Taping and mudding drywall turns individual pieces of drywall into a single, solid wall. When you know how to mud and tape drywall correctly, you'll have a better surface to paint. Use this guide for details on how to tape and mud drywall and the types of mud and tape available.
Why is Drywall so Weak? For something that is so important to your home, it seems that the drywall is very weak. But it's no surprise – drywall is merely two layers of cellulose with gypsum, a hydrated form of calcium sulfate, core smack dab in the middle.
Toggle bolts have sturdy metal anchors. Like molly bolts, toggle drywall anchors are metal, and they include a sturdy anchor that will spread out on the opposite side of the wall (remember, most drywall is less than an inch thick). These are considered the strongest option.
One way to reinforce the area is to create a wooden backing behind the drywall to serve as a support. Find a piece of wood at least 1 1/2 inches wider than the space between the screws. Cut it to about 6 inches in length.
In certain cases, putting new drywall over old drywall is a cost-effective and speedy way to refresh a room. A few of the advantages of putting drywall on drywall include: It's less extensive than tearing out and replacing existing drywall. It can help soundproof a room.
While drywall alone can hold about 1.6 pounds to 2 pounds per square foot, mounting an object to the stud with the proper hardware allows the drywall to support up to 100 pounds.
Toggle bolts are made from metal and are the strongest type of drywall anchor available. While plastic anchors and molly bolts can typically hold weights up to 50 pounds, properly installed toggle bolts can often support much more.
Double drywalling also offers a greater degree of impact resistance, so it may be helpful to businesses situated near high-traffic areas and roads in the event of an accident.
The essence of drywall lies in its composition, a layer of gypsum plaster pressed between two thick sheets of paper. Gypsum, a mineral known for its fire-resistant properties, lends drywall its inherent durability and safety features.
The best way to dry wet drywall is to dry it from the inside out. This can be done by using a fan or a dehumidifier. Use a moisture meter to check the moisture levels. Once you have started drying the drywall, checking the moisture levels with a moisture meter is important.
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.
Toggler SNAPTOGGLE (Best Overall)
This anchor held strong at 180 lbs., and we couldn't turn the turnbuckle any more.
Toggle bolts are drywall toggle bolts that can typically support 50 pounds of weight.
Drywall thicknesses range from 1/4 inch to 5/8 inch. Building codes may specify a thickness for a specific type of application, but here are some common uses. 1/4-inch drywall isn't strong enough to provide good support alone, but you can install it over a surface that's already in place, such as for a repair.
Threaded anchors – Being thicker than expansion anchors, these can hold between 25 to 75 pounds, but they shouldn't be used on ceilings. They're easier to install than expansion anchors because they don't require a pilot hole. Sleeve type anchors (molly bolts) – These can hold between 25 to 50 pounds on walls.
Too few or too many: Follow the drywall manufacturer's instructions on the number of screws to use. Too few causes obvious issues, while too many means more mudding. Precision drives: Be careful how far you drive the screws if using a drill.
How it works: A molly bolt is a screw encased with metal that expands in a predrilled hole to support medium-weight items. Best for: high-use and mid-weight range items, like coat hooks, or with lightweight items in the ceiling, such as smoke detectors. Weight limit: 25 to 50 pounds.
Double or multiple layers of drywall are sometimes required for increased fire resistance or for reduced sound penetration. You can secure all layers with fasteners in the standard manner, but a good alternative is to use adhesive to attach the outermost, or “face,” layer.
Hides uneven studs – Hanging horizontally also allows the drywall to flow over the framing so that bowed studs create less of a problem. If the drywall were hung vertically and a seam placed on a bowed out stud, the seam would be magnified because of the bump in the wall.