Drywall Basics

Recommended Reading: Drywall, Professional Techniques for Great Results by Myron R. Freguson

Equipment:
Measuring and Marking
25-Ft tape measure
4-Ft T-square
24-in framing square
Chalkline
Scriber

Cutting
Utility knife
Saw
Drywall router

Lifting Tools
Panel lifter
T-support or Stiff arm
Drywall lift
Step-up bench or Trestles
Scaffolding
Stilts

fastening Tools
Drywall screws
Drywall nails
Drywall screw gun
Drywall hammer

Drywall Beads

Taping Tools
Trowels
-Taping Knives
-Hawks
-Curved or Beveled Trowels
-Wide straight-handles taping knives

Joint Tape
Paper
Fiberglass mesh
Joint Compound
Drying-type (Pre-mixed or Powdered Forms)
Setting-type (Pre-mixed or Powdered Forms)

Drywall

Odds and Ends
Mixers
Sanding materials

Some Useful Hints
1. Use as few sheets of drywall as possible. Use the bigger sheets if you have to.
2. Create as few seams as possible. May be better to lay drywall horizontally instead of vertically
3. Place the butted seams as far away from the center of the room as possible.
4. Do not cut your drywall to short (creates to big of a crack) or to long (will damage the end of the drywall sheet if forced in place)
5. Put measurements and locations for outlets and switches on the floor under the actual outlet of switch.
6. Hang the drywall first, then cut out the areas for the electrical outlet and light switches. Following that screw the drywall firmly to the studs.
7. A simple way of estimating the square footage one needs in drywall sheets use this formula (sqft of house X 3.5) if the ceiling height is 8 feet or below. Replace the 3.5 with 3.82 if the wall height is 9 feet.

Useful Webpages
www.rona.ca
www.acehardware.com
www.home.howstuffworks.com
www.homedepotmoving.com
www.hgtvpro.com
www.rd.com
www.thisoldhouse.com