What is Drywall?
Drywall is also known as sheetrock, wallboard, or plasterboard, is a material that is used for making walls in homes and businesses. There are different types for different uses, and you can find the right type for your needs. There are even types that you can find that can save your home from water or fire damage.
You can buy drywall in many places around the country. You can choose to look for a Drywall Miami Pro to see what they know. They can help you to find the right sheetrock pro for your needs.
This article will help you to learn more about drywall and its uses. It will help you to learn some tips about how it is installed. You can also do more research on your own to find even more information.
What You Need to Know About Drywall
1. Choosing the Right Stuff
There are many different types of drywall that you can choose from. If you are at the lumberyard, you might get easily confused about the types that you can choose from. You must know which one to choose that will fit your needs the best.
2. Fire Resistant
One type of sheetrock is called Type X and it is fire resistant. This is supposed to be used for walls between garages and living spaces in the home. It is also supposed to be used on the walls between multi-unit homes such as duplexes and condos.
3. Mold and Mildew Resistant
One type of sheetrock, also called greenboard, is recommended to be in bathrooms, kitchens, and other areas that might get damp or wet. This is supposed to help to prevent mold and mildew from growing in those areas. The wallboard has the paper backing removed or treated to prevent this from growing.
4. Half-Inch
The most common size of drywall is ½ inch drywall. This is good for most walls and ceilings. There is a type of that is also called ½ inch lightweight or ultralight that is about 25% lighter than regular drywall.
5. Three-eighths and One Quarter Inch
The 3/8-inch sheetrock is usually only used for older homes, especially those made in the 60’s and 70’s. You only want to use this size to make repairs to these types of homes. The ¼ inch size is usually used to cover up plaster, wallpapered, or other walls that are in bad shape.
6. Drying Compound
You will need to use drying compound to connect corners to ceilings and other pieces of drywall. You will also need tape for between the sheets and you will use the compound over the top of that. Look here to learn more about drying compounds. There are different types of drying compounds that can be used, as well.
7. All-Purpose Compound
All-purpose is great for the first coat that covers the tape. It dries the hardest and is the sturdiest. It can also be used for other coats, but, because it is the hardest, it is also the hardest type to sand down.
8. Light-Weight All Purpose Compound
The ability to sand this compound easier is the main advantage to this mud. It isn’t as strong as the regular all-purpose compound so dents and marks will show on it easier. You don’t want to use this type where you are using your tape because it causes a weak spot on your walls.
9. Setting Compound
This type is mixed up as you need it. Because of this, it can be stronger and will shrink less than other types. You want to use this as you use any all-purpose mud such as around where you use your tape.
10. Regular and Light Setting Types
The regular setting type is very hard and sturdy and nearly impossible to sand. The lightweight setting type is easier to sand but shouldn’t be used at the tape sites. Both types can be used to mud your home and patch your walls where needed.
11. Paper Tape
This article speaks a lot about tape that you need to use. There are three different types of tape that you can use. The first is paper tape and can be used for corners because it is pre-folded for that use.
12. Fiberglass Tape
This type is made from fiberglass mesh and is easiest for beginners to use. It is more forgiving than paper tape, but not as strong for corners and where the walls meet the ceiling. You will still need to use paper tape in these areas.
13. Reinforced Paper Tape
This tape is reinforced with plastic or metal strips to make it stronger. This tape is made for corners and where the walls meet the ceiling. They don’t necessarily make these joints stronger, but they do help to make the corners and ceilings to be straighter.
14. Fasteners
You should use screws instead of nails to join your drywall to the boards. Nails will pop and will leave dents and holes in your drywall. There are different sizes of screws that you need to use for different reasons.
15. Beads – Edge and Corner
When your sheetrock meets another material such as paneling or brick, you need to use edge beads or corner beads. There are different materials that the beads are made of and differ in their use. You could use metal, vinyl, or composite beads depending on the area that you are using it for.
Sheetrock, or drywall, is a material that is used in building your home or repairing or remodeling it. There are different types for different areas so that they can help your home in different ways. You can get fire resistant to help stop the spread of fire. You can also get mold and mildew resistant for those areas in your home where it gets damp or wet.
There are also different supplies that you need when you are using drywall. You will need tape, compound, and beads. You will need all the supplies, plus sandpaper or a palm sander to sand the compound down.
