Drywall Installation: Do You Have the Tools and the Elbow Grease?

So, you’re a real do-it-yourselfer, huh? A big fan of the HGTV Monday night line-up? Perhaps you write to Extreme Home Makeover’s Ty Pennington on a daily basis, letting him know that you, too, like to tear down walls. And not in the metaphorical sense, but literally. If you see yourself in any three of those characterizations, then maybe you’ll fancy the idea of bypassing a contractor when it comes to installing drywall in your home. Well luckily for you, drywall installation is pretty straightforward, though it does require the necessary tools and some much needed patience. If you already have random tools lying around your house like dimplers and T-squares, then you may be in good shape. Otherwise, hiring a contractor will be a whole lot simpler.

What is it?

Drywall, which has more pseudonyms than Puff Daddy (among them gypsum board, wallboard, plasterboard, Sheetrock, Gibraltar board, and if you’re in a hurry, just “board”), is the most common source used for constructing interior walls and ceilings. Basically, drywall is comprised of gypsum plaster pressed between two thick sheets of paper, with a coarse paper on the back and a smooth paper on the finish side. You can generally find panels of drywall at any standard hardware store, or if you plan on using larger sheets, you could even try ordering from a building supply store (which is most likely where contractors get their materials).

Installing drywall consists of taking measurements (to make sure your drywall panels correctly correspond to the walls dimensions), cutting panels, screwing or nailing the panels into either the ceiling or wall joists, and then finishing the drywall by filling in and leveling any gaps or indentations made by the screws. It may not be the most difficult home makeover project, but if it’s your first time, expect the results to be decent at best.

Specialized tools are key in helping the process of drywall installation run smoothly. Naturally, professional contractors carry these types of tools, but unless you’ve personally installed drywall before, it’s unlikely that you’ll find them in your toolbox. Instruments such as a drywall hammer (with a convex head that creates a dimple around the nail head without breaking the paper), a specialized electric drywall screw gun, a set of taping knives, and ring shank nails will not only make the job easier, but will also ensure a professional-looking drywall job. If you get the feeling that you’ll be installing drywall several times in the distant future, then maybe you won’t mind buying a bunch of specialized drywall tools. Otherwise, it may be a bit of a hassle.

Who needs it?

You may be looking for drywall installation if you’re refurbishing your home or maybe if you’re trying to sell your home. Perhaps you’d like to get rid of someone’s previous bad drywall installation, most evident through small visible bumps in the wall or ceiling known as butt joints (no, I will not make a joke). Also, older homes with popcorn ceilings (which sounds delicious but is apparently outdated), also known as acoustic ceilings, may want to give their home a more modern look by hiring contractors who specialize in drywall installation and popcorn ceiling removal.

Benefits

Drywall installation is renowned for being the quickest form of interior finishing and requires significantly less manpower than older techniques. Therefore, it should be a relatively quick job for contractors (depending, of course, on how large the area they’re working on is), and possibly an easier job for the DIY crowd. Put it this way, it’s a lot easier and safer than re-wiring your house.

Risks

The process of drywall installation is not too risky, though there are some general rules that do-it-yourselfers should be aware of. First of all, drywall should not be installed in freezing conditions, as expansion can be a problem, as well as the loss of strength and adhesion of the boards.

Also, as mentioned earlier, butt joints (I have too much respect for myself to make a joke at this point) can plague those new to the drywall game, as they are sometimes unavoidable (they are basically formed when the short, un-tapered edges of two different drywall sheets meet). In general, the finishing aspect of drywall installation can be rough on do-it-yourselfers.

THE BOTTOM LINE

If you’re feeling brave, or want to prove to your wife that you’re a man, DIY drywall installation could be for you. Though without the proper tools and technique, the drywall will most likely look like it was done by an amateur, which it was. It may be in everyone’s best interest if you just call a contractor, seeing as how true professionals will be able to get the job done with the best results in the timeliest fashion. Those guys certainly know how to take care of those butt joints (which was what crack cocaine was originally called… sorry, I couldn’t help myself).