I am going to attempt to finish up my remodeling project with some drywall hanging. I have never done this before and wanted to try and knock it out myself before bringing in the professionals to finish it off. I have been reading up on the subject matter and have gathered a few tips, but there is one I didn't see alot on.
Should I drywall my bathrooms with the green board instead? Is it worth it? And should I always do the ceiling first?
Ask around and hire someone who does this a lot (not a contractor ... a worker). These folks are often looking for "cash" overtime. You can help him or her. You don't want to learn on you own, on your own home!
I have hung drywall, taped, sanded, etc many times in my life. Then one day I decided to call a contractor in to do my family room. That was the best money I ever spent. They came in the morning and left at dinner time with the whole room done, including the skim coat of finish plaster. $600 as I recall. No mess, no breathing plaster dust, no cursing because I don't own a power mixer, no not knowing some of the tricks like flipping a wet paint brush at the joint with the ceiling, one and one. Spend some money and get the job done right.
I recommend doing-it-yourself in every case EXCEPT drywall. I've seen others hire that step out and end up spending just a little more than I did drywalling my own basement and it was the most difficult step of the entire project. Never again!
It's probably too late for my tip, but when framing be absolutely certain where the drywall sheets will start and stop. Also, think about any potential future wiring needs - not just there, but other rooms as well. I added cable TV and ethernet to the existing 1st floor before sealing up the basement ceiling. There'll never be another chance for that.
Yes. Green board resists moisture better than gypsum board. If you are going to be tiling a shower or tub surround, use a cement backer board. Any drywall supplier will steer you to the right product.
Yes.
Whatever creates the fewest butt-ends and seams. If horizontal, stagger the butt joints top and bottom.
The pros usually mix horizontal and vertical, depending on the room.
Generally, but If you're hanging it by yourself or with an inexperienced helper, you may find it easier to board the bottom piece first, then insert the top piece above it.
Yup. And countersinking so as not to break the paper.
Doesn't matter where you start, measure it out so that doors and windows land in the middle of a piece. No joints over doors or windows.
Get a taper booked first ... and make sure he/she knows you're hanging it yourself. A lot of tapers are reluctant to touch homeowner boarded jobs.
(Whenever I call a new (to me) taper, the first question is "who's boarding it?" If the taper doesn't know the boarder, he'll only quote after he sees the job ready. )
Order board from a drywall supplier, not Home Depot or such. You want it "delivered in place" .. ie. on the floor where the boarding is to be done.
Learn how to do a board count.
Check with drywall contractors for a quote on the whole job. May not be much more than you expect to pay anyway. Of all the diy jobs, boarding and taping are the toughest to master, I think.
So, back to the green board, my shower is done. They used a cement backer board. Should I spend the extra money for the green board around the vanity section?
Yes (moisture area) , Yes, and Yes (use 5/8" rock for ceiling).
After the ceiling, the top wall next, so I tap a couple of nails in the top almost through the rock. Once in place you can hammer them in to the top plate to hold that piece up, Longer pieces; you will need some help. Get a few nails in the studs to hold it up. A couple of pencil marks at the bottom to point to the studs.
Yes.
Yes
Start on a long wall and hang big pieces. Always to remember to stagger the joints and to try and keep factory edges together.
Learn in a closet first. When you hang the bottom wall the rock will not be square at the floor, so you have to adjust...and cut the bottom off so rip it from your measurement.
Non-Pro comments here.
-- Oren
"Well, it doesn't happen all the time, but when it happens, it happens constantly."
I never heard of countersinking wallboard before. Won't that weaken the board by breaking the paper's continuity? The screw won't grip the paper that remains.
One thing that I am repeatedly reminded myself how dumb I was that I didn't do it:
Take a picture of the bare framing and wiring (all 4 walls and ceiling) before covering. It is amazing how often since I did my whole house rehab that I have needed to locate a stud and couldn't remember where the 16" spacing started or just where the wiring ran.
I rehabbed an old farm house I bought. Thought I'd save some money by drywalling it all myself. Well, I did it ... but I regret it. It was a real PITA. I thought it would be easy. It wasn't. I also made the mistake of painting the walls with a satin finish instead of flat. You can see every nail and joint. But it's too late now to do much about it. I recently sold the house and I know that it sold for a lot less because of the shoddy amateur job on the walls.
I'm not saying that it's impossible for a newbie to do a good job. But I am saying that it is very difficult to do so.
Get a pro ! And if money is a problem, go for cheaper carpets, like a Berber, to make up the difference.
Be careful of spending money and not getting the job done right. I've hired contractors and plenty of them have done a shitty job. It takes me more time to do it, but with a good book or two I can often do it better.
That's what he just said. You countersink no more than the paper can hold without breaking. You have to countersink, of course. It will "dimple" the drywall by digging into the gypsum, but not so much as to tear the paper. The paper will bend in slightly while still holding together. A drywall dimpling screw bit costs a couple bucks and will set it the right depth.
Right! I always take progress photos and make sure there are pictures of wiring, mechanical, trenches, etc. before anything gets covered up. I've had to refer to them numerous times and they are extremely helpful in showing an inspector that there's really no need to dig things up and poke holes in walls for their inspection. Just don't assume that the pictures will satisfy the inspector ahead of time. Inspectors have notoriously large toes and hate having them stepped on.
It's not really countersinking like in woodworking. It's not a separate operation. The bugle head screw creates its own recess and the paper stays intact unless the screw is driven too deep.
Same difference....I agree with you Bob. I always think of counter sinking nails because a nail is going to stop flush (theoretically) and you have to do some extra work to get it below the flush line. There is a term for that extra work you have to perform but I can't remember it right now. Screws do it automatically.
Oh yea....that extra work is called "counter sinking".....gotcha.
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