If you have ever taken the time to watch a skilled tradesman hang drywall, you marvel at how fast and easy it seems to be for them. I have seen friends in the trade use nothing more than a tape measure and a utility knife to make all the necessary cuts and cut-outs. For the average homeowner who may want to save a few bucks on a home construction project by doing it himself or with a helper, hanging Drywall Quote can be very intimidating, especially if you have never done it before. There is real physical labor involved here, especially if you are by yourself. I just remodeled my own bathroom recently which wasn’t bad since it was only 8 feet x 8 feet. What about a larger room such as a new family room in the basement? I have good news for you. It can be done by yourself or with a helper with a little patience and instruction.
The goal of this article is to help those who may be just starting out or who are a novice. It will cover the basics of drywalling. The experienced veterans and tradesman have their own way of doing things and have developed their own techniques, shortcuts and trade secrets. If you are just starting out, I would suggest buying an extra sheet or two of drywall when estimating your job. You will make mistakes and there is no better teacher than experience. If you have a friend who is skilled at drywall, I suggest you by him a case of his favorite beer and have him come over and give you some pointers as you work.
Lets start out by looking at what tools and supplies you will need to complete your job. First thing on the list is the drywall. we need to understand that with drywalling, there is a certain amount of waist involved. We always want to use the largest pieces possible to create the least amount of seams. The less seams there are to tape and spackle the better off you will be and the smoother your walls will look. For instance, if I am building a 10 feet x 10 foott room in my basement, if at all possible I want to purchase 12 foot drywall boards. Sure you lose two feet to waist but imagine how many more seams there would be if you used 8 foot boards. Next we need a good cordless drill/driver along with at least 2 or 3 batteries. I also like to have two chargers so I always have one battery charging and one battery at full charge. My personal preference is an 18 volt cordless drill. Some people prefer 14.4 volt for this project. I have found that a good 18 volt variable speed cordless drill can take care of just about any job around the house, big or small. You can find anything you need in regards to a cordless drill at justcordlessdrills.com. A good supply of magnetic screw gun bits are needed also. With 1/2″ sheetrock, I like to use 1 1/2 or 1 5/8 sheetrock screws. I also like to glue my boards to the studs, especially the ceiling so a couple of tubes of adhesive such as Liquid Nails and a caulking gun is needed. For the beginner, invest in a 4 foot sheetrock square. This tool will prove invaluable in making your cut-outs for electrical boxes, exhaust fans, etc. Other items that you will need are a tape measure, a utility knife, some carpenter’s pencils, a hand held drywall saw, a ladder that will be long enough to get you to the ceiling and if you can get one, rent one, or borrow one: a sheetrock lift or jack. This tool is not necessary but will make your job so much easier when doing ceilings. It is especially useful and almost essential if you are alone and have a high ceiling. The last thing that you need to make you job easier is a good set of saw horses to lay you drywall boards on when measuring and making cuts.
