Installing Drywall-All By Yourself!

Since its development, drywall has been used in almost all types of homes. Its ease of use has made it more economical than walls made with the use of mortar. From new homeowners to those who just want to fix their walls, drywalls have proven to be very useful in many cases.

Installing a drywall is very easy, so easy that you don’t need a professional contractor just to do it. It can be done by almost anyone with the right tools and equipment. Put in some willingness and dedication and voila! You can have the most beautiful wall that you want.

Installing a drywall starts with preparing the tools, machines and other materials that you will need for the job. You will need Wallboards, T-Squares, a Keyhole Saw /Circle Cutter, a Crow-head Hammer/ Drywall Hammer, Reinforcing Tapes, Joint Compounds, Screws and Nails, an Electric or Manual Screwdriver, Adhesives, Sandpaper Block, Steel Rule, Sandpaper with about 80-100 grit, an 8″-10″ Drywall Knife, Trowel, and a 4″ or 6”Joint Knife.

Make a sketch or diagram of the wall or ceiling areas to be covered. Make all the necessary measurements and transfer all your findings on paper. This way you can already avoid some errors and make necessary corrections. Determine the kind of wallboard that you will use. There are many kinds water and fire resistant boards as well as sound proofed wallboards. There is almost anything suited for your needs.

Next step in installing drywalls is the cutting of the boards. Mark the boards with a marker. With a sharp drywall knife, make a cut along the markings. Make sure that you cut through the paper first before the inner core. Afterwards, the board will easily snap apart on the cut lines. As for circular holes, cut using a keyhole saw. Make sure that it is of the right size and of the right location or else you will do some repairs on the board even before you have installed.

After the boards are measured and cut, you will secure these on the wall joints. When installing drywalls make sure you always start on the ceilings before working on the walls. Nail or screw the boards in place. Make sure that the boards don’t overlap each other. In ceilings, make sure that the boards are perpendicular or in right angles to the joints. As much as possible use double nails to avoid the boards falling in the future. Many injuries always result from falling boards. In walls, you can either install drywalls vertically or horizontally. Either way it is a good idea to start with the top boards first.

After the boards are securely in place, the next part in installing drywalls is the application of joint compounds on all joints and nail heads. These will hide the seams and will make the wall look like one whole piece. Apply an initial coat then let it dry before applying two or more coats.

The last step in installing drywalls would be the application of finishing touches to the drywall. This involves sanding it until it’s smooth as possible. Afterwards wipe the wall with a rag to remove all traces of dust and to prepare it for priming and paint.
What you see now before you is a drywall that can be compared to the work of any professional. The best thing about it is that you did it all by yourself. It goes to show that installing a drywall is really easy and is something any aspiring homeowner can do.