Yes, drywall is typically installed from the top of the wall to the bottom. First, install drywall on the ceiling as it is the most difficult drywall to install and it will dictate how the drywall on the wall will be installed.
The preference is usually to lay the sheets horizontally: that is, 8 feet across and 4 feet up and down. As with the ceiling drywall, this ensures that long edges will always have an attachment point. Professional drywall installers consider horizontal placement to be a stronger form of installation.
The standard ceiling height in most homes is 8 feet, but many homes have taller ceilings. Many installers prefer vertical placement when learning how to hang drywall since taller drywall sheets may fit exactly. Plus, they affix tightly to evenly spaced studs, so they'll stay sturdy and fight the forces of gravity.
Hang Ceiling Drywall First
Large cracks due to misaligned sheets are hard to repair because the extra mud required to fill them will constantly fall out and drop to the floor (or worse, down the back of your neck!).
Installing drywall in a standard room takes between two to three days, while drywalling an entire 2,000-square-foot home can take between three days to a week.
Always leave a 1/2-inch gap at the floor.
Keeping the joints between sheets of drywall too close is an invitation for troubles along the way. Professional drywall installers allow for ⅛-inch space between sheetrock placement, and this allows for expansion and contraction for the frame of the building, avoiding cracks and damage to the drywall.
One key difference between the two is that sheetrock is a brand name of drywall made by the United States Gypsum Corporation. Another difference lies in their production process; sheetrock has a slightly denser core than drywall due to the addition of a small amount of wood fiber to the gypsum core.
While the flooring that is laid down after the drywall is installed will correct imperfections in the floor, any small hill in the concrete will cause a full sheet of drywall to be out of level if the drywall is placed directly on the floor.
Do you texture ceilings before walls? Ceilings are usually painted before the walls. This rule also applies to textures. You do not have to follow this rule, but it makes the process so much easier.
A good rule of thumb is to use one gallon of joint compound for every 500 square feet of drywall.
Hiring a local drywall installer will cost $1 to $2.10 per square foot, totaling $690 to $2,200 on average. Complex installations, such as those with curved walls, high ceilings, or intricate architectural details, require more time and expertise, increasing labor costs.
With any drywall angle, you want to apply at least 3 coats of drywall compound to each joint: 1 to apply the tape. 1 to fill the joint. 1 to finish it smooth.
The RSIC installation guide calls for a 1/4″ gap between the ceiling gypsum board and the perimeter of the ceiling. This gap should then be filled with acoustical caulking. The gap is then taped and finished like a regular ceiling / wall intersection.
Number of Screws Per Sheet of Drywall
Use about 32 drywall screws per sheet of 4-foot by 8-foot drywall installed horizontally on a wall. This total is comprised of four screws on the five middle studs and six screws on each of the two sides.
Commercial: Hang the drywall vertically. On commercial jobs, fire codes often require seams to fall on the entire length of the framing, so the drywall must be hung vertically. Residential: How high are the walls? For walls nine feet high or shorter, hanging the drywall horizontally has a number of benefits.
All edges of all sheets of drywall must land on a solid surface such as a stud. A hanging drywall edge may work in the short-term, but in the long-term it can result in cracks and other serious wall issues. Sometimes, the drywall does not horizontally reach a stud.
A best practice is to nail or screw the edges of the board, but only use screws in the field. Using adhesive for drywall reduces the need for screws in the field or middle of the board but some are still needed. Please check with local codes on what is recommended in your area.