Happy new year. We hope you all have a fun and prosperous 2023. Starting this year, we will be answering the ten most common drywall questions. This may be something a drywall professional already might know, but a novice will still have questions. If you are a professional and want to lend your voice to our blog, feel free to reach out to us on Instagram @master.buildingmaterials
1. Should you glue drywall?
When you first hear about gluing drywall, your first reaction is, “wait, really?” Yes, gluing drywall is a legitimate method of installing drywall. Gluing drywall requires applying glue to the stud and then firmly pressing the drywall against the frame. Once held in place, screws are used to hold the drywall to the frame. Some use glue to reduce the number of screws, and thus the number of nail pops are significantly reduced.
2. Should I drywall my garage?
While it isn’t a priority, it is recommended to drywall your garage. There are a few reasons for drywalling your garage. One of the most important reasons is that drywall is inherently fire-resistant. Some safety measures will be in place if a fire occurs in the garage with drywall installed. To make sure it is ultimately fire-resistant, use type X drywall.
3. Should you stagger drywall?
Yes, staggering your drywall seams will make your walls stronger and make the seams appear less visible. The most common joints are butt joints and tapered joints. Having all of your tapered and butt joints line up cause an extreme deficiency in the structural integrity of your walls. Staggering your drywall will reduce the number of weak points in your wall, creating a flawless finish.
4. Should I replace moldy drywall?
When repairing drywall, it is important to discern if the drywall you are repairing is cracked or if there is more damage than you can see. The critical problem with mold is that it has no visible signs of growth until it is too late. If a mold particle is left behind, it can grow incredibly fast. If you notice mold growing on your drywall, it is time to completely replace the drywall panel and the surrounding panels as a cautionary measure.
5. Should you wet drywall tape?
This question is for hand tapers that do not use tape pullers, semi-automatic taping tools, or users of fiberglass mesh tape. Many drywall tapers debate in online forums and on the job site if you should wet your tape before applying it. The truth of the matter is that wetting drywall paper is a preference. Many suggest wetting drywall paper tape achieves a better bond on the first attempt. Journeymen in the drywall taping industry will sometimes skip this step and go straight to mudding and taping as they’ve mastered their method of applying drywall taping.
6. Should I prime drywall before painting?
Yes, you need to prime drywall before painting. This ensures the paint stays on the wall and isn’t affected by different temperature changes. If you live where the weather fluctuates significantly throughout the year, priming also helps keep the paint on the walls.
7. Should I replace plaster with drywall?
Plaster is a different type of building material. Drywall was first created as a cheaper alternative to plaster and lathe. If your home is built with plaster and lathe, your home is most likely older than the 1950s, and you may need to replace electrical, plumbing, or any other structural material. If your home requires an electrical or plumbing change, then it is recommended to replace the plaster and lathe with drywall. Otherwise, leave your plaster walls alone, as they are more valuable than drywall walls.
8. Should the electrical box be flush with drywall?
Installing an electrical box is a crucial aspect of electrical and fire safety in a home. The National Electrical Code (NEC), a United States standard for electrical safety, requires an electrical box to be installed no more than a one-quarter inch from the surface of a wall or ceiling made from concrete, tile, gypsum, plaster, and other non-combustible material.
9. Should I drywall my basement ceiling?
Renovating your unfinished basement into a finished basement adds resale value to your home. Adding drywall to your basement ceiling and making it a place you can rent out adds value to your home. Now, the only question you will have is if you should use drywall or a drop ceiling for your home.
10. Should drywall touch the floor?
When installing drywall, it should never touch the floor. It is recommended to leave at least a half-inch gap from the floor when hanging drywall. This is because when the house expands, the floor and the wall do not bend into each other and cause cracking.
Questions from the community
11. How do you lay drywall on wood frames?
The answer to this question depends on the job that is being done. More often than not, commercial jobs require seams to fall on the entire length of the frame so the drywall MUST be hung vertically.
Meanwhile, residential projects often hang sheets horizontally as walls are generally 9 feet tall. The reason why most hangers do it horizontally is because hanging drywall horizontally ends in fewer seams and a cleaner easier finish.
Asked by: CoffeyContacting
12. Where Can I Save 10% On Master Building Materials?
You can see our public coupon codes on WeThrift as it is a great place to find discount codes on your favourite online shopping websites.
