Drywall

Article Tools

Image Gallery

Print

E-mail

Comments

RSS

After you've marked your dimension on the board, line up the T-square and score the face with a swift slice of a sharp blade. Grab the edges on both sides of the line and fold the sheet back smartly to snap the gypsum core. Then use the knife once more to run through the back paper at the cut so you can snap forward to separate the pieces. Any rough edges should be sanded square with a rasp or sanding block.

Keep in mind, though, that all your cutting won't be in long, straight lines. Holes for overhead fixtures and wall outlets are necessarily small, tedious, and placed just so. To get them right, measure from the point where the side edge of the panel will be to the near and far sides of the electrical box. Then do the same again, measuring from where one end of the panel will rest. Transfer the marks to the drywall sheet, then pencil in the outline of the box (Fig. 6). You can then drill out the corners and cut between the holes with a keyhole saw.

After struggling with the ceiling, putting up the walls may seem easy-and it can be if you follow the rules. Install horizontally hung panels against the ceiling first. The tapered edge should be held tight against the overhead sheets already in place to make the best joint. Nails should be spaced 8" apart along the framing, and screws 16" apart, again starting in the center of the panel and working toward the sides and ends.

The idea is to complete the top row before moving to the lower wall. Keep in mind as you work that you'll need to mark the location of wall outlets and do some planning around doors and windows. Avoid vertical joints whenever possible over doors and above and below windows, and never end a panel or position a joint over a cavity; always make certain there's a framing member under a seam.

It's also important to pay attention at the corners. To join panels at an inside corner, butt the second panel against the first, and secure the end of the second sheet to the stud. In this way, the first panel will be held in place without your having to nail its edge (Fig. 7). If there's no support within 6" of a corner end, you'll have to add a nailer board to back up the drywall. Occasionally, the butted wall may be bowed enough to leave gaps at the joint. Remedy this by using your rasp to shape the end of the butting sheet to match the contour of its mate.

Likewise, outside corners should be lapped, with the second board over the end of the first. If the corner isn't square or plumb, let the second board extend beyond the joint and trim it after you've fastened the panel ends to their common stud (Fig. 8). That way, there won't be any large gaps to deal with later.

When installing the lower row, set the tapered edges against those of the panels above. The cut edge should always be toward the floor, both to keep the worst part out of sight and to prevent the baseboard from angling back into the taper. Try to leave about a '/z" gap between the panel edge and the floor so a foot lever can be used if needed to lift the lower panel into place (Fig. 9).

RSS | Comments | E-mail | Print