Drywall tools are an essential part of the job. For drywall repair, or hanging and finishing a few sheets of drywall, you can find everything you need to do the job at your local Home Depot. For more extensive jobs, or if you're planning a professional career, visit the title link.
Drywall hanging -
The tools used to hang drywall are basic carpentry tools, with a few specialty items thrown in. As mentioned earlier, you can really go crazy (and spend a ton of money) buying specialty drywall tools. There are tools to make every step of the job easier and faster; from drywall routers, to panel lifts. For small jobs, you will need the following:
1) Tape Measure - 3/4" x 12' will cover most DIY jobs. If you're using 4' x 12' sheets, up the length to 16'.
2) Utility Knife with extra heavy duty blades - Use only a fixed blade knife. The retractable style are great for keeping handy in a pocket, but you'll have a tendency to accidentally retract them while making cuts.
3) Keyhole Saw - Make sure to have the round handle style. This tool will double as a rasp to shave small amounts off a too-tight cut.
5) Circle cutter - This is a specialty item. It is adjustable with a sharp pivot point to sink in the center of your pending cut and has a sharp wheel to make the preliminary score in the board surface. You will need to make circle cuts for most ceiling light fixtures.
Don't waste money purchasing this tool to make one or two cuts with it. A pencil protractor (like the ones you used back in school) can adequately do the job. I will get more in depth with that in an article dedicated to drywall hanging.
6) T-square - This is one specialty item I do recommend purchasing. The time it will save, and the ease of making a score cut with the help of this tool, makes it worth the price. ( less than $30 on average) Unless, this is a one time thing of five sheets, or less.
7) Caulking Gun - The small one most homeowners have around the house will do just fine. Just make sure to purchase the panel adhesive in that size.
8) Drywall Hammer, or hatchet - This is also a specialty tool and not worth making a special purchase for a very small job. The drywall hammer is designed to slightly dimple the nailhead to sink it below the surface of the board for finishing. Most information out there will tell you not to use nails, use screws instead. That idea is half-right and half-wrong. Once again, my article dedicated to hanging will cover this subject more in depth.
You will need a carpenter's pencil for marking measurements onto the drywall. You may need a chalkbox if you are making angle cuts (For example: many old houses were not square. The cut may differ by as much as an inch within four feet. Stairwells, cathedral ceilings, etc are full of angled cuts).
There are panel lifts available for rental, if you are doing the job yourself. These can be rented at most tool or construction rental stores. Just Google 'tool rental' to find one near you.
Next up: How to do drywall without straining your back, or hurting your helper!
Saturday, July 11, 2009
Wednesday, July 8, 2009
Getting Started
The hardest part of any project, for most people, is getting started. There are a few simple rules for any type of project, from creating a blog, to doing your own drywall.
1) Create a plan outline -
You can do this on paper, or in your head, whatever works best for you. I do recommend putting it down on paper. Even professionals work from lists and drawings! Get a idea of what you want to accomplish, and where you need to start. In home remodeling, the starting point often needs to be the demolition of the existing wall. Stay tuned to this site for future tips on demolition, and job preparation.
2) Assess your skills and tools -
Be realistic in your assessment! If you have never held a hammer in your hand, you're probably biting off more than you can chew. If you're handy around the house, you can do drywall and achieve professional results. The tools you will need are fairly basic for hanging drywall. The finishing tools are more specialized, but they won't cost you an arm and a leg, unless you buy every possible tool that's out there. That isn't feasible for one room, or some repair work. Future articles will get more in depth with tool lists and options.
3) Budgeting -
You will need to budget your money, and your time. If you work an average of 60 hours per week, you're only option may be to do your drywall project during a vacation. Only you can make that decision. Professional drywall hangers can hang 200 4' x 12' sheets of board, or more, in a single day in new construction work. That's not going to happen on a remodeling job, and it's not going to happen on your first project. In order to create your financial budget, you will first need a material list. Don't forget to include any tools you need to purchase in your budget amount.
4) Scheduling -
Form an estimate of your start date and the completion of each stage of your DIY project. This will be invaluable when it comes to material purchase and delivery. Make sure to leave a little flexibility in your schedule to allow for inclement weather. Once the materials are in the building, the weather has little affect. (Humidity will play a big part in the time between finish coats!) However; delivery can't be accomplished in anything more than a drizzle. Drywall is not accepting of water.
Once you have your plans in place, you're ready to tackle your DIY drywall project. Stay tuned for more tips and tricks on how to do drywall and get professional results!
1) Create a plan outline -
You can do this on paper, or in your head, whatever works best for you. I do recommend putting it down on paper. Even professionals work from lists and drawings! Get a idea of what you want to accomplish, and where you need to start. In home remodeling, the starting point often needs to be the demolition of the existing wall. Stay tuned to this site for future tips on demolition, and job preparation.
2) Assess your skills and tools -
Be realistic in your assessment! If you have never held a hammer in your hand, you're probably biting off more than you can chew. If you're handy around the house, you can do drywall and achieve professional results. The tools you will need are fairly basic for hanging drywall. The finishing tools are more specialized, but they won't cost you an arm and a leg, unless you buy every possible tool that's out there. That isn't feasible for one room, or some repair work. Future articles will get more in depth with tool lists and options.
3) Budgeting -
You will need to budget your money, and your time. If you work an average of 60 hours per week, you're only option may be to do your drywall project during a vacation. Only you can make that decision. Professional drywall hangers can hang 200 4' x 12' sheets of board, or more, in a single day in new construction work. That's not going to happen on a remodeling job, and it's not going to happen on your first project. In order to create your financial budget, you will first need a material list. Don't forget to include any tools you need to purchase in your budget amount.
4) Scheduling -
Form an estimate of your start date and the completion of each stage of your DIY project. This will be invaluable when it comes to material purchase and delivery. Make sure to leave a little flexibility in your schedule to allow for inclement weather. Once the materials are in the building, the weather has little affect. (Humidity will play a big part in the time between finish coats!) However; delivery can't be accomplished in anything more than a drizzle. Drywall is not accepting of water.
Once you have your plans in place, you're ready to tackle your DIY drywall project. Stay tuned for more tips and tricks on how to do drywall and get professional results!
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