We finished hanging drywall in the basement. More on that in a sec…
MY OTHER PROJECTSAnd I’ve gone through 800 paint swatches in the basement, guys. I love picking out paint, but when you’re picking out paint for a space that has little to no natural light, it just feels harder. I have gone to every major paint store and gotten enough swatches to wallpaper an entire room with, if I wanted to…actually, that would be kind of a fun idea. But I digress. Point is, the paint, people. We have picked the paint. And even though I continue to second guess said paint, it’s pointless to protest, because at this point, we just need to move past previous decisions. We are a go for painting.
The drywall installation, the paint, this is all big news. Because once upon a time, I considered boarding up this level of the house and pretending it didn’t exist anymore. Like a natural disaster site. But my faith in this basement project is slowly being restored. *This post contains affiliate links. Please read our full disclosure policy HERE.*
Basement renovation is a BIG project, and with a BIG project typically come BIG budget-busting, marriage-testing, hormone-challenging, sanity-testing issues. Sadly, I don’t have many helpful tips for you to make sure a padded room is not in your near future, BUT, we can help you with the budget-busting issues. That’s one of the things we do best here at the Nest. After all, we’re “cheap, cheap” (Get it? You know, like birds chirping…because our name is the Heathered “nest”…just making sure we’re all on the same page 😉
One of the DIY projects we always take on during any home renovation is hanging drywall.
Now, that may sound like a scary proposition to you if you have no experience with this task. But, if you are comfortable with a screw gun, you can tackle hanging drywall. Now, mudding/taping/finishing the drywall is a separate issue, and that’s for another time and post, and quite possibly a task you’ll want a professional to take off your plate. But just doing the hanging yourself? That could save a good amount from your bottom line, and it’s really not an overly challenging task.
supplies for hanging drywall:
- 4×8 sheets of 1/2″ lightweight drywall
- 1 5/8″ drywall screws
- Utility knife with lots of replacement blades
- drywall screw gun OR regular screw gun with drywall setter bit
- drywall square
- 2×4 stud(s) to use for nailing strip(s)
- drywall saw (jab saw)
- drywall carry handle
![By Mark Wolfe (This image is from the FEMA Photo Library.) [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File%3AFEMA_-_23161_-_Photograph_by_Mark_Wolfe_taken_on_03-29-2006_in_Mississippi.jpg)
installing drywall: tips & tricks:
1.) Buy sheetrock in the smaller, 4×8 1/2″ lightweight variety.
Do yourself and your back a favor. 4×12 sheets are available, but they are SUPER heavy, and are much harder to transport, if you don’t happen to drive a semi-trailer.
2.) Buy enough drywall screws.
There’s nothing worse than running out of a supply 3/4 of the way through your project. For 16″ on center studs, you will use about 36 screws per 4×8 sheet of drywall, as a rule of thumb.
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3.) Consider hanging the sheetrock yourself.
Get an estimate from a drywall company for hanging the drywall and a separate estimate for finishing the drywall. If you’re up for the challenge, hanging the drywall yourself can save a lot of money, especially in a large space, like our basement.
4.) Buy a sheetrock carry handle.
Sheetrock is heavy, bulky and awkward…even the lightweight variety. These simple, inexpensive tools make the lifting much easier, and a lot more ergonomically appropriate.
5.) Hire a professional to do the taping.
I was taught how to do drywall taping by my father. But I still hire someone to tackle larger taping/finishing jobs because a professional can do the work in half the time, and it will look twice as good as it were to tackle the project. PLUS, it’s a VERY messy job.
6.) Consider doing the sanding yourself.
If you’re really looking for cost savings, this would be another aspect of a drywall job to consider for your DIY list. Sanding isn’t rocket science. You’re just trying to knock down any high points and create a smooth surface for priming and painting. Use a sanding block in one hand, and your bare palm is the other tool you’ll need. Sand LIGHTLY. The biggest mistake people make is OVER-sanding. You don’t want to completely eliminate the taping mud. Use your bare palm to feel the surface for smoothness. When you are satisfied that the surface is free of any lumps and bumps, it’s almost ready for paint.
7.) Proper ventilation and gear is a must for sanding.
If sanding yourself, make sure to have proper ventilation or a fan/sanding vacuum system, perhaps a fine dust filter for your wet-dry shop vac (that’s what we use), respirator and eye protection. Sanding is the messiest part of a drywall project, and the dust generated is unbelievable. Cover any openings to adjacent rooms/spaces with painters plastic. Trust me, you don’t want that dust escaping to the rest of your home.
8.) Lightly mark where the studs are on the sheet of drywall
before you hang it. This makes it easier to put the screws in without missing your mark and wasting time and screws
9.) Best way to cut drywall is
by using your drywall square as a straight edge to run your SHARP utility knife against. The knife should score the sheetrock, then you simply snap the drywall along your score. If it doesn’t give you a clean break, you may want to sand down the jagged edge a bit prior to installing. Remember to change the cutting blade often…the gypsum dulls the blade quickly.
![By U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Patrick W. Mullen III [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File%3AUS_Navy_070911-N-8547M-044_Lt._Song_Hwang%2C_chaplain_of_Naval_Mobile_Construction_Battalion_(NMCB)_5%2C_left%2C_and_Builder_Constructionman_Robert_L._Dynda%2C_of_the_battalion%5Ersquo%2Cs_air_detachment%2C_cut_sheetrock_during_a_constructio.jpg)
10.) Trim out the electrical outlets and switches after you hang the drywall,
not before…I have made this mistake and it is a pain to remedy. OR, better yet, spring for one of these blind mark electrical box locator tools. They work great, and take a lot of guesswork out of this part of the job.
11.) Buy a drywall square...
trust me, it is worth the $20-ish investment.
12.) Consider renting a drywall screw gun.
If you don’t want to buy a dedicated screw gun for drywall, consider renting one. They really make the job much easier.
13.) Make sure you have all wiring run before hanging your drywall…
including all the wiring you need for an entertainment system. It can definitely be tempting to “just get the drywall up”, but believe me, take the time and make sure you have the wiring, and anything else you want to hide behind the walls, up before you hang the drywall. I also will install wiring pathways using 2″ PVC piping to allow you to pull wire from one area of the basement to another…or to run that HDMI cable from your TV to your AV components.
14.) You always need a solid surface for the edge of your drywall sheet to land on. Plan accordingly.
It’s worth the time to plan ahead and put up 2×4 wood strips where ever the edge of the drywall is going to land. It really slows you down when you are hanging drywall and you have to stop and go cut a 2×4 and get out the nail gun because the piece of drywall you are about to hand ends and there is not place to screw it into
15.) Hang the drywall about 1/2″ off the floor.
This helps to prevent the drywall from wicking up any water that might find its way onto the floor. (This was one of the big problems we discovered in our basement during the demolition phase. The drywall had been installed all the way to the floor, and when a water heater had leaked, mold was able to form because of the moisture wicked by the sheetrock. Yuck.)
And there we have it. 15 tips to help you tackle hanging drywall, and possibly even finishing your drywall, DIY-style. Hope that saves you some cashola, and maybe even just a teensy-weensy speck of your sanity in your next renovation project.
As for our own sanity here in the Nest, well, that’s always been questionable at best. But, I’d say we’re doing ok. Next week is reveal week for the One Room Challenge, and as such, we’re starting to enter that uber-fun phase, technically called P-A-N-I-C.
But, we’re getting the stone on our fireplace/entertainment wall. And since we don’t have gas in our home, we bought this super modern electric fireplace, similar to THIS ONE to mount on the wall…
I kind of hear a certain type of 70’s song in my head when we fire this thing up, but whatevs, it cranks out some serious heat, and it makes me smile, and laugh…you can change the color of the flames…WHAAAT?! Hilarious. Never knew I needed this option, but I’m gonna call it a win.
AND, I went for it in the painting department. We had a big, blank wall on one side of the rec room, so I decided I needed a chalkboard wall. A BIG chalkboard wall.
The hubs isn’t so sure, but I have confidence this thing is gonna be awesome. Fingers crossed. Just more fodder for our next marriage counseling session, right? Any couple who is gonna tackle DIY projects together should line up a counselor ASAP if you haven’t already, you’ll want them on speed dial (count that as tip #16 today).
Thanks for stopping by, friends. And if you’ve missed the other posts in this basement renovation series, here are the links:
Post 1: The WORST basement you’ve ever seen
Basement Post 2: Top 10 Demolition Tools
Post 4: Waste Management Supplies for DIY Renovations
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What a huge job! I can’t wait for the reveal! I love the direction the space is going in. As a fellow ORC participant it’s been wonderful to gather some fantastic inspiration. I’d love for you to share your progress at Thoughts of Home on Thursday. Our readers would love to see it. The gathering is at http://www.decortoadore.net
I’m right there with you when it comes to drywall! Hanging it up is the easy part, it’s the mudding and sanding that is the worst! In my craft room I planned my walls so that the biggest wall would be covered by a pallet wall. That way I didn’t have to worry about sanding anything down. Definitely saved my sanity! Your basement is coming along great!
I have been following your basement story. We are just planning our basement improvement trip. We are planning bedroom, bath, small kitchen, and media room. My husband is not excited but we have been down the home improvement road before. We live in an 100 year old log cabin. This is a long road…
Carol, I would LOVE to see your progress as well! YES, that’s a HUGE undertaking. May the force be with you 😉 Post some pics on the FB page if you ever think of it. Would absolutely love to follow along!!
Amazing progress and all your tips are spot on! We just finished hanging the drywall in our basement bathroom and are getting ready to start on the laundry room. I may need a padded room by the time we get to the mud/tape part, but at least we are getting a little better at hanging the sheets, but it is no joke! I cant wait to see your finished product!
My husband and I dry walled an entire bedroom in our last house without either one of us having experience with it. Luckily a contractor friend helped us out some, but it was still quite challenging! Glad to read your tips! Thank you for sharing at Merry Monday!
These are great tips! The drywall is a major sticking point holding us back from finishing our basement. Thanks for sharing these tips with us at Merry Monday!
We just ripped out some old wood paneling and now we need to hang dry wall in its place. I’ve been dreading it, so I keep putting it off. Thank you very much for the tips and the reassurance. It’s good to know that it’s a doable project.
I agree that there is a point in a project where you should let a professional finish. It is worth it looking so much better, and you not having to sacrifice so much of your time. I appreciate your information on sanding, this sounds like it would be kind of tricky for me, so I will probably leave that to the professionals as well. Thank you so much for such a helpful article!
Wow, this seems like a pretty big job! My husband and I are finally ready to finish our basement, and we need to put in dry wall. After looking at this, I am thinking it might be best to hire a professional to come put it in for us, so that it gets done right, and we don’t have to worry about it in the future.
When I was a child my father used to buy the drywall then install it himself. My husband and I want to finish our basement. We’re thinking of ordering some drywall to hang up and start the process. That’s a good tip about hanging it half an inch above the floor, makes sense to me.
Working on a drywall project with my wife has always been a thrill ride lol. She is lazy at times, but I love it whenever we are together on such a mission.