Drywall Nails

[Howard]

Looking to find the code requirement for 5/8" firecode drywall in a garage. How long do the nails need to be and what spacing for a ceiling? TIA

[RicodJour]

I don't use nails as they're more prone to popping and they don't hold as well as screws.

Generally 1 1/4" screws, mimimum, are used with 1/2" drywall, and 1

5/8" screws with 5/8" board. I'd space the fasteners 8" on center, thought the books will tell you 12". Here's a good basic site: If you want the definitive answer on drywall, visit the USG web site and check out their online drywall handbook. More information than you'll ever need. R

[3G]

that's funny the plasterers I hired used nails to tack the sheets and then screwed it off with fine thread drywall screws. they also used nails to install all the corner bead. no popped nails yet.

also 1 1/4" screws for 1/2" drywall is correct unless it is over a pocket door which would require 1" screws.

[beerguzzler50]

Give it time. 5 years after my house was finished using drywall nails every room has numerous pops.

[RicodJour]

I see. You're extrapolating your one experience into a universal recommendation? I'll trade you one of my similar experiences and address your other points.

I require drywall screws on all projects and have for years. I specify the screw lengths - not too long and not too short as both cause problems. About fifteen years ago I ripped off an existing roof over an existing kitchen addition while remodeling for an excellent customer and replaced it with a cathedral-framed roof. The drywall subs used nails to tack up the edges of the drywall ceiling board and used screws in the field. It was the first time I'd used the sub and I raised a ruckus about the nails. They switched to all screws after the first few boards. The sub thought I was overreacting and gave the usual, "We've never had any problems using nails." About three years later, after the wood framing had finished most of its shrinking, I had to replace those nails. Not a single screw popped and nearly all of the nails popped.

I don't usually experiment with such mixed installations for curiosity's sake, but the nails were already in and I _was_ curious. That fifty cents of nails cost me about $200 to repair as I ended up having to repaint the ceiling.

The OP was also asking about drywall, not plaster. Plaster is a lot harder and stronger than drywall joint compound. It is less likely to have nail pops in plaster. Corner beads have a lot of material covering the fasteners, so unless the bead takes an impact, there are far fewer pops on the beads. Older, seasoned framing has already shrunk and is less likely to pop nails than new wood framing. Screws hold better and fewer screws are required. The only penalty with screws is that they are slightly more expensive slower to install - usually. The difference in price isn't worth mentioning unless you are literally counting pennies and place no value on your labor.

I use autofeed drywall guns and they are faster than nails and you have one hand free to hold the board. Never underestimate the value of a free hand. The reason your plasterer used nails to tack up the board is because they didn't have an autofeed screw gun. If they did, they would have used it to tack up the boards. I'm also a little surprised that your plasterer used fine thread screws. The coarse thread screws are preferable for wood framing and are driven faster.

R

[Edwin Pawlowski]

But that is no guarantee that they won't over time. Or that they will. Depends on many factors, such as the quality and dryness of the studs, how the nails were set and finished. Some never pop, but I've seen rooms with

10 or more that have. There is a reason the industry went to screws, they just hold better and lessen the possibility of trouble later.

You can't extrapolate your good experience that none will ever pop anywhere.

[3G]

"RicodJour" wrote in message news: [e-mail]... | On Mar 15, 7:08 am, "3G" wrote: | > "RicodJour" wrote in message | >

| > news: [e-mail]... | > | On Mar 14, 8:34 pm, "Howard" wrote: | > | > Looking to find the code requirement for 5/8" firecode drywall in a | > | > garage. How long do the nails need to be and what spacing for a | > | > ceiling? TIA | > | | > | I don't use nails as they're more prone to popping and they don't hold | > | as well as screws. | > | | > | Generally 1 1/4" screws, mimimum, are used with 1/2" drywall, and

1 | > | 5/8" screws with 5/8" board. I'd space the fasteners 8" on center, | > | thought the books will tell you 12". Here's a good basic site: | > || > | | > | If you want the definitive answer on drywall, visit the USG web site | > | and check out their online drywall handbook. More information than | > | you'll ever need. | > | | >

| > that's funny | > the plasterers I hired used nails to tack the sheets and then screwed it | > off with fine thread drywall screws. | > they also used nails to install all the corner bead. | > no popped nails yet. | | I see. You're extrapolating your one experience into a universal | recommendation? I'll trade you one of my similar experiences and | address your other points. | | I require drywall screws on all projects and have for years. I | specify the screw lengths - not too long and not too short as both | cause problems. About fifteen years ago I ripped off an existing roof | over an existing kitchen addition while remodeling for an excellent | customer and replaced it with a cathedral-framed roof. The drywall | subs used nails to tack up the edges of the drywall ceiling board and | used screws in the field. It was the first time I'd used the sub and | I raised a ruckus about the nails. They switched to all screws after | the first few boards. The sub thought I was overreacting and gave the | usual, "We've never had any problems using nails." About three years | later, after the wood framing had finished most of its shrinking, I | had to replace those nails. Not a single screw popped and nearly all | of the nails popped. | | I don't usually experiment with such mixed installations for | curiosity's sake, but the nails were already in and I _was_ curious. | That fifty cents of nails cost me about $200 to repair as I ended up | having to repaint the ceiling. | | The OP was also asking about drywall, not plaster. Plaster is a lot | harder and stronger than drywall joint compound. It is less likely to | have nail pops in plaster. Corner beads have a lot of material | covering the fasteners, so unless the bead takes an impact, there are | far fewer pops on the beads. Older, seasoned framing has already | shrunk and is less likely to pop nails than new wood framing. Screws | hold better and fewer screws are required. The only penalty with | screws is that they are slightly more expensive slower to install - | usually. The difference in price isn't worth mentioning unless you are | literally counting pennies and place no value on your labor. | | I use autofeed drywall guns and they are faster than nails and you | have one hand free to hold the board. Never underestimate the value | of a free hand. The reason your plasterer used nails to tack up the | board is because they didn't have an autofeed screw gun. If they did, | they would have used it to tack up the boards. I'm also a little | surprised that your plasterer used fine thread screws. The coarse | thread screws are preferable for wood framing and are driven faster. | | R

reason for fine thread drywall screws. the blueboard was installed on metal studs they also used drywall liquid nail.

question does your plasterer put mesh tape on the metal corners where the joint is to the wall? mine did and always does.