# Removing Ceiling Drywall



## paul100

Just use a knife to cut the corner. There is no reason that you need to slide the ceiling drywall on top of the wall drywall. Its just done that way to get a better joint for taping. Once the sheet is screwed up the wall drywall doesnt add any support.


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## maenos

Excellent, thanks Paul.


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## Gary in WA

If in a room with another floor above, it isn't necessary. If rafters or trusses are above, it's a good idea. Not nailing the perimeter, unless needed for fire rating or shear values, allows the ceiling/wall tape joint to float with the framing above as it moves with the seasons. 

*4.9.1 *The floating angle method of application shall be permitted
to be used to minimize the effects of truss uplift and the
possibility of fastener popping in areas adjacent to wall and
ceiling intersections. This method is applicable where either
single nailing, double nailing, or screw attachment to wood
framing is used. (See Figures 3, 4, and 5) On page 6, fig. 3,4 here:

http://www.gypsum.org/pdf/GA-216-07.pdfhttp://gypsum.org/pdf/GA-216-2010.html
Note priming before and after texturing, and why.
Be safe, G


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## maenos

GBR - the ceiling is on the first floor, so it's sounding like, if necessary, I won't need the walls to support the drywall ceiling.

Some background on this project. Our house is new, yet a few months after we moved in the water pipes started ticking and popping like crazy. The downstairs ceiling had to be opened up to fix the problem. The ceiling has a brocade texture. When they closed the ceiling, the patch looked terrible, so they came back out and sprayed and re-textured the entire ceiling. Problem is, they sprayed the new brocade so thick, it came out course and "goopy" - a definite mismatch with the rest of the house.

I've been advised just to skim coat and re texture... again. That would mean a total of 4 layers up there, 3 brocades and 1 skim coat. That's the reason I'm pushing to start fresh with new drywall.

My question is, am I justified in this? Or are the builders right in wanting to skim coat over 2 layers of brocade (both layers were painted, semi-gloss)?

Thanks!


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## Scuba_Dave

That's a few layers
I wouldn't want that many on a ceiling
Since its a new house, you want new, you paid for new


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## maenos

Scuba_Dave said:


> That's a few layers
> I wouldn't want that many on a ceiling
> Since its a new house, you want new, you paid for new


Good to know I'm on the right track...


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## DebFoltz

How can I remove drywall from a kitchen ceiling, any suggestions?


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## stoner529

simply follow the above directions, just watch out for cabinets. always cut your angles where wall meets the ceiling using a sharp utility knife. be carefull of light fixutres. a big crow bar works great for demo. then take out all your screws or nails left over.


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## redmanblackdog

If you can see the fasteners appear as you are doing the demo, then you can cut around them or what I use is a drywall hammer with the hatchet side and use it to smash around the fastener to loosen them up. By doing this you can then take the drywall out in bigger pieces. Instead of a million little pieces. Sometimes you can just about take it out in half to full sheets.


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## boman47k

So some of you are saying it is okay to leave 16 to 24" hanging with no support under it?


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## redmanblackdog

Sheetrock on the ceiling should most always go perpendicular to the framing members. In doing so the tapered edge has added strength to make the span of 16" for 1/2" regular and 24" centers for 5/8 and other ceiling boards. The only place you need solid wood is on the end of the sheet going up to the wall (fastening every 12") or the butt joint, (where fastening should be every 6").

There are situations in framing that calls for no fastening to the framing members and letting the wall hold up the side of the sheet, or using metal to fasten to to help hold the angle joint together. These are usually in places where there are possible rafter movement caused by changes in moisture and temperature. The rafters will raise in the winter and go back to normal in the summer. Cathedral ceiling is another place that are known to be a place for cracks in angle joints if the sheetrock is not hung right or the wrong tape is used.


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## boman47k

I'm thinking of the distance from the last joist to the wall where there may be nothing to fasten to in older houses that have 1/2" on 16"centers. Are you saying these can float with nothing under them? I can see not fastening it too near the end when the wall board is under it.

I never really gave the tapered edge any thought in regard to adding strength though. 



> The only place you need solid wood is on the end of the sheet going *up to* the wall


Are you talking about the sheet on the ceiling that meets the wall or the sheet on the wall?


I guess 'up to' refers to the sheet on the ceiling? 





.


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## Gary in WA

http://gypsum.org/pdf/GA-216-2010.html

http://www.finehomebuilding.com/PDF/Free/021174058.pdf

http://bestdrywall.com/files/ReduceCallbacks.pdf

Gary


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## redmanblackdog

If you do not have the possible problem of your trusses lifting or the high angled ceilings then you would want to put backing on top of the wall so that you can fasten the end of the sheet to it. When the problem of lifting trusses first became noticeable. We would not fasten the ceiling next to the wall, and our first fastener would be 12" out into the field of the rock (making sure that the wall sheet pressed against the ceiling). Then we went to using angled metal (I don't remember the gauge, but light weight), we would nail the metal to the walls top plate and then screw the ceiling sheetrock into the metal. Thus allowing the trusses to lift and the metal would bow with the sheetrock giving the corner flexibility. So if you didn't put in backing on top of the wall you could still use the angled metal if it would be easier to install.
As I recall when I used to do this, you can float 6" with 1/2" sheetrock and 8" with 5/8" sheetrock.


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