Many do-it-yourselfers learn hanging drywall.
While some special tools and skills are required,
it is not difficult to learn how to mount drywall.
A great place to learn about drywall is
in the basement or in the garage. Often basements
are unfinished and most garages are not finished
with interior walls. The do-it-yourselfer will
want to learn the basics and the rest is practice
and experience. To learn the basics, most home
improvement stores and a number of websites have
books and information available on drywalling.
Learning all working aplications on drywall is easiest when
you have someone to teach you. For many do-it-yourselfers,
that is not always possible. Fortunately, there
are a number of other sources. There are books,
magazines and pamphlets that give you a great
deal of good information. There are also a number
of home improvement shows on TV that periodically
have programs that explain working properly with drywall.
Another good source of information about drywall is the Internet. There is a wealth
of information available on the various websites.
There are a few basic tools and supplies that
you will need when you learn using drywall.
These include a hammer, screwdriver, drywall
mud pans, a T square, drywall saw or knife, trowels
and floats. These tools are relatively inexpensive
and can be used again on future projects.
In addition to the drywall, the supplies you
will need include the drywall mud, drywall nails
or drywall screws, joint tape and metal corner
beads for both inside and outside corners.
There are a few basic rules for learning working with drywall. Always begin drywall hanging
from the top of the wall and work down. Always
hang drywall of ceilings before walls so the
drywall sheets on the walls can help support
the ceiling sheets. Set the drywall nails or
screws just below the surface of the sheet to
allow room for the mud to fill. It is much easier
to work with two people because sheets of drywall
are heavy and bulky. Make sure you get the corners
right, and whenever possible put the factory
edges together and finally, allow plenty of time
for the mud to dry before sanding smooth the
joints and corners. This will usually require
12 - 24 hours.
Learning drywalling is a great do-it-yourselfer
project. It is not difficult to learn and with
practice you can easily pick up the skills to
do a professional looking job. You will have
learned a valuable skill that can save you a
lot of money when you learn how to work with drywall.
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