Installing Drywall

abc

Diamond Member
Nov 26, 1999
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any tips on the process or the hardest part (to make look good) - taping?

any books you've come across that are good, or dvd videos?
 

Analog

Lifer
Jan 7, 2002
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its difficult unless you do it all the time. I found that if I mudded several thin coats and sanded in between, it works better. Hanging it is the easy part.... :)
 

LAUST

Diamond Member
Sep 13, 2000
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Are you wanting to do a texture or a smooth wall the guys here will prolly want to know that (to be honest I think a smooth wall looks 80000 times better myself)

I honestly have not done it a lot, just hole patches, a bathroom and a ceiling that had water damage, but always keep in mind you can always sand it back down to where you started ;).

There was a great home improvement thread the other day, they should find their way in here for more help, as far as a site this place has some good idea's and tips for jobs.

also you can go to Home Depot and look through their 1-2-3 books and stuff. Lowes has a much better book selection though ;)

Direct link to drywall finishing basics
 

Evadman

Administrator Emeritus<br>Elite Member
Feb 18, 2001
30,990
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Tips? I can do tips.

Put the cut edges of drywall into corners.
Use screws not nails
get a bit used specificly for driving screws into drywall. They have a collar to prevent over driving and tearing the paper
do not use adheasive on the studs unless it is a cieling, and only then if you have a damn good reason to
get a 4' drywall T square
use a sharp knife
You score one side of the drywall and snap it along the score to get a good clean break
use pre-taped corners for ease of install
wet the tape before sticking it tot he wall/compound
get a corner trowel for inside corners. outside can be done normaly.
get 6, 10 and 12" taping knives The 12" can be done without, but you will do less sanding with a 12
the part that takes the longest is sanding
using open cell sandpaper will help with clogging
use a respirator, or at minimum one of those cheap masks.
safety glasses will keep the dust out of your eyes

I guess that is enough for now.

<--- used to teach classes on drywall install
 

abc

Diamond Member
Nov 26, 1999
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thank you all... how do you start things off in a room. say you have knocked down all the old plaster walls, and now sweeped everything away... so now ready to install drywall... how do you start attacking this, u do the ceiling first, or walls... do u do areas along a door/entrance or a window first (of a living room)... or do large flat areas of the room first.
 

amdskip

Lifer
Jan 6, 2001
22,530
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It looks like walls go first but I've seen it done ceiling then wall so either way. Just make it so you have to use as few of sheets as possible to cut down on your joints. Use big sheets if you can.
 

Sluggo

Lifer
Jun 12, 2000
15,488
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Originally posted by: amdskip
It looks like walls go first but I've seen it done ceiling then wall so either way. Just make it so you have to use as few of sheets as possible to cut down on your joints. Use big sheets if you can.


Nope, ceiling first, that way the wall sheets hold up the edges of the ceiling sheets.
 

dartworth

Lifer
Jul 29, 2001
15,200
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Do the ceiling first. Then work down to the floor. That way the joint between the wall and ceiling is nice and straight.
 

AlienCraft

Lifer
Nov 23, 2002
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DO NOT Overdrive the fastener, be it nail or screw. You do not want to puncture the paper. A slight dimple is all it should be.
 

abc

Diamond Member
Nov 26, 1999
3,116
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folks, for some reason the word has sort of been that the taping job is the 'trickiest' part... i dont see why though.... if anything, i see the sanding, plastering part the hardest or 'trickiest' because if you dont do the sanding part well or the plastering, then after you prime and paint you'll see the seams where the drywall board edges come together....

 

Renob

Diamond Member
Jun 18, 2000
7,596
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81
I just redid my house be sure to use metal corners on all outer corners. Here are some pics of my

house

Also use Light Weight tapping mud, it sands easy.

I was a painting and drywall contractor for 15years. .
 

Papagayo

Platinum Member
Jul 28, 2003
2,303
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Originally posted by: Renob
I just redid my house be sure to use metal corners on all outer corners. Here are some pics of my

house

Also use Light Weight tapping mud, it sands easy.

I was a painting and drywall contractor for 15years. .


Please learn to link correctly..

Fixed Link
 

Renob

Diamond Member
Jun 18, 2000
7,596
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81
Please learn to link correctly..


Bite me, you link Nazi. That was my first bad link, thank you.
 

Ornery

Lifer
Oct 9, 1999
20,022
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Great tips by Evadman. Read all the links, and grab the best tips from each. Take your time and do it right from the start. It will be slow at first, but worth learning. Don't try to get it done in one coat. Don't play with the wet mud too much. Try to scrape it, so that you won't have to sand at all. It might take longer to be that meticulous, BUT IT'S WORTH IT! Again, don't play with it a long time, but scrape it down flat on each coat. Use a nice topping compound for the last coat. Good stuff won't leave bubbles, and will spread easily. Don't be afraid to add a little water to the mix, it helps a lot. If you don't have an inside corner trowel, finish one side at a time. You can buy faster setting compound, if you want to do more than a couple coats in a day.

It's worth repeating, that you can apply it, so that it requires very little sanding. Strive for that!
 

abc

Diamond Member
Nov 26, 1999
3,116
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Originally posted by: Papagayo
Originally posted by: Renob
I just redid my house be sure to use metal corners on all outer corners. Here are some pics of my

house

Also use Light Weight tapping mud, it sands easy.

I was a painting and drywall contractor for 15years. .


Please learn to link correctly..

Fixed Link


nice. hey, how do you do that wood flooring... what is that sheeting underneath the wood?
do you start from one side of the room to the other, or do you lay one length in the room center and spread out towards the ends of the room?
 

Renob

Diamond Member
Jun 18, 2000
7,596
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Its easy, start on one side and work your way across the room here is a link to the floor makers website and there are videos that show you how to do it.


Installation
 

Bryophyte

Lifer
Apr 25, 2001
13,430
13
81
2 things I like to use: the yellow mesh "tape" that is sticky instead of the paper tape, and round drywall corners. The round corners look really nice.
 

abc

Diamond Member
Nov 26, 1999
3,116
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broy, any link to show me visually what you mean by the yellow tape?

and rounded dwall, you use that on wall ends?
 

Evadman

Administrator Emeritus<br>Elite Member
Feb 18, 2001
30,990
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Welcome back from the dead thread :)

The yellow tape is a brand. they make tape that does not have to be set into compound, it is sticky on one side. Then you use compound over it. It is usually mesh type, or full of little 1/8" holes. Easy to see on any store shelf.

The corners he is talking about are plastic instead of metal. The corner is rounded out by about 1/8" which makes the compund sit at the right thickness, and be even from top to bottom.

They also make a yellow tinted compund. It is easier to tell where sanding needs to be done, or more compund is needed. Remember, compund should be quite a bit wider than the seam, 12" is about right for the short sides of the drywall that do not have the groove.