Dry wall installation experts, gurus, etc. please step in.

July 21, 2020, 10:14 PM

I did our 2,000 sqft basement, 9’ ceilings with a Telpro lift. I bought it on Amazon and resold it for 90% of what I paid for it after I was done. At the time I was in my mid 50s and could barely lift a 75#, 5/8” sheet onto the lift. This lift, an inexpensive set of scaffolding and a Dewalt drywall gun made this miserable job reasonable.

July 22, 2020, 11:39 AM

mrvmax

The key to drywall is shimming so the gaps between sheets is minimal and drywall is level/even. Don’t leave large offsets and then use mud to fill it in. The less mud, the less sanding and dry time.

July 22, 2020, 01:41 PM

lyman

quote:
Originally posted by architect:
Many many years ago I did my girlfriend's mom's basement. I made up some panel jacks out of 2x4's for the ceiling panels. The panel lift looks easier, but a jack or two in addition might be helpful. Just a tee a little less than 4' across the top, with the leg a couple of inches longer than the height of the ceiling. Remember to buy 12' long ceiling panels if your room is wider than 8', taping end butts is a real PITA. Also there is a reason the pros use screw shooters in preference to nails.

we call those dead men in these parts,

I hung a few ceiling panels in the garage at my first house with them, and it was doable, but a bit of a pain,

then again, I had tall ceilings (7" studs on top of 3 courses of cinderblocks)

called a friend and got him to help out with the rest,

I did use them also, successfully, on the upstairs of that house, in 2 rooms, but that was standard height,

just takes a bit of coordination

July 22, 2020, 02:18 PM

BB61

quote:
Originally posted by sigcrazy7:
quote:
Originally posted by darthfuster:
quote:
Originally posted by BB61:
quote:
Originally posted by darthfuster:
You can borrow mine. They make hanging the ceiling way easier if you’re one guy doing the work. Aren’t you in Utah county?

^^^^
Yes. I got one more lead after I posted this today and then it's me and the boys. Thanks for the offer, I'll email you if I strike out again.

If he’s in range to loan the tool, then he’s in range to spend a day showing you how it works.

Wait a sec, I’m in range too.

^^^^
When you put it that way, so is SRA, ChrisOrndorff, DMarlowe, etc. I just need to order pizza, soda, throw some burgers on the grills and we can have a SIGforum nail gun shoot at my house next Saturday. I’ll provide the nails, “targets” and food and will be done in just a few hours!!!

July 22, 2020, 03:21 PM

darthfuster

quote:
Originally posted by BB61:
quote:
Originally posted by sigcrazy7:
quote:
Originally posted by darthfuster:
quote:
Originally posted by BB61:
quote:
Originally posted by darthfuster:
You can borrow mine. They make hanging the ceiling way easier if you’re one guy doing the work. Aren’t you in Utah county?

^^^^
Yes. I got one more lead after I posted this today and then it's me and the boys. Thanks for the offer, I'll email you if I strike out again.

If he’s in range to loan the tool, then he’s in range to spend a day showing you how it works.

Wait a sec, I’m in range too.

^^^^
When you put it that way, so is SRA, ChrisOrndorff, DMarlowe, etc. I just need to order pizza, soda, throw some burgers on the grills and we can have a SIGforum nail gun shoot at my house next Saturday. I’ll provide the nails, “targets” and food and will be done in just a few hours!!!

I’m totally there if I can work with my shirt off.

July 23, 2020, 07:38 AM

Oldrider

Are your current walls finished? Before you start, if just bare block or cement I would use a sealer on them to block any moisture that might seep through. Are the walls or whatever you're mounting to straight and flat?

July 23, 2020, 07:52 AM

elkhunter

quote:
Originally posted by MikeinNC:
You can probably rent one of those lifts.

Beat me to it! We rented one when we finished the basements in 2 homes over the years.

They really take the work out of doing dry wall ceilings!!

July 23, 2020, 07:55 AM

elkhunter

quote:
Originally posted by architect:
Many many years ago I did my girlfriend's mom's basement. I made up some panel jacks out of 2x4's for the ceiling panels. The panel lift looks easier, but a jack or two in addition might be helpful. Just a tee a little less than 4' across the top, with the leg a couple of inches longer than the height of the ceiling. Remember to buy 12' long ceiling panels if your room is wider than 8', taping end butts is a real PITA. Also there is a reason the pros use screw shooters in preference to nails.

I have done that, too. Takes at least 2 people (prefer 3) to use them tho.

2 to lift and hold the panel, 1 to place the braces.

July 23, 2020, 08:01 AM

elkhunter

quote:
Originally posted by MattW:
Start watching some YouTube videos. Hanging is one thing, finishing is another. It annoys me to no end that I can’t finish drywall.

I recommend one of these as well, they work great and keep you from punching through the paper with a regular bit.

Century Drill & Tool 68592 #2R Drywall Power Screw Setter, 2" length https://www.amazon.com/dp/B012..._api_i_LJ1fFbCBEGRC6

those work really well! Well worth the money!

July 23, 2020, 08:04 AM

elkhunter

quote:
Originally posted by Chris42:
If this is your first rodeo with drywall I would suggest using 8’ sheets, not 12’. The 12 footers cut down on muddling but are a pain to handle without breaking. 8’ can even be a struggle for the first timer.

12 footers work well for walls, save time and work. I would not try to use them on ceilings. And run them horizontally for the walls! That way if you hang the first one next to the floor, you can use it to support the upper sheet.

July 23, 2020, 08:58 AM

Bytes

When I refinished my basement I did the drywall myself. Took until the last two seams to figure out the taping and mudding technique. I ended up with a lot of drywall dust. I watched the pros do a bunch of drywall during our renovation at work. They produced a product that required little sanding and dust. Truly an art form. A ceiling jack is a MUST.

July 23, 2020, 10:15 AM

MattW

quote:
Originally posted by Bytes:
When I refinished my basement I did the drywall myself. Took until the last two seams to figure out the taping and mudding technique. I ended up with a lot of drywall dust. I watched the pros do a bunch of drywall during our renovation at work. They produced a product that required little sanding and dust. Truly an art form. A ceiling jack is a MUST.

You're not kidding, it's an art form when you get a large crew working. Even a 1 person or 2 person crew will piss me off as they make it look so easy.

Had a large project a few years ago that we took out a tremendous amount of double layer high impact drywall due to a flood. The contractor (large national company) doing the put back had a crew of about 25-30 guys show up from a neighboring state. Unbelievable to watch them work, had you stood in the wrong spot for long enough they would have drywalled right over you. To top it off, they would have finished it to where no one would have known you're stuck between the studs and the drywall.

July 23, 2020, 10:50 AM

Bobofbone

quote:
Originally posted by MattW:

You're not kidding, it's an art form when you get a large crew working. Even a 1 person or 2 person crew will piss me off as they make it look so easy.

Had a large project a few years ago that we took out a tremendous amount of double layer high impact drywall due to a flood. The contractor (large national company) doing the put back had a crew of about 25-30 guys show up from a neighboring state. Unbelievable to watch them work, had you stood in the wrong spot for long enough they would have drywalled right over you. To top it off, they would have finished it to where no one would have known you're stuck between the studs and the drywall.

Sort of like that house at the beginning of "Sicario" ?

July 23, 2020, 08:46 PM

BB61

Thanks everyone. To answer a question or two, I already have the basement framed, wired and insulated. I do live in the desert so I’m not really concerned about moisture.

July 24, 2020, 06:49 AM

9mmnut

Want to do ceiling by yourself? Fasten a piece of 2X4 to the wall about a couple inches below the ceiling. Put one end of the drywall on the 2X4 and raise the other end and install the dead man. That's how I did mine about 30 years ago. Cant do it today.