw drywall and joint compound, when painted, will dull the finish of the paint and give away your patch job.
Happy home repair,
The Go-To Guy
Andrew Seltz is a Go-To Guy! His wide range of interests and experiences have made him a walking search engine for his friends and colleagues. His home improvement projects, done for friends and family, have given him hands on experience to share with you. Visit his site: http://www.AndrewSeltz.com
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Andrew_Seltz
Close Article
Tips on How to Build a Drywall Ceiling
By Carlo Morelli
One of the first things the do-it-yourselfer realizes when learning how to build a drywall ceiling is that no man is an island � unless he uses rented equipment! Because the panels are big, bulky, and awkward, hanging drywall on a ceiling entails one or the other: the help of another person or renting a drywall jack from your local home improvement center. The cable mechanism on drywall jacks is not difficult to operate, and jacks do an excellent job of holding the drywall in a secure, flat position enabling you to more easily attach it to the ceiling.
Tools & Materials
How to build a drywall ceiling includes knowing what all tools and material you�ll need. In addition to either another person to help you or a drywall jack, you�ll also need a hammer, a drill with a screwdriver bit, and nails or screws for drywall. You�ll also, of course, need to measure your ceiling (twice!) and purchase enough drywall, including a little extra in case of mistakes, to do the job.
Mark Joists First
Find the boards � usually 2x4s or 2x6s � that function as ceiling joists by tapping along the wall studs with a hammer and following up the wall to the ceiling. As part of learning how to build a drywall ceiling, mark where these boards are located with a pencil. These are what you will be attaching the drywall to and marking them beforehand makes it much easier to find them than trying to find them as you are nailing or screwing on the drywall. You then need to measure where the light fixture goes on the drywall and cut out a hole to accommodate that area of the ceiling.
The Tough Part
Now�s the part in learning how to build a drywall ceiling where you�ll need the other person (who hopefully has plenty of stamina in addition to strength!) to hold the drywall up to the ceiling or to put the drywall panel on the jack. Position the end of the sheet of drywall � with its finished side facing down � at the center of the ceiling board (joist) to which you are going to nail it. Nail around the outside of the panel about a half an inch from the edges to prevent the drywall from splitting or cracking. The person who is holding the panel can now move or, if you�re using a jack, you can move it out of the way.
Make It Pretty
Countersink nails or screws at six- or seven-inch intervals all along the length of the joist to which the drywall has been attached. Countersinking allows you to cover up the heads of the nails/screws with compound so that when you paint, the heads won�t be at all visible. Although not really a part of knowing how to build a drywall ceiling, learning how to cover up ugly nail or screw heads serves its own purpose for overall general carpentry knowledge.
Learning how to build a drywall ceiling takes a lot more muscle than to attach the sheets to the walls, but it can be done with a little thought, at least one other person, and/or a jack. It really is pretty hard work, but, hey, after all � you can do anything, right?
Having trouble with your drywall project? Discover the top ten drywalling tips at http://www.onlinetips.org
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Carlo_Morelli