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.
On commercial jobs, fire codes often require seams to fall on the entire length of the framing, so the drywall must be hung vertically. However, on residential jobs, the drywall on the walls is typically hung horizontally. For walls 9 feet high or shorter, hanging the drywall horizontally has a number of benefits.
Avoid lining up a sheet of drywall with the edge of a door or window opening (left). Your home tends to shift and settle slightly, and that movement shows up at the corners of windows and doors. A joint at this location, even if it's well taped, is weaker than solid drywall. Chances are it'll crack in the future.
high or less, attaching the drywall horizontally can reduce the lineal footage of seams by as much as 25% over vertical attachment.
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.
If you start drywalling the walls first, you could end up with the ceiling drywall being unsupported along the entire length of one wall. Wall panels installed later will fit against the ceiling to help support the edges.
Half-inch drywall panels are the standard thickness for interior walls, as well as ceilings. Half-inch drywall panels are relatively easy to carry and hang.
Yes, each manufacturer designs drywall to have a front and rear. One side is for finishing, and the other goes against the studs. The rear can have special coatings for different moisture level protection. If you accidentally installed the drywall backward.
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.
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.
Drywall absorbs moisture. If drywall sits directly on a concrete floor, it will wick up any moisture that is present in the floor, either now or in the future. Wet drywall has the potential to rot and flake apart. It also provides an ideal space for mold to grow.
Rough surface – Some minor ridges and roughness are acceptable at lower levels of finish. At Level 3 and above, however, the drywall should feel largely smooth.
Structural strength – Drywall is typically stronger when hung in the long direction than it is in the short direction, which means less chance of sagging when attached perpendicular.
Drywall only, please: Don't use drywall screws for sub-floors, tile backing or other non-drywall applications. These denser materials can break the smaller #6 screw during installation. Use a #8 or larger for these jobs.
Double or multiple layers of drywall are sometimes required for increased fire resistance or for reduced sound penetration.
Always leave a 1/2-inch gap at the floor. This allows for floor and wall expansion without cracking the drywall. It also helps prevents moisture wicking if the floor floods. Wear work gloves, safety goggles and a dust mask when hanging drywall.
Why Sheetrock Should Be Staggered. Sheetrock can be hung in even, parallel rows or it can be staggered to create T-shaped junctions. Ultimately, staggered seams are stronger because the joints – the weakest part of the wall or ceiling installation – are minimized.
When hanging drywall, always hang the ceiling first. This is the hardest drywall to hang, so get a partner and go slow. 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!).
The gap is not a good idea. A common cause of cracks around window frames is from the water leaking through the unsealed gaps between drywall sheets. To avoid this, you should use a drywall adhesive to seal the gap so that there are no edges left with nothing to hold them together.
Paint drywall dark hues. Dark colors act like matte paints. They too reduce the reflection of light and so they hide flaws.