Renovation 4th Edition

by Michael Litchfield

regular drywall.

  durable and cost-effective. Mortar is the premier

   Access to work areas. Using sheets longer

  substrate for tiling, but it takes a skilled hand to

  than the basic 8 ft. reduces the number of end

  do it right.

  joints that need taping. But these jumbo 14-ft.

  Paperless drywall was developed in response to

  and 16-ft. panels are practical only if your doors

  concerns about mold. Organic matter such as

  and stairwells are large enough to admit them.

  paper or lumber is a food source for mold, so by

  Regular drywall comes in four thickness (1⁄4 in.,

  replacing paper facing with fiberglass mats,

  3⁄8 in., 1⁄2 in., and 5⁄8 in.) and in sheets 8 ft. to 16 ft. paperless drywall resists the growth of mold,

  long in 2-ft. increments. There also are 4-ft. by

  even in basements, kitchens, bathrooms, and

  9-ft. sheets. To minimize wall joints when install-

  other areas of high humidity. Although paperless

  ing drywall horizontally, regular drywall comes

  drywall can be installed with basically the same

  in 48-in. and 54-in. widths.

  tools and techniques used to install regular dry-

  The most commonly used thickness is 1⁄2 in.,

  wall, paperless panels are somewhat more fragile

  typically installed over wood or metal framing. A

  and the dust more irritating. Taping, cutting, and

  sheet that size weighs about 60 lb., still manage-

  sanding these panels is slightly different, as

  able for a strong installer working solo.

  described on p. 439.

  To increase fire resistance and deaden sound,

  Fire-resistant drywall (type X or type C) is spec-

  you can double up 1⁄2-in. panels, but that may be

  ified for furnace rooms, garages, common walls

  overkill. More often, a single layer of 5⁄8-in. dry-

  between garages and living spaces, and shared

  wall is used for that purpose. Being stiffer, 5⁄8-in.

  walls in multifamily buildings. To make type X

  panels are harder to damage, so they’re also a

  drywall panels stronger under fire conditions,

  smart idea in hallways if you’ve got kids. And

  manufacturers add glass fibers to the gypsum

  they’re less likely to sag between ceiling joists or

  core. Type X drywall is available in a thickness of

  bow between studs.

  5⁄8 in., widths of 48 in. and 54 in., and lengths up

  Renovators commonly use 1⁄4-in. and 3⁄8-in.

  to 16 ft.

  sheets to cover damaged surfaces and thereby

  Type C has greater heat-resistive qualities

  avoid the huge mess of demolishing and remov-

  because, in addition to glass fibers in its core, it

  ing old plaster. For best results with this thin dry-

  also contains vermiculite, a noncombustible

  wall, use both construction adhesive and screws

  material. Type C is available in 1⁄2-in. and 5⁄8-in.

  422 Chapter 15

  thicknesses and in the same widths and lengths

  as type X drywall. Both types of fire-resistant dry-

  wall are installed like regular drywall. To achieve

  a one-hour fire rating for single-family residences,

  most codes specify 5⁄8-in. fire-resistant drywall.

  USG Sheetrock UltraLight Panels weigh

  roughly 40 lb. for a 1⁄2-in.-thick 4x8 panel, as

  opposed to the 60 lb. for regular drywall panels

  of the same size. Less weight also means less sag,

  so you can confidently hang a 1⁄2-in. UltraLight

  panel on ceiling joists or rafters spaced 24 in.

  on center—instead of the 5⁄8-in.-thick drywall

  usually specified for ceilings. Scoring, cutting,

  attaching, and finishing these panels is the same

  as installing regular drywall except, of course,

  they’re easier to lift. For non-fire-rated uses,

  1⁄2-in. panels are available in standard widths

  and lengths to 16 ft. Fire-rated 5⁄8-in. panels also

  are available.

  Basic drywall tools. Top: drywall

  Cutting and shaping tools may be simple, but

  hammer, utility saw, and rasp.

  Other specialty panels are available. Foil-backed they must be sharp. Drywall can be cut with one Bottom, from left: 6-in. taping knife, drywall is sometimes specified in the Frost Belt

  spackling knife, utility knife, multibit

  pass of a sharp utility knife, a quick snap of the

  to radiate heat back into living spaces and prevent

  screwdriver, chalk, and chalkline box.

  panel, and a second cut to sever the paper back-

  moisture from migrating to unheated areas.

  ing, as shown in the top center photo on p. 434.

  Abuse-resistant drywall, sound-mitigating drywall Buy a lot of utility-knife blades and change them

  (see p. 448), and vinyl- and fabric-covered panels

  often; dull blades create ragged edges. Use a

  with prefinished edges are also manufactured.

  Surform® rasp to clean up cut drywall edges. The

  Blueboard is a base for single- or two-coat

  sharp point of a drywall saw enables you to

  veneer plastering and is now widely used instead

  plunge-cut in the middle of a panel without drill-

  of metal, wood, or gypsum lath. It is available in

  ing, although the edges of the cut will be rough.

  standard 4-ft.-wide panels.

  A drywall router or a laminate router with a

  Gypsum lath is specified as a substrate for tra-

  drywall bit is the pro’s tool of choice for quick,

  ditional full-thickness, three-coat plastering. Its

  clean cuts around electrical outlet boxes, ducts,

  panels are typically 16 in. by 48 in.

  and the like. With a light touch and a little prac-

  Cementitious backer board has a core of

  tice, you can use this tool to cut out boxes

  cement rather than gypsum. Used as a tile sub-

  already covered by drywall panels, as shown in

  strate, it is installed much like drywall (see chap-

  the bottom photo on p. 434. Typically, a standard

  ter 16 for details).

  1⁄8-in.-dia. drywall bit is used on boxes and ducts,

  whereas a 1⁄4-in. drywall bit is used to trim excess

  TOOlS

  drywall around windows and doors. Note: The

  You can install drywall with common carpentry

  larger bit creates an exponentially greater

  tools—framing square, hammer, tape measure,

  amount of dust.

  and utility knife. Still, a few specialized, moder-

  ately priced tools will make the job go faster

  and look better. If you’ve got high ceilings, rent

  scaffolding.

  Stilted PeRFORMAnCeS

  Layout tools include a 25-ft. tape measure,

  for taping and sanding, some pros swear by

  which will extend 8 ft. to 10 ft. without buckling;

  stilts, but they’re awkward and ill advised for

  a 4-ft. aluminum T-square for marking and cut-

  ting panels; a chalkline for marking cutlines lon-

  amateurs. already off-balance from working over

  ger than 4 ft.; a compass or a scriber to transfer

  your head, you could easily fall backward and

  out-of-plu
mb wall readings to intersecting pan-

  injure yourself. for that reason, stilts are

  els; and a 2-ft. framing square to transfer the

  banned by many state regulatory agencies and

  locations of outlet boxes, ducts, and such onto

  excluded from workers’ insurance coverage.

  the panels.

  Finish Surfaces

  423

  For 8-ft. to 9-ft.

  ceilings, benches

  can support

  platform planks

  and enable

  workers to raise

  and attach

  The VAniShinG Nail

  panels easily.

  drywall screws can be installed faster than dry-

  wall nails. they also hold better and are less

  likely to damage a panel’s paper facing. ring-

  shank nails are often used to tack up panels, but

  screws take over from there. besides, screws are

  quiet and nonconcussive, so installers are less

  likely to disturb finish surfaces, tottering vases,

  or feisty next-door neighbors.

  Adjustable drywall benches should enable you

  to reach 8-ft. or 9-ft. ceilings easily. Alternately,

  you can lay planks across sturdy wooden

  sawhorses.

  Ultimately, renting a drywall lift and/or scaf-

  Alternately, you can use a utility saw to cut out folding is the safest way to go, especially if ceil-

  the waste portion of a drywall panel that you’ve

  ings are higher than 10 ft. If there’s no danger of

  run long into a doorway or window opening.

  falling off your work platform, you can focus on

  attaching drywall. Scaffolding is also indispens-

  Lifting tools will help get drywall panels up into able during the taping and sanding stages.

  place so they can be attached. Two lifting tools

  can be handmade: A panel lifter inserted under

  Attachment tools are typically a corded screw

  the bottom of a panel will raise it an inch or so,

  gun or a drill with a Phillips screw bit to drive

  leaving your hands free to attach the drywall.

  drywall screws. A cordless drill is fine for dry-

  Metal panel lifters are not expensive, but 1x2

  walling a single room, but pros who have thou-

  scraps work almost as well.

  sands of screws to drive prefer corded screw

  The second homemade tool, a T-support, tem-

  guns, which have clutches and depth settings

  porarily holds a panel against ceiling joists while

  that set the screw heads perfectly—just below the

  you attach it. Cut a 2x4 T-support about 1⁄2 in.

  surface. That may change, however, as cordless

  longer than the finished ceiling height so you can drivers continue to improve battery life and add

  wedge it firmly against the panel. Or you can rent useful features. The Senco® DuraSpin® shown on

  an adjustable stiff arm, a metal version of a 2x4

  the facing page uses collated fastener strips that

  T-support.

  contain enough screws to install a panel.

  A panel lifter leaves your hands free

  to attach the drywall panel.

  Drywall router (bottom) and screw gun.

  424 Chapter 15

  A mud pan holds enough joint

  compound to cover hundreds

  of screw holes or several long

  panel joints.

  This Senco DuraSpin 14.4v driver employs a clutch to

  prevent overdriving screws, as well as a collated strip of

  fasteners that frees up one hand to hold a drywall panel

  in place.

  Pros also use a drywall hammer for incidental blades 10 in. to 24 in. wide; a 12-in.-wide knife

  P R O T I P

  nailing. A standard carpenter’s hammer will do

  will suffice for most jobs. Trowels have a handle

  almost as well, but the convex head of a drywall

  roughly parallel to the blade and a slightly curved

  New taping knives and trowels

  hammer is less likely to damage the paper facing

  blade that “crowns” the compound slightly.

  may have burrs or sharp corners

  of a panel.

  Trowel blades run 8 in. to 14 in. long.

  that can tear the drywall’s paper

  A caulking gun also is an essential tool. More

  Applying “mud” (joint compound) takes

  facing. Before you use a new

  and more, drywall installers are using construc-

  finesse, so most pros use a mud pan or a hawk to

  tool, sand the edges and corners

  tion adhesive to attach drywall panels—whether

  hold enough mud to tape several joints. As they

  lightly with very fine emery

  to decrease the number of screws they need, to

  work, drywallers are constantly in motion: scoop-

  paper. Rinse these tools repeat-

  improve sound attenuation, or anytime it’s neces-

  ing mud, centering it on the knife blade, scraping

  edly with warm water as you

  sary to install a double layer of drywall.

  off the excess, and returning it to the pan or onto

  work, dry them when you’re

  the hawk.

  done, and store them apart from

  Taping and finishing tools are used to apply

  Corner knives enable you to apply mud to both

  heavy tools so their blades won’t

  joint compound to the seams between panels.

  sides of an inside corner simultaneously. To fin-

  get nicked.

  The workhorse of taping is the 6-in. taping knife,

  ish outside corners (those that project into a

  perfect for filling screw holes, spreading a first

  room) consider making your own tool. Boil a

  layer of joint compound, and bedding tape.

  plastic flat knife, and once it’s soft, bend it into

  To apply the successively wider and thinner

  the shape you need, as shown in the photo below.

  second and third coats of joint compound, you’ll

  For high-volume jobs, you can rent taping

  need wider taping knives or curved trowels.

  tools that dispense tape and compound simulta-

  Taping knives typically have straight handles and neously. See “Mechanical Taping Tools” on p. 439

  for more information.

  Wet

  Left: a home-

  -SAnDinG

  bent knife for

  shaping outside

  using a large sponge to wet-sand drywall joints

  corners. Right:

  an inside-corner

  will definitely reduce dust, but wet-sanding

  knife.

  isn’t feasible for a project of any size because

  you must rinse the sponge and change the water

  continually. also wet-sanding soaks the paper

  facing, sometimes dislodges the tape, and tends

  to round joint compound edges rather than taper

  them. that said, if you’re drywalling a small

  room and don’t like moving the furniture out of

  the room, wet-sanding is a cleaner way to go.

  Finish Surfaces

  425

  A dust-free sander attached to a shop

  vacuum cuts dust dramatically, but in

  unskilled hands it will oversand soft

  topping coats.

  Sponges and a pail of water will keep tools

  A shop vacuum with a fine dust filter is a must;

  clea
n as you go. Even tiny chunks of dried com-

  vacuum at each break so you don’t track dust all

  pound will drag and ruin freshly applied layers,

  over the house. Dust-free sanding attachments

  so rinse tools and change water often. A perfectly are available for shop vacuums (as shown in the

  P R O T I P

  clean 5-gal. joint compound container is a great

  photo above). Although they virtually eliminate

  rinse bucket. Use a second one to store and trans- dust, they’ll sand through soft topping coats and

  Tape dispensers hold paper or

  port delicate trowels and knives.

  expose the joint tape in a flash if you’re not care-

  mesh tape and clip to your belt,

  ful. For best results, run them at low speed set-

  so your tape is always ready to

  Sanding equipment starts with special black

  tings and use 220-grit sandpaper.

  roll. Bigger dispensers hold a

  carbide-grit sandpaper, which resists clogging; it

  Finally, tape up sheet plastic in doorways to

  500-ft. roll.

  comes precut to fit the rubber-faced pads

  isolate the rooms you’re sanding, especially if

  attached to poles and hand sanders. Sandpaper

  people are living in the house. Painter’s tape will

  grit ranges from 80 (coarse) to 220 (fine); 120-grit do the least damage to trim finishes and paint.

  paper is good to start sanding with. Finish-sand

  with 220 grit or a rigid dry-sanding sponge (a spe-

  cial sponge that is never wetted).

  A sanding pole with a pivoting head enables

  you to sand higher—8-ft. ceilings are a snap—

  and with less fatigue because you use your whole

  upper body.

  Sanding joint compound generates a prodi-

  gious amount of dust, so buy a package of good-

  quality paper dust masks that fit your face tightly;

  they’re inexpensive enough to throw out after

  each sanding session. If you’re sanding over your

  head, lightweight goggles and a cheap painter’s

  hat will minimize dust in your eyes and hair. If

  you’re working with paperless drywall, which has

  fiberglass mats instead of paper facing, a dust

  mask is essential, as are a long-sleeved shirt, gog-

  Adjust your screw gun so that it dimples the surface of the

  gles, and work gloves—fiberglass dust itches.

  drywall but does not tear the paper facing.

  426 Chapter 15

  Drywall Fasteners

  drywall

  minimum fastener

  attaching to...