How to Prepare for Drywall Installation

Drywall, also known as sheetrock, when installed properly, results in a flat smooth surface, ready for painting or wallpapering. Made of pressed gypsum and covered with paper or fiberglass sheeting, drywall is common in new construction and remodeling. It's important to prepare the underlying stud-wall properly before hanging the drywall.

Difficulty: Moderate

Instructions

1. Install stud backers in the corners of your room for securing the drywall sheets. You may need to add a stud to the corner if the load-bearing stud extends on only one side.

2. Install all of your electrical wiring and plumbing in the wall space before hanging the drywall. Run your wires and install electrical boxes within the exposed studs. After drywall installation, it is very difficult to run wiring. Electrical boxes should extend ¼ inch from the stud. You will cut around them when installing the sheetrock.

3. Hold a string line across your stud-wall to see if all the studs line up exactly with the string. There may be a little variation and that's okay, you can even the studs out with 1/8-inch shims, pinned to the surface.

4. Install shims on the 2 studs adjacent to a stud where your drywall will break to create a very slight depression on the break. In drywall installation, the "break" is the joint where 2 pieces of sheetrock meet. This break must always be on a stud in order to fasten the drywall securely.

5. Create an imperceptible depression where the drywall sheets break by adding the shims as in Step 4. This allows you to later tape and mud the wall perfectly smooth. If you fail to shim out the studs, you may end up with a lump of drywall mud over the break joint, creating an unsightly seam.

6. Remove any obstructions on the studs, floor or ceiling braces used as backers for the drywall sheets. Use a nail set to sink stubborn framing nail heads. If wood knots protrude, file or saw them off before hanging your drywall.

Tips & Warnings

• When you prepare a wall for sheetrock, keep in mind that you want as few seams and screw holes as possible for taping purposes. Measure and cut your sheetrock in large sections, using whole sheets wherever possible.