Learning how to dry wall is very easy once you get started. You first have to find out how much material you need by measuring the room. Then you can get someone to show you or you can experiment on your own. Just keep in mind that if you don’t know how to dry wall, you may have a lot of difficulty covering up the mistakes when you begin to plaster the finished wall.
The Basics
When you ask an experienced installer how to dry wall, he/she will tell you to use good drywall tools and start with the ceiling first. Make sure all the edges touch together. You may have to tap them lightly to get them in place. When the ceiling is finished then you can start at the walls. There are two methods to installing dry wall – horizontal and vertical. If the distance from the floor to the ceiling is over 8 feet then you should install the dry wall vertically. If it is less than 8 feet then you should consider installing the dry wall horizontally. If you choose the horizontal method, always do the area next to the ceiling all the way around the room first.
Learning how to dry wall also involves learning how to cut the material. A sharp utility knife will cut through the paper backing and score the material. Pressing gently along the score line will break the material the way you want. Because the dry wall material is so easy to cut, you must make sure that the cutting line is straight, so you should use a ruler or have the line already marked before you begin. Corners are easily managed with metal corners, which need to be nailed or screwed at least 5 inches apart.
Learning how to install drywall is not that difficult a process. There are two important factors to knowing how to drywall – getting your seams to match and starting with a flat wall to avoid bulges or bends. If you are renovating a basement be sure to examine whether your walls are straight – unfinished walls sometimes warp on their own and this warping can affect your drywall. The effects of warping may not show up for years, but eventually warping will cause your putty to crack and may cause bulges in your wall.
How To Drywall With Perfect Seams
Once you have a flat stud wall, it is important to get your seams to match. Although you will have to cut some sheets, your goal should always be to use the slight depressions on your sheets of drywall. These depressions make taping much easier, and can save you from having to sand endlessly to achieve a flat surface.
You can also use a laser level to mark your studs. This will ensure that your screws are in a straight line. Remember, any time you “miss” a stud with a drywall screw means more filling and sanding later on.
How To Install Drywall Tape And “Mud”
Once all your seams are straight and all your sheets are in place, it is time to tape and “mud” your drywall. This process is made easier by the availability of buckets of drywall mud. Remember to apply your mud evenly, and avoid air bubbles which will need to be filled in later.
Drywall Finishing Tips
When you are finishing and perhaps later do some drywall texturing , you have to make sure all the joins are covered. This is done with plastering tape and plaster, which you put on using special tools. This is not something that can be done in a day, as you have to let the plaster dry and then apply a wider coat. This is done at least three times and then sanded off. Be prepared to have a mess of dust to clean up.
If you thought all you had to do was nail up the dry wall and then paint, then you really didn’t know how to dry wall.