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!

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!