Drywall

Drywall is your local gypsum wallboard, which you may already have installed in your home. A gypsum wallboard is made of pound gypsum enclosed in a paper casing. It has significantly taken the place of plaster as the most widely used wall surface in majority of American homes.

Drywall is primarily used as backing or base surface for many types of wall treatments such as fabric, wallpaper, wood, and tile paneling or simply painted on as a drywall finishing. It is also has the reputation of being inexpensive and easy to install. This material is sold in sheets in these dimensions: 4' x 8', 4' x 9', and 4' x 10' and are generally about half an inch and 5/8 inch thick, although other thickness can be found in the market as well.

You will benefit from knowing that there are different types of drywall in the market. The regular drywall is prone to damage caused by moisture. To avoid this scenario, choose the special "green" drywall for bathrooms, sinks and other high-moisture areas, where the material will likely come in contact with water and water vapor. But then, even the special drywall cannot withstand continuous contact with moisture since the paper casing can disintegrate eventually.

Additionally, stud spacing significantly affects the special "green board". If you opt to employ the special drywall board for your wall, place a 12-inch space on center between the roof joists for every ½ inch thick drywall. If your on center spacing is 16 inches, then the thickness should be increased by 5/8 inches for ceilings.

Manufacturers likewise say that vapor retarders should not be utilized beneath the water-resistant drywall especially when the face is treated with ceramic tile as well as water-vapor materials impermeable with water.

Also, bear in mind two drywall manufacturing claims – the waterproof and water-resistant. The special green board for instance is water-resistant, not waterproof. Water-resistant means the material can withstand a small amount of moisture penetrating into the core while 100% waterproof mean water and moisture cannot permeate the gypsum core.

Drywall installation is accomplished by fastening its panels directly to furring strips (for none-wood finishes) and wall studs that are previously applied on surfaces with the use of wallboard nails, screws, or in special instances – adhesive may apply. Joints between panels may be hidden using joint compound and wallboard joint tape. Or you could ask your local store for a special topping compound that can be applied on the whole surface.

Drywall Repair Tips

Life can be harsh for a drywall – doors can slam into it, furniture marks and scuffs, or moisture damage. Rarely, nails can protrude from the drywall surface which is common in new homes due to shrinkage of framing materials. Drywall screws do not protrude, though.

Luckily, the minor problems that strike on drywalls can easily be mended – DIY drywall repairs that ordinary homeowners can handle such as fixing dents, repairing holes, changing panels, and filling or covering holes from nails and screws.

However, as the old adage goes "prevention is better than cure", which applies to drywalls. Hence, it would help to have some drywall tools in keep such as a putty knife, patching plaster, spackling compound, sandpaper, and a hammer. If you come across nails popping out from the surface, treat it like an ordinary nail problem. Instead, opt to use drywall screws rather than nails.

Remember that like any other material, drywall range in quality but most importantly its appearance after the application of a finishing depends on the type of wall treatment used and the skill of the exerted. Nonetheless, drywall is an excellent wall finishing and an inexpensive one at that.