I picked up the wrong size drywall at the store, it wasn't a big deal since I was just trying to get a remnant so I could patch holes in my wall. It was like 2 bucks for a 3/4 sheet.
But anyway I happened to get 3/8" drywall. What size is typically used where? My bedrooms are 1/2" drywall, my basement looks to be 5/8", as does my garage. So where would 3/8" typically be used?
3/8" is used where cost is the major concern or where you are matching that thickness. Mobile homes and manufactured homes come to mind.
3/8" is used where cost is the major concern or where you are matching that thickness. Mobile homes and manufactured homes come to mind.
Well that sucks. Maybe I'll toss it up on the wall of my unfinished basement until I can figure out what I want to do down there.
Well, I've got a problem... Speaking of Drywall. I tried to remove the overhead fan in the bathroom, and although I knew the hole would have to be enlarged to replace it, in the process of pulling the fan down from the ceiling, I tore a rather large hole in the sheetrock.
After repairing my mess, I will need a square hole 7-1/4 X 7-1/4 (once I¹m done) and can place the new fan into that opening. The opening now is torn sheetrock and larger than my required dimension.... Approx 10² X 8² or so ... ....
The job is overhead, I¹m not very experienced with sheetrock repair, and especially not with repairing a hole with a hole (square) left in it ...
HELP Guys ....
I¹ve got a contract to sell the house, and this is an action item on the inspection list.
Any help would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks
Jack Lenexa, Kansas 66215
In most cases, 5/8" is needed for fire codes. I used the 3/8" in my detached garage since it did not have to meet any code and it was lighter for me to handle by myself.
It may be allowed on some partition half walls that do not act as fire barriers, but don't take my word on that.
Interior walls = 1/2" Exterior walls and ceilings = 5/8" Radius walls and other curved applications require 2 layers of either 1/4" or 3/8" or a combination of the two.
3/8" is also used to overlay a layer of sheetrock that has been damaged, or has a texture that is difficult to remove. It has other uses, but these are the basics.
Nowhere. Do yourself the favor and write off the $2 to experience.
-or-
Spend some extra time and effort to shim out the area to be patched
1/8" so the surfaces align. R3/8" might be used where the wall needs to be curved, or some other area that is decorative and doesn't need strength. But since it can't be "lined up" with other width drywall, it's usually not worth it if the only reason is to save money or weight.
Of course. That's why they manufactur it. (The morons always come out of the woodwork, somehow.)
In the course of normal construction 3/8" drywall is very seldom used.
As an experienced DIY & structural researcher I have used many units of
1/2 & 5/8 drywall.In 35 years I have bought 2 sheets of 3/8; used one, tossed one.
Unless you need to drywall a curved surface or cover a really messed up ceiling 3/8 isn't much use.
For wall or ceiling drywall over framing 3/8 is too thin. For repair of some plaster walls (~7/8") 1/2 & 3/8 together might be a pretty good solution.
But for everyday work the 3/8 usually stays at the lumber yard......that's why my second sheet was tossed.....kept it long enough that is become unusable.
cheers Bob
In other words, not "nowhere".
Semantics. I'm not in the habit of qualifying everything I say to cover every possible situation, but in this case the term nowhere was only a small stretch from fact. The drywall manufacturer's make it and sell it, so it is being used, but for the life of me I don't recall ever seeing anyone use it. There's little point.
3/8" is the bastard son of drywall. If you're doing residential curved surfaces either wetting 1/2" or using two layers of 1/4" work the best and doen't require futzing to make the curved sheet surfaces align with the adjoining 1/2" board. 3/8" creates more problems then it solves and is invariably used by a DIYer who is trying to save money (like it really saves any appreciable amount of money). R
It's a good choice for a second layer over a normal ceiling when you're trying for a bit of noise reduction.
An inefficient way of trying to achieve noise reduction. Either suspend something stiffer like 1/2" drywall on resilient channel or use a sound deadening board covered with thicker drywall that won't sag.
Unless you're willing to live with the 3/8" sagging or willing to put in double the amount of screws - assuming it's a plaster on lath ceiling - it's a poor choice for a ceiling. Or you could use joint compound to glue it to the ceiling, but if you're going to glue it 1/4" is fine still cheaper and lighter than the 3/8".
3/8" drywall is still a bastard son of quality construction. 3/8" drywall has far more drawbacks than the meager cost and weight savings are worth. R
Are you sure it's 3/8" drywall? Sheets of drywall are beveled down the edges of the long dimension. That may not be the case on your specialty piece, but take a look at one of the short sides and measure the thickness in the middle. You may have 1/2". Then again, you may not.
Depending on the size of the holes you are trying to patch, you can either shim the piece you're patching with, or make up the difference with mud. Or both.
I saw 2' X 2' square pieces of 1/2" at Home Depot the other day. They were only $2 cheaper than full sheets.
While it is a ridiculous price compared to a full sheet, when you only need a small piece for a patch, it is easier to handle and fit into the family Econobox for hte trip home.
If I'm buying a piece just for patching and I'm using a vehicle that doesn't have a lot of room, I'll cut the sheet down to a more manageable size that doesn't compromise the sizes of the patches I'll need. That way I can easily fit it into any vehicle.
After repairing my mess, I will need a square hole 7-1/4 X 7-1/4 (once I'm done) and can place the new fan into that opening. The opening now is torn sheetrock and larger than my required dimension.... Approx 10" X 8" or so ... ....
The job is overhead, I'm not very experienced with sheetrock repair, and especially not with repairing a hole with a hole (square) left in it ...
HELP Guys ....
I've got a contract to sell the house, and this is an action item on the inspection list.
Any help would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks \\\\
screw some wood on opposite edges of the hole to screw your patch into. You can use scraps of plywood or 1x3 (I like at least 3" wide to geve me plenty of room to screw into). Then take your time and mud and tape the joints. You are better off using many thin coats of mud and slowly level it out than to try to do it all in only 2 or 3 coats, expecially being inexperienced.
Mike D.
For that I usually go to the damaged drywall stack and get a 4x4 square.
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