# Installing drywall in cold weather, and sometimes part of wall only (disaster relief)



## joecaption (Nov 30, 2011)

There's not going to be any asbestos in joint compound.
The fastest way would be to check to see if the wall board was installed horizontal, if it is I'be be cutting it along the joint, pulling off the old tape.
That way your finishing at waist level, and along a tapered joint not a butt joint for ease of finishing and no hump.


----------



## oh'mike (Sep 18, 2009)

One of the insulation pros--or a member that has been in this situation will be your best source of info---

I think you will be renting heaters----even if the product is not harmed by the cold---it will be days,even weeks between coats if you don't have heat----


----------



## ToolSeeker (Sep 19, 2012)

Lots of questions First let me say Mike is right you will need heat without it your mud will never dry. 
cold really does not effect hanging drywall but as long as you will have to have heaters anyway why not use them when you hang. It doesn't need to be hot, but it does need to be warm.

Also a fan to move the air will be a big help in drying. The vapor barrier should only need to go to the top of your repair. But let me ask you this what kind if insulation was in the wall before if it was batt and they pulled it all out how are you going to insulate the top of the cavity? 

Now for the seam as stated if the rock was installed horizontally there should be a seam 4' down from the ceiling if this is true that is where you should seam also. But to eliminate the hump use a 5 or 6" knife to fill and bury your tape. 2nd coat use an 8" knife to put the mud on, remove with a 10" knife 3rd coat put on with a 10" take off with a 12". 

Then according to what you have you may need to use your 12" and go 12" on both sides of the seam. The farther you feather it out the less noticable it will be. You don't say if you have done drywall before so let me remind you to leave about 1/2" up from the floor. Plus on that off angle corner I would remove the tape all the way up and re-mud it. Hope this helps your not looking at an easy job.


----------



## jklingel (Dec 21, 2008)

the gap in the vapor barrier will severely compromise what it is intended to do. as much as a 3/4" square hole will let as much vapor into a wall as diffuses through a sheet of sheetrock (assuming the wall is not air barriered on the outside, as with plywood, and the wall thus leaks). what to do about it? dunno, but if you need a vapor barrier, slicing it down the middle really impacts its effectiveness.


----------



## Dean CRCNA (Jan 24, 2010)

you're correct. There can be asbestos in the joint compound.


----------



## Deck (Apr 25, 2008)

Thanks for all the advice guys. Can anyone explain those insulation comments I noted in my original post?


----------



## mbryan (Apr 10, 2011)

joecaption said:


> There's not going to be any asbestos in joint compound..


Not true. We commonly see at least trace in compound. Texture quite often contains it and acoustic is very common.

The vapor barrier if cut will not be complete and therefore have the potential to leak. How do you fix it easily? Good question... We usually install the new insulation and then tape the centers of the bays but as you come to the stud it gets impossible. 

Loose fill is the same as blown in insulation. The wall board must be in place or when you blow it you have the potential for it to fall out. You can use the product damp but I don't care for that method.

Sand the existing walls down as far as you can to aid finishing. Don't try to patch a seam in over existing texture as it will have a huge hump in it and not look good at all.


----------

