How to Prevent a Drywall Disaster

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Drywall is usually a cost-effective way to finish a project. However, some contractors cut corners and end up with an unfinished wall instead of a finished room. Even if you take great care when hanging drywall, you may still encounter a drywall disaster now and again. Luckily, repairing a drywall disaster is easier than you think. With just a few tricks and tips, you can repair that misshapen drain or cracked panel without ripping out the entire wall. Let’s explore how you can prevent the next drywall disaster from happening to your walls again in the future.

Install Durable Drywall

A lot of DIY drywall projects are undertaken by homeowners who simply don’t know drywall is not a permanent product. If it gets damaged, it can’t be reused. You should install drywall in a way that makes it easy to remove later. This can be done by installing a header or baseboard, or by using removable panels. Choose a fastening method that makes it easy to remove the drywall to replace it with a better method. This mean screws instead of nails.

Inspect Walls Before Hanging Drywall

The best way to prevent a drywall disaster is to inspect walls before you hang the drywall. This will help you find problems before they become disasters. Note how smooth the wall is, how much drywall is needed, and how many panels it takes to cover the wall. If you don’t know these things, you may overhang the wall and waste money by covering too much wall. You can also save money by replacing damaged drywall. If you notice a damaged section of wall, you can easily remove the drywall and fix the problem yourself.

Be Prepared for a Drywall Disaster

When hanging drywall, keep a few things in mind to prevent drywall disasters. First, wear gloves, a goggles or a dust mask when installing drywall. You may be tempted to take your gloves off to make a quick job go faster, but you should wear gloves while installing drywall. Gloves help prevent cuts and scrapes because the drywall sticks to your fingers. Dust masks and goggles help you avoid breathing in dust, which can cause allergies and lung diseases.

Keep Tools and Supplies on Hand

When hanging drywall, it’s a good idea to keep a few tools, such as a hammer, tape measure and pencil, on hand. This makes it easier to mark spaces, install headers and make adjustments to the wall. The pencil marks can also come in handy if you need to make a repair when hanging drywall. You should also keep drywall screws and a sharp box cutter knife on hand. Drywall screws will generally rust over time so keep them in a dry area for your next project. When not in use, they should be stored in the tray so they don’t get buried in dust and dirt.

Use an LED Worklight to Find Problems

Foundation walls and basement walls often require extra care when hanging drywall. When installing drywall, the surface of these walls is usually damaged. Foundation walls are crumbling, or have concrete chunks or rocks in them, and should be replaced instead of repaired. Basement walls, on the other hand, may have a few cracks or voids in them. These should be patched with drywall compound before installing new drywall. To find problems before they occur, you can use an LED worklight. This tool has a small, portable light that can be easily clipped to a belt or tool belt.

Fixing a Crack in Drywall

Cracks in drywall are annoying and can be a source of damage. To prevent cracks in your wall, you should seal the drywall joints with joint sealant. This should be applied immediately after hanging drywall. Joint sealant makes cracks in the drywall disappear and seals the crack. Joint sealant is available at most home improvement stores and is relatively inexpensive.

Preventing Drywall Disasters

Now that we know what can cause drywall disasters, let’s talk about how you can prevent them from happening in the first place. All drywall projects are risky. A few mistakes here and there won’t wreck your walls, but they can be costly. To minimize damage, you should follow these tips: - Always use quality drywall. Cheap drywall can be ruined by even the smallest damage. - Install paper hangars to protect walls. - Use horizontal and vertical header with baseboards or header and baseboard hangers. - Use a drywall screw gun. This is the safest, most efficient way to install drywall. - Clean and inspect walls periodically.

Conclusion

Drywall is a great way to finish projects, but it can also cause damage. If you find yourself in a drywall disaster, follow these steps to prevent extensive damage and repair the walls as quickly and efficiently as possible.