For questions about drywall (aka plasterboard) installation, repair & finishing.
4
votes
1answer
148 views
What advice would you offer somebody who is building a laundry chute for the first time?
I'm looking to build a laundry chute from our bedroom closet to the laundry room below. The positioning is such that the wall of our closet is shared with a storage closet in the loft above our ...
4
votes
2answers
1k views
What thickness drywall do I need for 24" OC wall studs in a detached garage?
I am currently finishing an older 3-car detached garage. Both the wall studs and the ceiling trusses have 24" OC spacing.
I know that for the ceiling, I'll need to use 5/8" thick drywall, due to the ...
4
votes
2answers
369 views
How should I repair drywall where heating registers used to be?
We recently had an asbestos abatement crew remove heating ducts in our house that had asbestos-lined duct insulation. Part of the process required them to remove the duct registers in the wall as ...
4
votes
3answers
104 views
Can my drywall act as an air barrier?
I am preparing to improve a building in a cold climate zone. Since it does not seem to be properly insulated, I am reading a book about insulating and weatherizing. That teaches me that I should ...
4
votes
2answers
741 views
How do I mount the new work electrical boxes with the nail-in flange?
I have to install several electrical boxes for outlets, switches, and fixtures before installing some drywall. The boxes I have look like this:
The distance between the front of the mounting ...
4
votes
4answers
1k views
How should I insulate the walls and ceilings of this 1920's semi-detached brick house?
I'm renovating a 1920's semi-detached house. The plaster on the walls was slapped straight on the wall about an inch thick, and the ceilings were lath and plaster which had been overboarded. Most of ...
4
votes
1answer
188 views
How to fix numerous holes in drywall?
I bought a property for relatively cheep, the one bedroom has about 8 holes or so ranging from about 2-3 inches and others 4-8 inches most of which are in a 4 foot square area. I don't know the exact ...
4
votes
3answers
169 views
Can I make an existing dog door bigger for our new larger dog?
We have an existing dog door that we had installed in the wall for our beagle. We have since acquired a larger dog and she has out grown the door. I'm worried about injuries, so any advice will be ...
4
votes
2answers
259 views
How do I keep drywall around a patch from crumbling?
While patching my kitchen ceiling, I cut the hole larger to get to the joists and install my drywall "normally". On one of my edges the old drywall keeps crumbling away. My plan is to make the hole ...
4
votes
1answer
99 views
What is the purpose of a vapor barrier?
I live in southern Brazil and I don't really know if I need a vapor barrier, mainly because I'm still confused about its purpose.
The house in question have brick exterior walls and interior drywall. ...
4
votes
2answers
279 views
How do I insulate space in loft to create music studio
I have 3 DIY created rooms in my large live/work studio/artist loft. They are made with 2x4 and 2x6, framing with drywall walls and plywood ceiling.
The apt has 14' 7" ceilings so we just have ...
4
votes
1answer
263 views
How can I remove soap and toothbrush holders?
What is the safest and least damaging way to remove existing soap and toothbrush holders from drywall? We would like to remove these holders because we do not use them. It seems the previous owner ...
4
votes
1answer
2k views
How do I repair a canned light that's falling down?
I apologize if the term is not "can light", but I don't know what these types of lights are called.
Anyhow, the "can" of one of our lights has fallen out from the drywall ceiling (just a bit), and ...
4
votes
1answer
120 views
How do I seal a leaky roof and repair the minor ceiling damage it caused?
We recently had some very heavy rains and during the worst of it we had some leaks. When I noticed the problem, I went into my attic and found out that the leak was coming from around a vent in the ...
4
votes
1answer
368 views
What is the code approved way to cut and patch fire rated drywall hung on the ceiling of a basement?
My new house is still under construction, and for code reasons the builder is required to hang fire rated drywall on the ceiling of the basement.
I am sure the situation will arise eventually where I ...
4
votes
1answer
542 views
What is the best way to drywall a basement staircase?
We're going to be finishing our basement and one issue I have is how we will drywall the staircase. Unfortunately the stairs are right against the concrete wall. Should I simply put furring strips ...
4
votes
3answers
82 views
How can I paint over an existing paint design without making it permanent?
We have a baby on the way. We are currently designing the nursery. The room currently has a diamond-shaped pattern that we'd like to keep, since it is unique and cool looking, plus it came that way ...
4
votes
1answer
442 views
How do I install a glass tile backsplash on 1/2" drywall?
I am currently building a house and am at the point where the builder has just finished the drywall and is ready for the kitchen cabinets and countertops to be installed. There will be no backsplash ...
4
votes
1answer
97 views
How much movement is normal after mounting a TV on partition wall?
I have a wall that's made of plasterboards mounted on metal studs. I have mounted two DVD cabinets (each 22kg) and an LCD TV (40kg).
To mount all this, I installed 6mm thick MDF panels across 5 of ...
4
votes
1answer
795 views
How well do metal inside corner beads work?
I'm currently doing some drywalling in my basement, and the biggest PITA for me is always finishing the inside corners.
Recently I saw at Home Depot they have these metal inside corner bead pieces. ...
3
votes
5answers
286 views
What quick and dirty tool/method should I use for cutting scrap drywall?
I have a pile of drywall scrap that's been sitting in my garage for a few years after a remodel, "just in case". My buddy came up with the idea of turning it into "karate boards" for our kids to ...
3
votes
4answers
2k views
Is it possible to anchor a cabinet to a wall without damaging it?
I have purchased an approx 2m high by 35cm deep dispay cabinet seated on a carpet floor. This is not fully stable (the cabinet rocks a bit when you exert force on the doors to open them), and it was ...
3
votes
3answers
322 views
How do I fix drywall around wall box so switch plate covers damage?
In my house, there are maybe three or four outlet boxes and switch boxes where there was damage done to the drywall surrounding the box at some point. There are no structural or electrical issues ...
3
votes
2answers
2k views
What is the weight capacity of your typical 2 1/2“ drywall screw when driven 1 1/2” into a stud?
Update 11/3/2012: In spite of being informed by multiple sources (here on SE, a guy at the Genie Clip Canada office, someone at the SE physics site, and even my own personal test) that I should be ...
3
votes
4answers
158 views
What to do with small patch of wallpaper in middle of wall?
I have a patch of wallpaper in the middle of a wall I am trying to paint. Its only about 18 inches tall and 6 inches wide.
It doesn't seem to want to come off, I tried using a razor blade to take it ...
3
votes
1answer
824 views
How to screw the edge of a sheet of drywall where there is no stud directly behind it?
wall A
old wall ________________ edge of frame
new wall ________________|
|
| Wall B
|
I recently floated a ...
3
votes
4answers
3k views
What is the cheapest way to add texture to a wall
The previous home owners used a perforating tool to remove wallpaper, and just painted over all the holes and lines. I am in desperate need of some texture with no budget. I need to put a new baby ...
3
votes
3answers
2k views
Is it safe to use Greenboard drywall in a shower?
I've seem a lot of people telling that greenboard drywall SHOULD NOT be used in bathroom and wet areas. However, in Brazil (where drywall is kind of a novelty yet) the manufactures recommend ...
3
votes
4answers
745 views
How should I remove the texture from the ceiling *without* tearing it out?
We want to get rid of the texture on our ceiling. It's a very ugly stipple effect.
However, there's a foot and a half of insulation over this ceiling. Knocking it down to install new drywall is ...
3
votes
2answers
2k views
Should I replace or patch a plaster ceiling?
My house is about 109 years old, excellent condition, other than cracking in the plaster ceilings. I've had one 3x3 section even fall out in my dining room. I want to replace the ceiling in the ...
3
votes
2answers
173 views
Can drywall with ripped paper be repaired?
I damaged some drywall when doing demo in a bathroom. Some of the paint peeled back and exposed the paper, which ripped off of the drywall. Can I do a thin coat and sand? please help, already ...
3
votes
1answer
637 views
Can I hang a bathroom cabinet on a single stud and drywall anchors?
I have a 15-20lb wood bathroom cabinet (24 inches wide, few feet tall) and I'll be looking to load it up with heavy bathroom supplies. Problem is there is only one stud available. Do you think one ...
3
votes
2answers
876 views
Should I be concerned about my house settling?
I bought my home about a year ago (September 2011). It's a split-level ranch built in the mid-70s.
I have a couple of spots, especially on a wall going perpindicular through the center of the house ...
3
votes
1answer
4k views
Paint got ripped off when trying to remove double-sided foam tape
I was trying to remove a picture frame which was adhered to the wall with some double-sided foam tape.
Unfortunately, the foam tape was so sticky and ripped some of the paint off the wall (see ...
3
votes
2answers
312 views
Can drywall harden or become brittle over time? Or, am I dealing with plaster?
I was in the process if hanging curtains and when I was putting the drywall mounts into the wall the drywall was extremely hard and just crumbled. Once the drywall mount hit a certain depth it just ...
3
votes
1answer
597 views
What wall material should be used behind the Kerdi system in a tub/shower?
I know from my previous question that in most cases a cement board of some kind needs to be used. However, when the Kerdi membrane system is being used behind the tile, is it still necessary to use a ...
3
votes
2answers
608 views
How should I mount a sliding closet door track?
I'm looking for input on my intended plan of action.
I'm drywalling a room, closet included. The closet track is to be mounted on a crossbeam running the width of the closet. The crossbeam is ...
3
votes
1answer
227 views
Which drywall screws to choose
1 1/4", 1 5/8", 2 1/2", bugle head, trim head, drill point, sharp point, coarse thread, fine thread...
With so many different kinds of drywall screws available, how is anybody to know which type and ...
3
votes
1answer
327 views
Kitchen Cabinets And Dry Wall Screws
I've got some kitchen cabinets that were hung using 4", course threaded, dry wall screwed. At every stud there is a screw at the top and bottom of the cabinet. Additionally, each cabinet is joined ...
3
votes
4answers
3k views
Why does the plaster crack beneath the window sill?
Sorry if this is an obvious question.
Can anyone tell me why the dry lined plaster in our house so frequently cracks beneath the edge of the windows?
At first I thought it may be relating to the ...
3
votes
1answer
116 views
How should I repair drywall seams that have developed cracks?
The second floor of the house was built 17 years ago. Every seam has fiber tape, and every seam on the ceiling and wall cracked. It's only the second floor that's cracking.
Can I just Spackle the ...
3
votes
1answer
42 views
Can I mix joint compounds with different setting times to get a custom setting time?
I'm currently skim coating some really bad looking walls and my 45 minute joint compound is setting too fast for me to get a nice finish.
Can I mix the remainder of my 45 minute Joint Compound with ...
3
votes
2answers
186 views
Will this moisture problem persist after drywall is installed?
we remodeled a trailer home recently, removed the aluminum siding, put up osb in place of the siding, then used the Lowes brand of house wrap. we installed new vinyl siding over that without using any ...
3
votes
2answers
285 views
How can I remove plaster board/drywall rawl plugs?
I have used red head metal plaster board rawl plugs. The kind that flare out flat when you screw the bolt in.
I now need to remove them. Is there a trick to remove them so I can reuse them or take ...
3
votes
3answers
1k views
Remodeling a pre-1920's home with planks on the interior walls
I own an older home in central PA; my guess it is pre-1920's and I was going to remodel the living room and insulate the walls and run new wiring. The walls are horse hair plaster; when I removed the ...
3
votes
1answer
508 views
How do I replace missing drywall strips after an asbestos abatement?
I'm getting ready for my first major DIY project (about a week away). Here's a summary:
We confirmed the presence of Asbestos in our house heating vent insulation and acoustic ceilings. We're ...
3
votes
1answer
1k views
How can I find places to nail/screw into walls of ICF (insulated concrete form) home?
The home I bought has exterior walls made of ICF (insulated concrete form). I don't know the brand or type, I just know that somehow the builders attached the drywall to the styrofoam/concrete.
I'm ...
3
votes
2answers
73 views
How long does setting-type joint compound have to dry before priming?
I put the final skim coat of 90-minute hot mud on the walls this afternoon, how long should I wait before priming? I've seen everything from overnight to 3 days, and the manufacturer's website ...
3
votes
2answers
201 views
What should I do after mistakenly using moldy paint on drywall?
I was painting my basement and used a six year old five gallon bucket of paint. It had about 4 gallons of paint in it. The surface was black, but it didn't smell bad. I thought it was the dye ...
3
votes
2answers
114 views
How do I locate studs in my wall?
First, I'm not the handiest of men, but can usually figure this sort of thing out. I just moved into an apartment in Manhattan and we're wanting to mount shelves, desks, and televisions to the wall to ...
