What should I use for a ceiling? FAQ

Thanks. No evidence of them. No evidence of water damage. See some other reply, possibly not yet posted, for my thoughts on why it fell down.

Yah, 1/2" sheet rock, taped and 2 coats drywall compound required here.

Might even be 5/8" sheetrock in a multi-unit dwelling?

Have you ever lifted a 5-gallon bottle of water (like for the office water cooler)? That's about 40 pounds.

I can't remember ever doing that. I have lifted various weights, of course, but I have a terrible memory for numbers. Even if I knew it was,

A good example - the office water cooler bottle ! But the true test is carrying it up a flight of stairs .. - not the compact water bottle with a nice handle - but rather the big and awkward many sheets < or even half-sheets > of drywall .. .. not a job for this olde guy. Good luck Micky John T.

These things are handy:

I had a couple of ceilings overboarded recently. One of the plasterers did it alone and without a lift by cutting the boards into maybe 6 panels, and screwing each in place one by one. Looked like a patchwork quilt - until he skimmed over it. Seemed to work well and took less than a day for a room.

When I first got here, before I put in my new basement workbench (a sold door), I added 2 4x8 sheets to what the previous owner had done to the laundry room. I have a vague memory of, later on, buying one of these, but I haven't seen it in 20 years or more, so maybe I just thought about buying one.

Right, I don't think it would help me much at the stairway. Just have to drag it, leaving gypsum abrasions behind.

That's right. You rmeind me that I cut mine at the height where the work bench would be so that the seam wasn't visible. That won't work for a ceiling. More to tape and mud, and not at real edges which are recessed to make room for the mud.

That's an encouraging thought.

My mother once hired a blind painter to paint the inside of some of all of our house. She took off the wall plates herself in advance and put them back on after he left. He was gone each day by the time I got home from school, so I never met him, but I think he wasn't totally blind.

A thing to bear in mind is that in the UK at least we don't tend to drywall (IIUC tape and paste over each join), although I gather it's catching on in new builds. We're more likely to get a plasterer in, who skims the entire surface with a thin coat, maybe 1/4", of plaster.

It's highly skilled, and very hard on the body - I don't think plasterers have a long career. One guy, probably mid-late 30s, I used had to inject himself every hour for the pain, and to stop the muscles seizing (so he told me, anyway).

The advantage of drywall/tape/paste is it's relatively low skill. Even I can do it. Sort of :-)

Forgot to say that I didn't do any taping or mudding. It was a basement laundry room after all. I don't know what I would have done if it were my bedroom.

When installing ceiling drywall I like a bead of accoustic cement (adheisive) down each joist or each joist-line on the panel which will be the PRIMARY panel retention device. The screws hold it in place until the adhesive sets. Really good when doing 2 layer work where the first heavy layer can go up in smaller sheats, with the thin finish layer being full sheet (sometimes 12 foot) glued to the first layer and screwed every 16 inches on 16 inch centers. A WHOLE LOT less taping and mudding and sanding

are cheaper to buy it on sale ( $200) and take your time then list it on craigslist or whatever when you are done (either sell it, or if you have room to store it, rent it out to someone who isn't as smart as you - - - -

Where 5/8 is required a lot of guys are going 1/2 in small panels with 3/8 large panels glued over - overkill for code and sound reduction and less taping/mussing/ sanding

I'm pretty sure the drywall in my almost 80-year-old house is held on by nails. I don't recall doing any demo on the oldest stuff, only on drywall that was added later (and ineptly). Maybe the builder used ring-shank nails. He was building it for his own family, so he did the best job he could (considering he was a stonemason and not a carpenter).

A real alternative! Very light, easy to do myself!

Industry-leading ½” thick panel, combined with unique webbed inner truss design, provides outstanding strength and rigidity that supports attic insulation loads. (The rock wool weighed more than the fiberglass, I think, but there will be no more rock wool!)

Meets FDA & USDA (US) and CFIA (Canada) requirements for walls and ceilings for commercial kitchens and food prep areas. (Does that imply it's okay for bedrooms too?)

FDA-approved panels are warrantied to never mold, rot or absorb moisture.

LONG-LASTING Building and business owners love the fact that Duramax PVC panels will pass inspection now and years from now.

Haven't found Kodiak brand for sale yet, but Duramax 16" x 8' costs $24 a panel (call for 20'), but if I used 8' I would need about 30, $720.

Whatever I use, there is no point in doing part of the ceiling. The warm air will just escape through the part that is open.

Are these really $82.98, Canadian, per 4x8' sheet? And 20 pounds

Here's a 3rd choice one of my searches came up with; DIY Stretch Ceiling Room - Easy Install Suspended Ceiling Grid with Grey Glossy PVC Stretch Ceiling - Drop Ceiling System, Ceiling Panel (Kit #71 for Rooms up to 11'10'' * 19'9'')

Unfortunately, the biggest one they have is not quite as big as my room. I don't know who would want this except for someone like me. The video is good, but shows them installing it just to put spotlights in. I think they are bluffing and it's really meant for someone like me.

In fact, my first idea was a tarp, like Tarp Cover White Heavy Duty 16X20 Thick Material, Waterproof, Great for Tarpaulin Canopy Tent, Boat, RV Or Pool Cover (16X20 Heavy Duty Poly Tarp White)

Lots of folks are using tarps for shelter these days .. .. unfortunately .. ... good luck with that, Micky. Recent - 20 temps + wind chill had me thinking about those homeless folks .. Merry Friggin' Xmas .. John T.

Does it meet fire code?

I suppose if you're out in the middle of nowhere, prolly no one gives a s*it. If in a multi-dwelling, now they care.

And then there's the insurance company. Seems they are always looking for reasons to deny claims.

FWIW, if you live in a blue state and hire illegals, the building permit and contractor insurance requirements are prolly waived.

They don't need ID to vote either.

Evidence?