# Hanging Drywall



## x106 (Apr 13, 2011)

I'm going to be hanging drywall and my ceilings are all slanted with the angle of the roof. I wanted to ask about hanging the sheets. I haven't hung drywall before, I have only mud/putty, cut, sand or painted it. I assume I should cut triangular pieces and hang those flush with the ceiling first right? Following that I should hang the sheets below which would all be square/rectangular?


----------



## user1007 (Sep 23, 2009)

First thing you should do is what the pros do almost instinctively and layout your pattern for the room---sheets horizontal, vertical, etc---than worry about cutting the weird little pieces last. If you start at the ceiling like that you are probably not going to end up square for long and you will end up cutting worse shaped small pieces along the floor or walls that will waste a lot of material and require much more taping and so forth. I subcontracted drywall out to the wizards but you can do it. You might want to snap some chalk lines if this is your first time out. And do invest in a good drywall square! 

If you think about it, drywall is a lot like laying tile. You cannot just start at one side or corner and expect things to work out when you get to the other one. Have fun! Be careful. Newbies often underestimate the weight of the stuff.


----------



## x106 (Apr 13, 2011)

Thanks for the advice. I thought generally people started at the ceiling so that there weren't gaps and it's easier to manage. Good thing I asked!


----------



## user1007 (Sep 23, 2009)

Sorry, did not mean to mislead you. Usually the upper sheets go on first but that is mainly so you don't damage installed sheets underneath. As long as you can stay square or true to your grid you can and should start with those triangles I guess. Just make sure you have a layout to follow as you go. Whatever you are off in say an upper right corner is just going to multiply on you as you head for the lower left one. 

Just encouraging you to scale things out and make a little map.


----------



## x106 (Apr 13, 2011)

Thanks for the clarification. I was honestly wondering if I was going to hear something odd like laying the entire sheet of drywall at the angle and having very odd shaped lower pieces.


----------



## bjbatlanta (Jul 16, 2008)

Stack from the bottom when hanging a vaulted wall...


----------



## x106 (Apr 13, 2011)

It isn't a slanted wall like an A frame, just a wall where the top follows the roof's angle.

I'm not sure if a "vaulted wall" is what I have or a wall that is leaning like an A frame.


----------



## chrisBC (Dec 28, 2010)

One thing to do- start at the taller end of the wall (high point of roof)-measure down 4' from the ceiling. Mark this level line on your studs (this is before you cut even 1 sheet of drywall) 

Mark this line across the wall, you can now take accurate measurements for your sheets (i'm assuming you are hanging horizontal here, better practice IMO)


----------



## x106 (Apr 13, 2011)

Thanks


----------



## dberladyn (Apr 24, 2011)

x106 said:


> I'm going to be hanging drywall and my ceilings are all slanted with the angle of the roof. I wanted to ask about hanging the sheets. I haven't hung drywall before, I have only mud/putty, cut, sand or painted it. I assume I should cut triangular pieces and hang those flush with the ceiling first right? Following that I should hang the sheets below which would all be square/rectangular?


 
I'm not really sure what you are asking. Always start with the "lids" (the ceiling), then the walls. Yes, work from the top down, well... really it probably won't matter how you do it. Usually it's easier to hang the big sheets first and then piece in.

What you need to do is figure out what will give you the least amount of joint, and what will give you joints in the easiest places to fill. That's how we do professionally. This never results in standing up the sheets, or laying them diagonally, always horizontal if there is to be joints.

Anyways, perhaps others are giving you clearer advice than I am.


----------



## x106 (Apr 13, 2011)

Thanks for all of your advice so far. I had a mishap two weeks ago and lost maybe 1/4 inch or so from two fingers so my projects were delayed a bit.

A friend came over to and we installed a few windows over the last few days and hung our first bit of drywall today. So far so good with one exception - Since I'm in a modular manufactured home the interior walls don't always intersect where there is a stud. There will be a stud on just the interior wall. It looks like we will hang the drywall on the walls that don't have a stud at the corner first then use the drywall from the intersecting wall to hold the corner snug. I'm not sure if I'm saying this very clearly but I assume this is the only/best option.

This issue also causes the 8x4 sheets of drywall not to end on a stud each time (only once so far but I see more down the road). We were thinking of just cutting the sheet down so it would end on a stud which will make it easier for the following sheets. But, maybe there is a different way...

So far though we have had no issues cutting the angle in the drywall and hanging them starting from the ceiling and working down.


----------



## dberladyn (Apr 24, 2011)

x106 said:


> Since I'm in a modular manufactured home the interior walls don't always intersect where there is a stud. There will be a stud on just the interior wall. It looks like we will hang the drywall on the walls that don't have a stud at the corner first then use the drywall from the intersecting wall to hold the corner snug.


You are best to get a piece of steel angle and screw it to the corner first, it will give you the necessary backing. Or you could always screw/nail 2x4's in for backing where you are missing the stud. You're idea is good in nature, but you don't want that sheet on the exterior wall to move.



> This issue also causes the 8x4 sheets of drywall not to end on a stud each time (only once so far but I see more down the road). We were thinking of just cutting the sheet down so it would end on a stud which will make it easier for the following sheets.


Yes, definitely cut the sheet so it lands half way on a stud. Remember you always want the factory edges to butt up together when possible, cut the side of the sheet that lands in the corner. Factory edges to factory edges, bevels to bevels, butts to butts.

Dan


----------



## x106 (Apr 13, 2011)

Very useful information!

I had cut one square to see insulation and judge if I planned to add more but the house was very well insulated so I wasn't going to change that. The drywall is glued to all of the studs except for the seams which were nailed then covered with wood trim. I'm assuming you would suggest I remove drywall at least in these corners to put a "stud extension" in?

Knowing the insulation was decent I didn't want to remove the glued sheets. I figured the extra drywall will help insulation a bit too anyway.


----------



## dberladyn (Apr 24, 2011)

As long as the sheets are not loose, I wouldn't remove them. Also, if you are glueing sheets (this is better) you need to at least put one screw in the middle of the sheet on every other stud, this is to ensure the sheet is tacked tight to the studs while the glue sets.

Dan


----------



## x106 (Apr 13, 2011)

dberladyn said:


> As long as the sheets are not loose, I wouldn't remove them. Also, if you are glueing sheets (this is better) you need to at least put one screw in the middle of the sheet on every other stud, this is to ensure the sheet is tacked tight to the studs while the glue sets.
> 
> Dan


I would have never thought gluing would be better but it certainly sounds like it could save time. I could see how it might make my job easier.

Thanks for all the help!


----------



## dberladyn (Apr 24, 2011)

It's better as long as you use the right glue! The reason being that there are very few screw holes to fill and possibly see later on. As a Taper it is a real joy to work on a house that's been glued rather than screwed.


----------



## x106 (Apr 13, 2011)

dberladyn said:


> It's better as long as you use the right glue! The reason being that there are very few screw holes to fill and possibly see later on. As a Taper it is a real joy to work on a house that's been glued rather than screwed.


Good call, makes a lot of sense. I started on the smallest room first so I could learn and play with tape/glue/sanding. Besides losing a bit of my fingers recently I think I'm pretty well rounded at about everything and as some of my older friends tell me I'm young so I'm willing to work a bit harder than they are and maybe go through some difficult projects that the older and wiser might pay an expert to do. Hopefully no more accidents anytime soon.


----------



## sbaytals (Apr 11, 2011)

*Price check*

Hi everyone!
My first post here. Been reading this great forum for a while, though.
I'm preparing to buy my first house (on Staten Island, NY).
I found one that i like but the living room walls have those 1970's-style giant 3D "fish scales"-like stuff on them. So i would most likely need to strip the walls (and the popcorn ceiling, too) down to studs and re-drywall them.
Been trying to figure out what a good price for that would be.
Room size is approx. 26 by 16 with 8 ft ceiling (again, approximately). I never measured the room and i have no way of doing that in the near future. Also, there's one bay window and one regular window, one exterior door and two interior door openings (for reference).
So far i received one estimate: all the work and materials to remove existing, prep, drywall, tape, 3 coats of mud, prime and ready for paint. 5-7 days and $3900. Is that a normal price, given the location and the size? Can you guys comment? I know i should probably at least attempt to do it myself. But i'm not really sure how long it would take me. And i would have to take vacation days at work to do this. May not be worth it for me in the current situation, unfortunately...

Again, please advise on the price above and thatnks in advance for your time!

Slava.


----------



## x106 (Apr 13, 2011)

sbaytals said:


> Hi everyone!
> My first post here. Been reading this great forum for a while, though.
> I'm preparing to buy my first house (on Staten Island, NY).
> I found one that i like but the living room walls have those 1970's-style giant 3D "fish scales"-like stuff on them. So i would most likely need to strip the walls (and the popcorn ceiling, too) down to studs and re-drywall them.
> ...


Probably should just create a new post rather than use mine to start your own question, you'll get more people to see it and more responses. If my topic was still active you would be a thread hijacker 

I can say it would be a lot of work to tear everything down and start from scratch. My project is easy without taking old drywall down.


----------



## sbaytals (Apr 11, 2011)

Sorry about that, x106!
I will move my question out to a new topic.


----------

