Job Preparation

The board has been delivered and you're ready to go... at least, you think you are. Lets go over the basics of final site prep. If this is an addition (or perhaps you've been really ambitious and this is an entire new construction project), there shouldn't be much to prepare.

Your site should be as free of clutter as possible with broom swept floors. It doesn't take much to make you turn an ankle or stumble when you're looking up over your head!

Give your walls and ceilings the once over. Ensure any protruding nails are removed. Many times nails may be used to hang temporary lights, tools and the like during construction. You don't want to find them by having them come through a new sheet of drywall. A

ll insulation and vapor barriers should be in place. Check for electrical boxes accidentally covered by insulation. This is a common occurrence. It's much easier to uncover them now than to have to dig through new drywall once you see an unsightly lump in your new wall.

If your project is a remodeling job the procedures are much the same. Just take extra care to ensure all old materials have been completely removed, everything is in alignment, and all the nails have been removed from the previous wall covering installation. There are many times in an old house that you will need to add material of various sizes to one wall stud or ceiling joist to bring into level with the others.

Old school plasterers were noted for 'floating' corners with brown coat. Often, an entire new corner must be built to accommodate new board; albeit paneling, drywall, hardkote or what have you.

Having a checklist is the best way to go. We're human and mistakes happen to the best of us. How about wires? Wood backing in any areas you plan on hanging heavy mirrors and the like? Telephone, cable and speaker wires? Now is the time to add and hide those things if you haven't done so already.

Refer back to your material and tool list. Have you remembered everything? Do you have appropriate extension cords for power tools, panel adhesive, screws and/or nails?

Everybody has an opinion. From the customer service personnel at the lumberyard or home center, to Bob Vila, and your second cousin who just finished an addition of his own. Trust me on this - that's why you're here reading this isn't it? Don't spare on the panel adhesive and do spare on the fasteners.

Everyone will tell you not to use drywall nails but to use screws instead. They aren't wrong but they aren't right either. I only use nails on the perimeter of the board and screws out in the field. Unless you're a professional drywall hanger, the relative ease of using nails to tack the board into place is the way to go. Even the majority of professionals do this when working on wood studs.

Okay, now we're certain we're ready to go, right? Line up your help and schedule your weekend or vacation time. Next up - hanging board!

Working with it, not against it!

No offense to any readers who fall in this category but I have never quite understood why so many people are intimidated by materials in a 4' x 8' sheet. This applies to guys and girls, it just is not that heavy! (with exceptions, of course, 3/4" plywood is no joke). Folks, it requires balance!

The key to working with sheet material of any kind is working with the material and with your partner. If you fight the material every step of the way I'm sorry to say the material will win in the end! If your partner is doing battle with the material and with you I'm afraid you'll be looking for a new partner real soon.

When the truck comes loaded with your material, you get your first chance to learn how to work with it, not against it.

Carrying drywall 101

1) Stay on the same side of the sheet!

I can't begin to tell you how important this is. I've seen first-timers do it time and time again. Carrying 8' sheets of drywall is a breeze as long as you and your partner aren't trying to go in opposite directions. The trick is to have the board(s) leaning against both of you. If your partner is trying to lean the board to the right and you're trying to lean it to the left, best case scenario is you're both going to feel like you unloaded the entire truck already. Worst case scenario - somebody is going to end up with a torn muscle or an out of whack back.

2) Have extra help

If your job is larger than a few sheets please have extra help on hand. The professionals do it too. If you can't have help or have minimum help don't schedule the work to start the same day as the material delivery.

3) Weather conditions

Do not expose drywall to rain, snow, and ice. A couple of rain drops won't hurt anything but don't underestimate have much damage can be done with even a brief exposure to water. High winds can be especially dangerous when carrying drywall. I've seen men get blown off the truck on more than one occasion.

4) Bundled or single?

Drywall always comes bundled with two sheets together. Carrying two at a time makes the unload job go faster but that's hardly an important point if you only have a few sheets. Carry whatever makes you comfortable. Single sheets flex more which may be a good thing in some cases and a bad thing at other times.

5) Alone

So you couldn't wrangle any help at all to unload the truck huh? Remember when I mentioned balance? Get your balance right and you've got it nailed. Remember the tip in #4, single sheets flex a lot! Unless you are a very diminutive person carrying a bundle of 4' x 8' drywall shouldn't be a problem.

Next up -

Lets start hanging!