Build day events are a great opportunity to meet interesting people, learn new skills, and help your neighbors in the Charlotte community.

On May 30th, 2009, Habitat Young Professionals will be participating in dry-walling the same house which we were sheathing in the April event at the following location:

WHEN: Saturday, May 30th, 8 a.m.-4 p.m.
WHERE: 317 N. Crigler Street

So what is dry-walling and how do you go about doing it?

Tools You Will Need
Hardhat
Hammer
Nails
Toolbelt
Goggles or Glasses
Tape Measure & T-Square
Utility Knife (box cutter)
Hand Sanitizer

Common Cutting Techniques:

• For making square cuts, use a drywall T-square. Set your sheets of drywall upright with the smooth side out. Set the T-square on the top edge and line it up with your measurement. Run a utility knife along the side of the “T” to score your cut. Snap the sheet back to break the sheet along the cut. Then cut the paper back with a utility knife.
• Drywall SawDrywall T-SquareFor making cuts around obstacles you can use a drywall saw. Just use a back-and-forth motion like you would for any hand saw.
• Cutting your sheets slightly too big is better than too small. You can always shave the ends off with a rasp.
• For cutting around electrical boxes use a keyhole saw. Just punch the tip through the drywall and cut along each side. You can also use a power jig saw for these cuts.
• Circle CutterFor round cuts, like around light fixture boxes, use a circle cutter. Find the center of your circle and punch in the center marker. Adjust the arm to the radius of your circle and use it to score the perimeter of the circle. Do the same on the other side of the sheet. Tap out the cut out with a hammer. You can also use a compass to draw the circles, and a keyhole saw to cut them.
• There’s also a power tool professionals use that’s designed specifically for cutting out holes for electrical boxes and fixtures. It’s like a drywall router, and they use it to cut the holes after the sheets of drywall are up. This is a lot faster then cutting them all by hand.

Drywall Installation Tips:

• For nailing up sheets of drywall, a drywall hammer is a must. It has a convex head that creates a little dimple around the nail head without breaking the paper on the surface of the drywall. This will allow you to cover the nail head with drywall mud and get a perfectly smooth surface.
  **Using drywall screws can go a lot faster, if you have the right tool. You want to use a special electric drywall screw gun that lets you adjust it to sink the screws a little below the surface, again, so you don’t break the paper. With a regular screw gun you don’t have this control.
• Make sure there is fastening material (studs) running the length of all joints and inside corners. If needed, install wood studs.
• When installing both wall and ceiling drywall, make sure to install ceiling drywall first. Then install the wall drywall so it acts as a support for the ceiling. If you must install the ceiling 2nd, use extra fasteners.
• Cut your pieces to allow a 1/4″ space at the floor level. Keeping the drywall edge off the floor will prevent water and moisture damage. Place a wood shim at the floor as a spacer for the sheet of drywall to rest on.
• Remember to place a moisture barrier under your drywall for cold-climate homes! This will keep moisture from condensing in your insulation which then can result in mold and reduced R-values. Also, for very cold climates, you should consider converting your two-by-four walls into two-by-six walls by adding 2-inch ripped studs and new insulation – you will be glad you did! For details on my project, click here.
• Use drywall screws rather than nails. Screws won’t come loose – nails will. In our 35-year old house, many of the nails have worked their way out.
• To prevent missing the studs, pre-mark where the studs are before you hide them with your sheet of drywall. You can do this by making a mark on the floor and the ceiling and then drawing a line on the piece of drywall from the floor to ceiling marks.
• The rule of thumb for drywall screw placement is to place screws no more than 16 inches apart on walls and no more than 12 inches apart on ceilings. Placing screws closer than the minimum will not hurt – you just have more screw depressions to fill.
• Set screws so the head does not rupture the paper. If you do rupture the paper, simply place and additional screw within an inch or two.
• After all screws have been applied, run a 4 inch putty knife over the surface of the drywall. The edge of the knife can NOT hit any screws. If the knife hits a screw head, set the screw a little deeper.
• A cordless driver is handy for setting screws. For small jobs, this inexpensive driver (around $30 at a Menards Home Store) works well. For larger jobs (whole house), you should probably invest in a higher end driver.
• You should find a friend experienced in building to help you out on your first job of hanging drywall – Habitat can be that friend!

Join Habitat for Humanity Charlotte Young Professionals this Saturday, May 30th, 2009 for our monthly build event at the following location:

WHEN: Saturday, May 30th, 8 a.m.-4 p.m.
WHERE: 317 N. Crigler Street

See you on Build Day!