How to Replace Drywall and Insulation in a Garage
Drywall, also called wallboard or sheetrock, is a durable material. If properly installed, it does not wear out or need replacing in most cases. But sometimes remodeling or damage can require replacing wallboard and accompanying insulation. In a garage, for instance, a car banging into a wall or a roof leak or water coming through a door or wall can seriously damage wallboard and insulation. Once the old material is removed, installing new insulation and drywall is like working on a new garage. Does this Spark an idea?
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Things You'll Need
- Pry bar
- Plastic bags and containers
- Construction stapler
- Utility knife or big shears
- Screw gun
- Drywall screws
- Level
- Jigsaw
- Drywall saw
- Fiberglass joint tape
- Joint compound
- 5-inch drywall knife
- Corner bead
Instructions
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1
Tear out the old wallboard and insulation. Use a pry bar to pull drywall pieces away and pull nails securing it to wall studs. Put the old material in a big trash can or similar container. Remove insulation and stuff it into plastic bags; wear protective gear when handling insulation, especially if it was damp and is moldy. Strip the walls down to the studs and pull any remaining nails.
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Staple new fiberglass insulation batts to the studs with a hand construction stapler. Start at the top of the cavity, staple the paper flaps on each side of the batt to a stud on each side and work your way down, putting staples on both sides about every foot. Batts exactly fill a standard stud cavity, 16 inches wide and 8 feet high.
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3
Cut batts around electrical outlets, heating vents or other obstructions with utility shears. Trim batts to fit in partial cavities, around doors or other places where studs are not 16 inches apart or less than full height.
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Start installing or hanging drywall at a corner, with a full 4-by-8-foot panel. Lift it horizontally to the top of the wall, use a level on the bottom to be sure it is level, and fasten it with a drywall screw in each corner, driven with a screwgun. Drive the screw until the head is slightly below the surface of the drywall.
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5
Place drywall screws in the top wall plate after the panel is secured and make every stud about a foot apart. Work to the other end of the wall installing panels at the top.
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6
Cut a panel in half lengthwise with a jigsaw to start the bottom row, so the vertical seams do not overlap. Finish that wall with bottom panels (two horizontal panels should exactly cover an 8-foot wall), screwed to studs and the bottom wall plate.
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Move to the next wall and cover it; move around the garage until all walls are covered. Use a utility knife or wallboard saw to cut out for electrical boxes, vents, doors and other openings.
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Cover all seams with self-sticking fiberglass drywall tape. Stick the tape over the seam, press it firmly in place until it is secure. Cover the seam with joint compound using a 5-inch drywall knife. Spread compound over seam and press it firmly into the joint and tape. Feather the edges with the knife. Tape all seams and let the compound dry overnight. .
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9
Sand the seams smooth and add a second coat of compound, smoothing it and feathering the edges until the wall appears solid
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10
Put metal corner bead on all inside and outside corners. Staple it in place on the sides and cover it with joint compound, just like the taped seams. Use at least two coats, feathered on the sides to make a solid corner. Cover all screwheads not covered by joint tape with joint compound. Press the material into the screwhead until it is completely covered; use two coats until all heads are fully covered and the wall is smooth.
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Tips & Warnings
Get help hanging drywall. Panels are too heavy and bulky for one person to install.
Obviously, repair whatever caused the damage to the old drywall and insulation before installing new.
