drywall

[dug]

I was hoping to have someone do my drywalling for me but after a couple of bids at well over 2 dollars a sq. ft. it looks like I'll be tackling it myself.

Does it matter if you run the sheets perpendicular or parallel to the studs?

[Redoverfarm]

The less seams the better.  Most people that hang drywall will use 12' rather than 8' and hang it horizontal so that there is only one seam mid ways.  I guess it really depends on the size of your room as to what demensions of drywall you install. Install the ceiling first, then the top sheet and the bottom sheet last.  That way you can keep tight seams at the ceiling and mid ways on the wall.  The bottom if cut will be covered with base.

[MountainDon]

The only part of horizontal placement of sheets that I found difficult was jointing the sheets butt to butt. The long sides have the reduced thickness near the edge. The butt ends, 4 foot ends, are square cut. It takes more practice to end up with a smooth non visible joint. For that reason I prefer doing walls with vertical placement. I did find some useful info with a Goggle search. Lots of worthless advice too. I didn
t bookmark them though.  

[dug]

Thanks.

If I install the drywall horizontally would I then place the second course in a brick pattern, so the seems do not line up? Or does it not matter?

[Redoverfarm]

Yes stagger the joints.  In addition around windows and doors no not break at the edge allowing it (seam) to fall above or below at least 6-8" toward the center.  Halfway is more desirable but depends on how you framed and where the stud falls.

[fishing_guy]

Go horizontally.  The weakest orientation of the drywall is the long way.  The strongest is the short orientation.  You'll see this when you start cutting.  This helps when (if) external pressures are applied once its up.  Think doorknobs, fighting siblings...don't ask how I know...

Stagger any vertical joints, by as much as possible.  If they meet, they'll be hard to tape well, and will also be prone  to cracking.

When doing closets, you can rip one sheet the width of the header.  You'll be left with a bunch of (I think about 82") "legs".  Cut one sheet 82" long and then rip all of your "legs" out of the one sheet.

Lastly, count your sheets.  Then add 10% to that.  It'll get you to within one sheet of the correct amount.  Remember, drywall is relatively cheap.  Make as few joints as possible to minimize the taping you have to do!

[astidham]

Hey dug,
I found a local sawmill (2 hrs away) that milled v-match pine 1x6 car siding for .66 cents a square foot, so I Decided to use it instead of drywall.
That was my solution. I know nothing about drywall.

[UK4X4]

Personally I have never seen drywall hung horizontally..........ever

but then maybe you US folks do things diferently !

1 vertical seam every 4 ft rather than some vertical and some horizontal seams

[rwanders]

It's done both ways here in the US---I have always thought vertical Had some definite advantages, especially for larger commercial jobs such as offices where ceilings are usually suspended. We would order the large quantities involved in the exact length required and end up with virtually no horizontal or square butt seams to finish. Obviously, your framing better be plumb and accurately spaced---so metal studs have some advantages---a rocker can easily unscrew and adjust misaligned metal studs or even add one, wood is harder. Vertical is rarely seen in residential jobs which are almost always wood and, also just habit, I think.

[Alan Gage]

One advantage I heard for horizontal was that the seams were at an easy to work with level. Whereas with vertical your going from a ladder to your knees to mud/sand the seams.

Alan