Used Equipment

A Serious How-To on Installing/Repairing Drywall

Drywall isn’t just convenient for hanging pictures on.  It provides protection, insulation, and even sound proofing from the outside.  A poorly done dry walling job negates many of those benefits.

Even simple repairs can be tricky to create a nice, smooth surface to repaint and blend in with the surroundings.  How often have you noticed the cracked spackle, poor seams, or revealing drywall tape behind the paint in shabbily constructed or maintained buildings… or left behind by inexperienced repairmen?

Professionals and experts in the field, like Paul Diguiseppi, would always advise someone to go to a professional drywall company do the work for you, but if you’re set on fixing that hole in the wall that resulted from your best friend tackling you during the Super Bowl party you just had (and somebody’s really mad at you), here are some tips to make it look like you did a bit more than slap a board and some spackle on it.

First of all, have the right tools for the size and complexity of the job, which would begin with at least a measuring tape, utility knife, inside corner tool (if doing a corner), a selection of broad knifes, a sponge, and a spackle tray.  If you’re doing a major job such as dry walling a whole wall or room, a few more tools may be necessary:  A spiral saw, screw gun, 4-foot T-square, drywall saw, sander, and ladders (at least a couple so you’re not having to move the same one back and forth constantly).

If you have to replace drywall, or you’re putting some new drywall up, decide which type you need.   There are many types and thicknesses of drywall:   standard, waterproof, 1/4 inch, 1/2 inch and 5/8 inch. Sheet sizes are usually 4×8, but you can also get 4×10, 4×12, and 4×14.

If you’re replacing a piece of drywall that was already sitting nice and flat, you should be ok putting a new one up.  If it’s a new wall, make sure that all the studs are lined up correctly so that the drywall sits flat and flush against them.  Stretching a cord along the wall with a partner and looking down the cord is a good way of seeing if any of them are out of line.  If something’s not right, it should be fixed.  In some cases a planer may be necessary to shave some wood off a stud or rafters.

You want to make sure all corners of the drywall are supported by framing, even if you have to add a stud somewhere.  Window and door framing should also have room to anchor the drywall to it.

Drywall screws are always the best thing to use for drywall, as nails have a tendency to give over time, especially in climates that cause the wood to contract and expand frequently.  Get screws that are at least an inch to an inch and a half longer than the thickness of the drywall.  Tighten them snug, but without tearing the paper.  If you’re doing a whole wall or a room, you really need a drill or drywall screw gun, which can be rented and will save a lot of time, not to mention your arm.

For a whole room, start with the ceiling panels, then the lower wall panels, and last the upper wall panels.

Cutting is done by cutting through the surface paper only.  Then “break” the drywall along the line, and cut through the back paper.  If you have a rough edge, you can use a rasp to smooth it out.

Cutting for outlet and switch boxes can be very tricky as well.  Putting a hole in the wrong place can waste a whole sheet of drywall.  You may want cutouts for inset shelves or pictures, but you’ll have to be sure what you want to do will work with the studs.   Make sure you have the measurements precise and level.  You’ll be reaching for another sheet of drywall if you screw up.

After you have the outline of the cutout, cut through the surface paper along it, and then cut an “X” with two diagonal lines from corner to corner.  Then…carefully… push the center of the “X” and “break” the drywall along the lines, and then cut the back paper.  Don’t go “karate” on it!  It doesn’t take much to break, and if you go too hard on it, you could damage the rest of the drywall sheet.

You can also use a spiral, keyhole, or drywall saw if you feel confident with one, but you’ll probably want a mask for the dust that will result.  If you’re trying to keep the rest of the house clean, use the utility knife.

Once you have made sure all screw heads are below the surface of the paper, and all panels are lined up correctly, you’re ready to tape.  This will probably take some practice to get right.  Just tape over all seams, and try not to allow the tape to get out of line or fold up anywhere.

Outside corners take a lot of abuse, and corner bead is necessary to protect them.  You can get metal or plastic corners, depending on how exposed that outside corner is, and it can be square or rounded.  Your choice of corner radius may affect how the drywall matches up at the corner.  Once the corner bead is in place, tape and spackle.

Start spackling with the nail and screw holes first, along with any other dents, holes, or minor damage that may have occurred during the course of the project.  The technique is to use a spackling knife to apply spackle to the hole, and swipe over it to remove the excess, leaving a smooth surface.  You will want to do this twice, because the drying spackle will contract as moisture dissipates, causing it to crack.  The second pass will fill in the cracks. The joints between panels will take three passes to smooth out, and broad knives between eight and twelve inches are best for this part.

The inside corners might take a little work, especially if you don’t have an inside corner tool.  Normally, you would use one to shape the glob of spackle into a corner and smooth it out down the length of the corner.  This tool is shaped properly for the corner, where anything used to substitute may not be.  If you’re doing a job big enough to have to spackle the corner, do yourself a favor and get an inside corner tool.  This will also take two or three passes, to fill the length of the corner.

The spackle turns white as it dries, but it can still be wet on the inside.  Once it’s all dry, you can sand the rough spots and find flaws and errors that might need a little more work.  It might take a lot of work to get rid of all the evidence of tape, screw holes, and joints.  As written earlier, not a simple task for the inexperienced.  The friend that tackled you better be here for this part, at least.

Once you are satisfied with the surface of your new drywall, you will have to put on some drywall sealer before painting.  Primer will work too.  Now you’re ready to paint in your favorite team’s colors… or whatever you’re being told to paint it…

If after weighing the options, you decide that a professional would be the better choice (it is…), then companies like West Coast Drywall in California, or Paul Diguiseppi’s Champion Drywall, Inc. in Southern Nevada are a good place to start.

A Google search for drywall companies in your area should bring up plenty of choices.  The links for West Coast and Champion Drywall are provided below.

West Coast Drywall

Norco, California

Champion Drywall of Nevada, Inc.

Las Vegas, Nevada

 

 

About the Author

Yvette is a part-time writer on many topics ranging from home remodeling to health and fitness, and also loves surfing and sushi.

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