attaching drywall to ceiling joists

Doing a ceiling first only helps to hide edges and off cuts. Don't forget to plug them with plaster/"mud" and sand them once they have dried. The recommended thickness is, All tip submissions are carefully reviewed before being published, This article was co-authored by our trained team of editors and researchers who validated it for accuracy and comprehensiveness. Most people believe that ceilings must be done first, but this isn't true. Can I hang sheetrock over an existing ceiling? On 24" center trusses the Drywall has to be 5/8".You can place the strapping at 16OC and use 1/2" drywall. A lag bolt has very deep grooves in the threads for maximum grip. Place it on the second row. That gives you the number of straps to be installed. As well, take this opportunity to make sure there aren’t any obvious issues, such as faulty plumbing, that would be easier to address without drywall in the way. Repairing a Water Damaged Plaster Ceiling. You need to screw them a little bit more. When all the strips are in place, go along the walls and mark the mid-point of each with a pencil or other non-staining marker. How do I repair a ceiling where a portion is falling in and needs to be replaced? Another key point is the outside temperature and humidity is much different in … How do I board out a ceiling that is ready for plaster board on a non-standard construction house? Measure, cut, and then lay it on the support tool. What's the standard height of ceiling from floor? Screw the drywall to the ceiling joists. Hi, I need to add drywall between old 3" x 7" joists which are separated about 20". A quarter inch extra length is usually sufficient to get a tight wedge against the drywall but if the height varies more than that, it may be too short in some places. 2. To attach drywall to a ceiling, position a pair of stepladders or set up sturdy sawhorses and planks to serve as a low scaffold. Please consider supporting our work with a contribution to wikiHow. Last Updated: June 6, 2020 It is rented cheaply from the nearest department store or other construction equipment rental store. Lean the sheet almost upright against the wall and use the toe of your left foot(if you are right-handed) to hold the bottom of the square. Half-inch is standard, but your area's building code may require a different size, so check your area's building code. Instead of gluing, we generally use three coarse thread drywall screws(or three sets of two nails) in the "field" in addition to the screw on each edge of the board. To the point where the head contacts the drywall, too far and you could damage the drywall. Now, the difficult step will be started. After a sheet of drywall has been lifted into place, wedge the tee under it to support the weight while adjusting the position and driving the screws. However, the pattern in which sheets of drywall are laid-out on the studs is very important for at least the following two reasons. When repairing a ceiling to a vertical wall joint (an inside corner where the wall meets the ceiling), how far should I inset the ceiling drywall over the vertical wall joint? Measure and mark the cut line at the vertical midpoint of the drywall sheet and use a utility knife to cut through the drywall. When drywall ceiling panels are installed, it is best to install them perpendicular to the ceiling joists, instead of parallel to the ceiling joists. The problem is that above this area is a small attic/crawl space and the roof slopes down close to the ceiling. To use furring strips as support for drywall over an existing ceiling, they should be installed perpendicular to the ceiling joints. Make the top of the tee about 3 feet long and the leg a bit longer than the new ceiling height. The joists on either side of this board are the joists you nail blocks between. First, properly laid-out drywall is easier to tape and finish and second, it is stronger and better at resisting cracking at the seams. Installing ceiling drywall is the best way to. Make the top of the tee about 3 feet long and the leg a bit longer than the new ceiling height. To install the first sheet, lift it into place and push it tightly into the corner and against both wall surfaces. You may also notice nail pops or cracks in a ceiling which can also indicate the direction of joists. Check to be sure about half the furring strip is showing on the outer edge and hold or support the sheet (see tee support below) while fastening it to the strips with drywall screws. What size sheet rock is needed for a ceiling? Some jurisdictions may require a fire resistant drywall, known as Type X, for ceiling installation so check to be sure you use the right kind of material. Place the end screws back 3/8 to 3/4 inch from the open edge of the drywall. Your height could vary slightly based on imperfections in materials or the thickness of the drywall used. Using a homemade tee for support will make hanging a drywall ceiling much easier. Attaching the drywall. If the bit passes easily through missing the framing, continue drilling at one inch intervals in both directions until you meet resistance and wood is ejected from the hole indicating the location of the joist. If you need to hang something very heavy from a ceiling, such as a ceiling fan, you always should attempt to hang the object from a ceiling joist and with a lag bolt. It can be likened somewhat to sheathing the exterior of a building using plywood or other exterior sheathing panel. Hi gpaw, You will have to secure the partition to the structure. Listen as you tap across the ceiling for a sharp sound indicating a solid wood behind, or a dull sound indicating a hollow space. Because the drywall lift helps you reach the ceiling smoothly with your drywall. Use a screw gun with a clutch function to uniformly sink the heads just below the drywall surface without tearing the paper covering. I have vertical blocks in place to support the drywall at the sides, but I don't currently have any framing to support the top edge of the drywall at the ceiling. Always button the top of your sheeting tight and leave the gap at the bottom if there is one. The entire weight of the sheet is now carried by upside-down screws. When you start the second row, make sure to stagger the seams to enforce the stability of the drywall. We use cookies to make wikiHow great. Then you and a helper can hold each end of a panel in place against the ceiling joists. Apply some adhesive to the joists here the drywall … Thanks to all authors for creating a page that has been read 499,013 times. If at all possible the drywall or plaster should be repaired instead to avoid the trouble of installing drywall. Mark the Ceiling Joists Locations. If the ceiling drywall is in place, you'll need to cut out a small section of drywall … For quickly marking openings for lights, outlets, etc a square is indispensable. Drive a few screws at the first strip along the wall and then put a few more along the outer edge to hold the sheet temporarily. This will prevent them from bending. Always mate like edges together, don't join a finished edge with an opened edge, it will create a very noticeable bulge in the finished seam. Your second sheet should be at least 2 - 4 feet shorter than the first one. wikiHow is where trusted research and expert knowledge come together. A totally original design concept, that transforms the method of hanging heavy plasterboard panels to ceiling joists. Confirm the location of each joist using the drill bit and then mark that point on the walls at each end of the room. Which one is correct? Ceiling panels can be hung perpendicular to the joists or parallel to the joists. Alternately, you can use the tap and listen method to locate wood framing. This article has been viewed 499,013 times. Then pick it up just slightly off the floor and snap the sheet. You need to frame below the duct to fasten the drywall to either wood or metal framing that is not attached to the duct. Heavy insulation will not be installed later, since that could cause the drywall to sag, or even fail. Lean over the sheet and cut through the paper for a foot or two near the middle of the cut. By making a few minor adjustments, almost anyone can accomplish this task on their own. As the duct warms when hot air goes through it, the expansion of the duct will create an annoying noise, break loose the screws, or both. The metal track must be fixed in screws every 15”/40 cm. Use longer screws if you're dealing with thick plaster or the 2 inch doesn't engage the joist. The joists should be marked on the top "plate," the plate is typically made of two 2x4s on top of the studs. UL D502 Single layer of 5/8" (15.9 mm) Fire-Shield C Gypsum est. If you want to hang new drywall over an old ceiling, you first need to find the joists. Some ceilings that appear to be beadboard are actually routed plywood. What should the thickness of the drywall on the ceilings be? Installing ceiling drywall is a very simple process, but can be slightly challenging when working alone. You can use a stud finder which is easy enough but can be pricey if you don't already have one on hand. Hold them in place and to avoid splitting the board, drill a pilot hole through it and into the joist. How do I do the "truing" if I don't have true 90 degree walls and corners? To install ceiling drywall, start by applying adhesive to the joists where the first sheet of drywall will go. Use clues like these to determine where to expect to find the ceiling joists in a room. At the end of the run, if you need a small piece to finish, cut a full sheet to size and fit it into the last space so the opened end butts to the opened end of the last full sheet. Mark off a squared or rectangular-shaped line around the damaged area. How do I drywall a ceiling that needs insulation? Measure out 16 inches and check for the next joist with the drill. You don't. Drywall should not be in direct contact with the heating duct. I was searching the best way to hang drywall on the ceiling with limited help. The general concept of drywall hanging is very simple. By using our site, you agree to our. If the existing ceiling is plaster or features wiring or plumbing that extends below the joists, which is common in basements, you'll have to extend the joists. References. Metal track frame fixed to wall Find the Joists. What do I do if the screws are visible on my finished ceiling? If you make the right preparations and install your drywall in the correct procedure, you should have no problem installing drywall on your ceiling. Horizontal (ceiling) placement creates far more stress on drywall and on drywall screws than vertical (wall) placement. Hang the remaining drywall to finish out the ceiling starting at opposite ends of the run with each new row. Measure the ceiling across parallel to the joists. If you have strip wood flooring, it will be running perpendicular to the floor joists. Is there a minimum when it comes to butt joints and the end of a room? Take it up a notch and use hardwood plywood in media rooms or dens, or add a special touch to vaulted or dro… What are som… For this purpose, I recommend you use a hand-held Philips head screwdriver and manually adjust the screws so that they are flush with the drywall surface. There's no reason to try to join butt joints directly over framing members. After the drywall sheets are up, nail or screw them into the joists to affix them permanently. The joists may not be perfectly spaced and you only have a 1-1/2 inch target for attaching two edges of the drywall. As well, the floor joists are often not perfectly on the same plane, with one or more of the floor joists being slightly lower or higher than the others. "Very informative! It's easier to start from a straight corner placing a full sheet in opposite direction of the studs. Complete your first row, then continue on until you're finished. Grasp the end that is to come off, and with a quick movement, push your end of the whole sheet away from you and snap the end off! The goal is to cover all metal or wood studs with sheets of gypsum panels. Strapping can even out older houses with crooked, twisted and uneven joists. Drywall is available in a variety of thicknesses. Before you install the drywall, check to make sure electrical wires, ductwork, protruding pipes, and other obstructions won’t be in your way. When you narrow the location, use a drill with an eighth inch bit to bore into the ceiling where you expect to find the joist. A good way to do this is to lay out the panels in a subway tile pattern. Standard ceiling heights are finished out at roughly 8 ft. precisely with one sole plate (bottom) and two top plates, and an unfinished wall will stand at 97 1/8". This is usually no more than 1/2" to 7/8". Plywood serves capably as ceiling material in garages, shops and rec rooms when aesthetic design is not an issue. But with the arrival of COVID-19, the stakes are higher than ever. The general rule for hanging ceiling drywall is to install the largest panels you can … You can just use a pencil to mark the locations on the wall. You can use a construction adhesive to help secure the new drywall sheets in place. First determine which way your ceiling joists run. It is essential to secure firmly the metal track in the walls, as it will support the metal studs, and eventually the drywall ceiling. If this number is less than 16 feet, you can buy one strap for each length. By using this service, some information may be shared with YouTube. This is not absolutely necessary and if you decide to do it, use a caulk gun to apply the adhesive along the furring strips just before lifting the drywall into place. Stagger butt joints. I have a 12'8" long ceiling run. Fasten each so the center is right at the 16 inch mark to be sure the 4x8 ft drywall sheets will be supported along each edge. Go across the room and drill and fasten the strips at each joist. Score the sheet on your mark. NOTE: The QuickHang ™ hardware is designed to work with solid wood and engineered wood joists in residential ceiling applications. Hold a two-by-four up to the ceiling, as if it is the new wall, and mark the ceiling to guide you. 5 2 hr. Attach The Drywall To The Ceiling. The heads of the fasteners you choose should come in contact with the paper facing, sinking in slightly without breaking through the paper. They … Every dollar contributed enables us to keep providing high-quality how-to help to people like you. {"smallUrl":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/images\/thumb\/3\/34\/Install-Ceiling-Drywall-Step-1-Version-4.jpg\/v4-460px-Install-Ceiling-Drywall-Step-1-Version-4.jpg","bigUrl":"\/images\/thumb\/3\/34\/Install-Ceiling-Drywall-Step-1-Version-4.jpg\/aid1377292-v4-728px-Install-Ceiling-Drywall-Step-1-Version-4.jpg","smallWidth":460,"smallHeight":345,"bigWidth":728,"bigHeight":546,"licensing":"