A Sweet 16-step guide for installing your next drywall
Whether you’re adding an extension or constructing a new drywall, these supplies are an absolute must.
Besides the Drywall Panels, you need other accessories.
- Drywall Sanding Screen,
- Drywall Corner Bead,
- Joint Compound,
- Spray Textures,
- Drywall Tape,
- Screws,
- Shims,
When building your wall, drywall panels are typically screwed directly to wood studs.
- Please space the screws 16 inches apart on walls, and 12 inches apart on ceilings. Moreover, the screws should be placed at least three-eighths of an inch from the panel edge.
- Kindly use a screw gun with a clutch or an impact driver to drive the screw head into the drywall. Also, please make sure to not let it tear through the paper facing.
- To achieve a professional-looking result, use a drywall dimpler to fix the screws. If the corners of the drywall meet, please make sure they are in the middle of a stud.
- The butt joint is the joint between two adjacent sheets of drywall that have the same thickness. To ensure they fit, kindly cut one sheet to the correct length.
- Whenever you’re cutting drywall, use a straightedge tool, such as a drywall square, to guide the knife’s blade. Please bend the drywall away from the cut surface so that it breaks off by cutting straight across the white face paper surface.
- Besides, sanding blocks or drywall rasps can help ensure a smooth cut edge too. Incidentally, both horizontal and vertical installations are possible for panels. A horizontal application, however, will result in the strongest wall.
- To hide the seams and screws of the panels, please apply drywall tape with a joint compound. Please use a paint mixer or a drill to mix the compound before applying. The most important thing is to mix it well until it is smooth and about the consistency of toothpaste. Only if necessary, add a little water to adjust the consistency.
- Using a six-inch taping knife, spread the joint compound in a mud pan. Please apply an eighth of an inch thick bed layer to smooth out the joint. At this point, the joint is then taped and embedded with paper tape.
- Tightly embed the tape by drawing the knife along the joint. Under the tape, please apply enough joint compound to prevent blistering. Next, cover the embedded tape with a thin layer of compound, cleaning any excess compound off the edges.
- You should wait 24 hours at least, before applying the first two finish coats. Kindly scrape off any bumps or ridges with the knife, again being careful not to damage the paper.
- Please apply a second coat of the joint compound at a flatter angle using an eight-inch taping knife. For a smooth, even layer, feather the top and bottom edges of the seam and kindly let it dry.
- Please use a 12-inch taping knife to apply the final finish coat. It is especially important to apply only a thin layer. Now feather a couple of inches beyond the final coat in the top and bottom corners. Generally, a well-done job will only need light sanding.
- To sand, use a fine-grit sanding screen, and please avoid scuffing the gypsum panel paper. Markedly, bowl sanders are useful for sanding walls and ceilings. Also, if you have to sand the wall extensively, you have applied too much mud. Please refrain from applying excess mud.
- Similarly, apply joint compound to drywall and press an inside corner bead into it. For embedding, run your tape knife along the corners of the inside edges. When finishing an outside corner, take care to spread the joint compound a bit wider than the area to be covered.
- After applying the compound, please press the paper face bead into place. To press the paper into the compound, run a knife over the bead. Please apply a thin coat of compound over the corner bead.
