How To Install Drywall
Greg K. Hansward
Dry walling a home is not an easy task, but with the right tips
and hints it is a job that you can do without the help of a
professional. First of all, get the right tools, such as a
putty knife, a tray, sandpaper, joint putty, a scraper, a
hammer, paint, thinner, patches, plaster, etc. Depending on the
size of the room, you may need more items.
You need the sandpaper because the first step in dry walling is
to sand down the walls to remove any lumpy areas. Sand until you
are down to clear white, then wipe down the walls to remove any
dust and sand.
If there are any holes in the wall, you will have to fill them
with plaster. Use the putty trowel and the scraper to apply
joint filler; larger holes may require a patch and filler. This
may have to be done in layers, letting the previous filler dry
and sanding between layers.
Make sure the wall has been sanded, smoothed out and then
washed down, to make sure all dust is removed. Then the wall
has to be thoroughly dry before the dry walling can be done.
Make sure you follow each step carefully and do not move onto
the next step until you have a clean, dry, smooth wall.
Once the wall has been dry walled, you can paint. Choosing the
right paint and brushes will also make this job easier. Paint
all of the bases and edges before you roll the middle parts.
Make sure the paint is thoroughly dry and then touch up where
necessary. Make sure this is dry before you put the furniture
back and hang curtains.
As you can see, this is not a difficult job, it just takes time
to do it right.
If the walls in your home are really deteriorated, dry walling
and painting may not be the solution. You don't want to cover
up seriously damaged walls with a bit of plaster that is just
outer dressing. You may have to look into more permanent
solutions such as new lining and covering, etc.
But if you can do a repair, rather than entirely rebuilding a
wall, a little plaster and the right tools and materials can
solve your problems. But if the area is seriously rotted, you
may need to consider hiring a professional to do the repair.
If you see that you are starting to have problems with the
walls, do your repairs now instead of waiting until the problem
becomes so bad that you do need a professional to come in.
Repairs are a lot cheaper than a complete replacement.
If you apply Spackle to a worn or busted area, sand the area,
and then use a scraper to remove any peeling plaster, paint of
loose plaster. When the Spackle is dry, sand again and add a
second coat to cover the damaged area. Once again, sand and
prime the area you just patched and you are ready to paint.
Not so hard after all, was it?
About The Author: Focusing recent findings in finishing
drywall, Greg Hansward is writing especially for
http://www.insidewoodworking.com
. His writings on how to
drywall are found on
http://www.insidewoodworking.com/drywall/howtodrywall.html and
other web publications.
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