Drywall, Revised

This is the definitive guide to drywall, now updated and revised. Longtime drywall contractor Myron Ferguson spells out the full range of information on installation and materials. You'll learn everything from how to choose the best wallboard for any job to tips and tricks for creating attractive textured finishes.

Ferguson covers new tools, materials and techniques that make the job go quicker and are easier for homeowners to get great results, such as new types of corner tape that give professional looking results with little experience or skill required.

You'll discover how to:

• lay out and panel rooms with the fewest possible seams
• make curves and archways
• panel irregular walls
• make invisible seams

See also the companion video to this book.

"excellent . . . . [the author] gives you everything you need to know about tools, materials, installation and finishing. And there are plenty of terrific tips in this book."

-- Popular Mechanics

Introduction

Drywall Basics
Types and Uses of Drywall
Planning the Job

Tools and Materials
Hanging Tools
Taping Tools and Materials
Sanding Tools and Materials

Hanging Drywall
Backing Materials
Measuring and Cutting Drywall
General Guidelines for Hanging Drywall
Fastening Drywall
Hanging Ceilings
Hanging Walls
Trim Accessories

Taping
Taping Basics
Taping Fastener Heads
Taping Seams
Taping Inside Corners
Taping Outside Corners
Skim Coating
Mechanical Taping
Taping Problems

Sanding
Getting Ready to Sand
The Sanding Process
Wet Sanding

Special Installations
Off-Angle Corners
Curved Walls
Archways
Butted Seams
Flat Taping
Applying L-Bead
Multilayer Applications
Installing Cement Board
Control Joints

Repairs
Popped Nails and Screws
Repairing Holes in Drywall
Remodeling Repairs
Stress Cracks
Water Damage

Decorating Drywall
Painting
Texturing
Wall Coverings

Appendix
Resources
Index

Drywall, wallboard, Sheetrock, gypsum board...call it what you will, this material is on more walls and ceilings than any other material in new construction. Drywall covers approximately 80% of the visible interior of a home, and it holds more than a 90% market share of interior finish materials. Properly installed and finished, drywall can add real beauty to a home or business. Improperly attached or finished, it can be a major eyesore. In this book, Ill teach you how to do it right, with techniques and materials used by the pros.

My first drywalling job was on my own house quite a few years ago. Id heard a lot of negative things about the chore of installing drywall, but to my surprise I found that I liked the work. Hanging the panels provided me with the physical work that I enjoy, while taping and finishing drywall proved to be an interesting test of my patience and skill. When I started out in the business in 1980, I had a bare minimum of tools and a pretty limited knowledge of the drywall trade. But over the years, Ive experimented with different kinds of drywall, joint tape, and joint compounds; added numerous tools to my drywalling arsenal; and studied the work of several professional hangers and tapers.

Im still learning. Each year manufacturers bring out new materials, such as the variety of corner beads and tapes now on the market. These products not only improve productivity, they also enhance the finished look of the project. Tapers and hangers are always developing and honing installation techniques, and a whole rash of new application tools makes the work go more quickly and smoothly. No text on drywalling would be complete without them, so we decided to update the book with this new information. My experiences, including countless hours spent hanging and taping drywall, have enabled me to develop techniques that virtually guarantee success when drywalling.

If youve ever watched a professional hanger or taper in action, the work probably looked deceptively simple -- panels are attached and joints taped in a graceful rhythm. But dont be deceived; working with drywall is not without its frustrations. Getting the perfect finish on the final coat of joint compound can be maddening, and finding a highly conspicuous ridge running the length of the ceiling after youve painted can all but reduce you to tears. Drywalling requires care and attention to detail at every step of the way. It requires knowing when to use one type of drywall rather than another, screws rather than nails, mesh rather than paper tape, and drying-type compound rather than setting-type compound.

Drywalling is a very linear process, and Ive organized the book in roughly the order I handle a typical job -- from planning the layout to hanging, taping, and sanding drywall to finishing the walls and ceilings (with paint, textures, or wall coverings). Ive also included a chapter on special installations (such as curved walls and double-layer applications) and another on drywall repairs. Its a complete course in drywalling.