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Heave-Ho

If drywall's got to go up, the ceiling is the place to start. The panels are awkward to maneuver overhead, and you'll reduce your chances of damaging good board if you leave the walls until later. Too, the wall panels will help support the edges of the ceiling.

Clear the floor, and lay the gypboard flat on three rows of 2 X 4s equal to the length of the panels you're using. Then, with the help of a friend, place the first panel in a ceiling corner so it meets the room's perimeter framing along two sides.

This overhead work will go a lot easier if you can spare the few hours it takes to make a drywall jack (see sidebar). If not, at least throw together a couple of T-braces (Fig. 4) by nailing 4' 1 X 4s ID 2 x 4 uprights cut '/z" longer than the floor-to-ceiling height. That little extra will allow you to wedge the panels into position.

It's important that you fasten each sheet to every framing member it contacts. Start in the center of the panel and, making sure the board is snug against its backing, place the fasteners first through the field, then the perimeter.

If you're using nails, it's highly recommended that you double-nail all overhead work. Space the first series 12" apart (except for the edges), then come back and drive a second set 2" from the first. Finish the perimeter by setting nails every 7" on center, at least 3/s" from the panel edges.

Remember to drive the nails in straightnot at an angle-and use care not to oversink the heads and break through the paper. If you should make either of these mistakesand you probably will-drive a second fastener within a couple of inches of the first, and make sure the bad nail is below the surface of the paper. Nailing gypboard takes a knack, and you'll know you've caught it when you can repeatedly seat the head into a shallow dimple with the final rap of the hammer (Fig. 5).

What if a nail misses a joist? Pull it out, and hit the empty hole hard enough to make the dimple but leave the paper intact. The depression can easily be filled later.

Screws, as you've probably realized by now, are more reliable than nails. Space them 12" apart throughout the panel, but still start in the middle. If you use a drywall screwdriver, you'll be able to adjust the depth control so the screw head doesn't tear through the paper. An electric drill, on the other hand, has to be carefully controlled or it will do just that.

It's best to stagger the uncut panels so the end joints don't all fall in a line. Once all the whole sheets are installed, you'll have to cut the final pieces to fit. For each section, take accurate measurements from the wall to the edge of the panel. Whether you're butting square end to square end, or tapered to tapered, the cut edge should be adjacent to the wall.

Cutting drywall is usually a literal snap.

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