Drywall question

[NapalmHeart]

If I hang the drywall sheets horizontally, should I cut off the tapered edge on the edge that will be closest to the floor?

Thanks, Ken

[Phisherman]

That's not a good idea (nor necessary) since that edge has some paper protection. The base molding should cover it, if not mud the taper flat.

[Doug Miller]

Yes. If you don't, you'll be trying to apply base molding to the taper, and it won't fit right.

[Doug Miller]

"Protection" from what??? Once it's covered by base mold and quarter-round, it doesn't matter what the edge is.

No, the base molding *won't* cover it, and it won't fit properly either. "Mud the taper flat"?? You've *got* to be joking. Why go to all that trouble? Just cut the taper off, for pete's sake.

[Harry K]

So, assuming a standard wall (8'), you cut the taper off the bottom one, what do you do with the resulting gap at the top?

No, you don't cut it off unless you want other problems or the wall is less than 8' tall.

Harry K

[dpb]

No point unless need to trim to fit the two sheets--if is full 8-ft wall, then there would be need to fill in somewhere.

As for the one poster's fear of baseboard fitting--it's done all the time and somehow they manage... :)

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[NapalmHeart]

So, assuming a standard wall (8'), you cut the taper off the bottom one, what do you do with the resulting gap at the top?

No, you don't cut it off unless you want other problems or the wall is less than 8' tall.

Harry K

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It is a basement wall and the basement is 9' deep.

Ken

[S. Barker]

no. they wont' be tall enough if you do. and the tapered edge will be behind the baseboard anyway.

s

[Harry K]

Okay. That puts it right at the problem I had with a living room (old construction) It was 8' plus in height. I filled in near the bottom. Had one end that I had a pro do. He ran it horizontal an put the patch in the middle of the wall. Amazingly easy to tape that double joint just as if it were a single joint. In your case I would do the same - i.e., put the filler in the middle and you could cut the taper off the bottom but that joint in the middle is growing much wider then.

Now to the problem of the taper at the bottom. I have done it two ways. One is 'shade tree'.

1. Set a nail in each corner leaving it proud by the amount of the taper. That makes the molding fit perfedtly in the corner and the 'angle' isn't noticeable on the run between corners.
2. Mud the taper - doesn't need to be a smoot 'finish' job.
3. Shim it out with 1/16' stock. Scrap formica, whatever.

Harry K

[Phisherman]

All my base moldings cover the taper. Never a problem and they fit. The top edge is a bit more critical as it is seen 10X more than the base edge.

[NapalmHeart]

Thanks to all for the replies.

Here's what I figure I'll do. Since we will eventually use one of the available products that raise the floor up away from the concrete I'm going to install the board with the taper left on, rather than losing the width of the taper. I'll get some 3/8" board to use between the upper and lower sheets to try to minimize the number of joints to tape and mud. If the taper present a problem with the baseboard I'll shim behind it to bring it back out.

Ken

[Harry K]

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If you mean 'behind the sheetrock', don't. Any shimming should be on the front and it will be hidden by the baseboard anyhow.

Harry K

[NapalmHeart]

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If you mean 'behind the sheetrock', don't. Any shimming should be on the front and it will be hidden by the baseboard anyhow.

Harry K ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ No, of course not. Just enough shim behind the baseboard to bring it back straight,

Thanks for the reply.

Ken