Basics Drywall is sheetrock. It comes in widths of 1/8, 3/8, 1/2, and 5/8 inches. Your home has either plaster or sheetrock. You would only need to purchase and use sheetrock if you have a large hole, or if your doing a remodel and have torn out walls, or of course have built new ones. Most sheetrock is white and can be installed anywhere. When working in areas that have contact with water, such as around bathtubs, showers, and kitchen backsplashes, you want to use greenboard. Greenboard is the same size as regular sheetrock. You cut it and hang it the same as regular sheetrock, but it repels water better and doesn’t rot as

fast. When repairing sheetrock patches, always replace with the same size thickness. Sheetrock comes in 4 foot by 8 foot sheets. You might be able to find 1/2 sheets at some home improvement stores, (for small projects). The 8 foot edge is called the seam, the 4 foot edge is called the butt. There is 32 square feet in one full sheet. Cutting and Hanging Tools Needed Tape Measure: For measuring up the size piece to cut. Tee Square: This tool is shaped like a big “T”. It is used for cutting rock through the width (the 4 foot section), at a right angle, which would be a square cut. This tool is laid on top of the piece, and gives you a perfect square cut, once the T square is in place you can either mark it with a pencil or use a utility knife and run the blade along side of the metal. Hammer: For nailing the sheetrock to the studs. Screw Gun: Screws are much better than nails. They do not work their way out of the sheetrock, like nails do when there’s a lot of movement in your structure (whether it’s normal movement or due to a earthquake). The screw gun is not only quicker but you can adjust the depth that it will automatically set your screws. Your screws must be set lower than the surface of your rock so there is an area for the compound to make a smooth surface. Chalk Line: You need the chalk line for marking long cuts, unless you have an 8 foot straight edge. It is also used for angled cuts. Utility Knife: Primarily this tool is used for cutting the sheetrock. Your first cut is on the face or front, then you simply break the piece open by bending or cracking it open, then you run the knife down the backside, to score it. Keyhole Saw: This small but sharp saw is used to cut irregular shapes like round light fixtures. Nails: Sheetrock nails are used for sheetrock only, and no other nails should be used. They are called “Dritite”. They do not rust and the head is cupped, so when you smack it with a hammer and drive it into the sheetrock, it forms to the rock and is better suited for having joint compound applied on top to create a smooth surface. Screws: Much better than nails, these sheetrock screws are called “grabbers”. You have to use a screw gun or a drill to hang your rock using grabbers, but the finish product will not move with normal house movement. Screws do not work their way out of sheetrock, like nails eventually do. Applying joint compound Materials and Tools Needed This process is called Taping Joint Tape: There are two different types, fiberglass and paper. Joint tape is used for bridging the gaps between two pieces of sheetrock, the tape is used for eliminating the cracks that would appear, had you not used tape at all. Fiberglass tape has self adhering adhesive on the back side for easy installation. It is not used in the corners, but only out in the field (middle). You simply lay the tape on your seams or butts, run a blade or your hand across it to make it stick to the sheetrock. This tape can be cut two ways, either with a utility knife, being very careful not to cut the paper of the sheetrock, or simply by pressing a six inch knife against it and pulling the roll of tape away at a right angle. Paper tape can be used on all applications. It is not self adhering, you must apply joint compound to the seam first. Next you embed the tape on the compound (mud), and using the six inch blade, remove most of the excess from underneath the tape. After the mud is dry then you are ready for successive top coats Taping ~ Joint Compound: This is sometimes called “All Purpose” compound because it can be used for all stages of the taping process. This mud has more adhesive in it, so it must always be used for embedding the tape. Topping ~ Joint Compound: This mud is used for top coatings only. It usually has a yellow cast to it, so you don’t confuse it with All Purpose. It is more user friendly when it comes to the sanding stage, but keep in mind that it does shrink more. Hand Mixer: You always want to add a little water to your premixed compound and this two to four foot tool is used for mixing your mud. It is shaped like a large potato masher, and makes mixing large quantities, much faster. Buckets: When you’re mixing large quantities, you need a clean bucket to mix both mud and water together. Taping Knifes: Most common sizes used are 6 and 12 inch. The 6 inch is used for imbedding the tape. And the 12 inch is for all top coats. Mud Pan: It is used for carrying your compound, and the most common size is 14 inch. This is suitable for your 12 inch knife.

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