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Drywall repairs can be done easy with the right drywall tools. Adding a simple DIY Drywall patch to a radius staircase, was the call! After a quick inspection, this Drywalling project will require some 5/8″ sheetrock , a handful of 1 1/4″ drywall screws, a small roll of drywall mesh tape and a bag of 5 minute dry powder quick setting patching compound.
The wall surface is rounded or a large radius, so before the demolition of the existing 5/8″ sheetrock … back to the next nearest framing members [studs / header etc. ] with a sharp utility knife. First mark these framing members beforehand, so you can see where it is that you will apply the new screws or fasteners. Now the size of the new 5/8″ drywall can be defined, cut and hung. 
Any DIY’er can perform this type of drywall repair with the correct info and a dust mask!
After the first coat of drywall mud has been applied and locked down the drywall tape in which has been fully covered, you can do a bit of clean-up and prepare for the finish coat. More often than not you can use a 6″ drywall knife to mix and apply the rough coat, but a larger knife to smooth out and float the final coat of drywall compound with a 12″ putty knife. Rather than mudding up and down though, because of the radius, the taping compound must be slathered on in a left and right motion as to follow the curve of the radius wall!
Change is good and changing a rooms overall look is even better. Popcorn ceilings [acoustic] are old and out dated, in large part it was an inexpensive way to avoid the finish mud process of drywall work. By removing the popcorn acoustic ceiling mask in your real estate purchase, this will bring so much needed lift and clean appearance to the home, that you wished you would have made it the very first home improvement venture. Take a few pictures of before and after so all can see what it used to look like.
Step #1: remove contents of room Step#2: plastic tarp off entire room Step#3: Get a 6″ putty knife / vacuum / plastic trash bags / goggles and mask / fine spay bottle [optional] / step ladder Step#4: at the correct angle gently dig into the popcorn surface, as to not gouge at the drywall’s, try this in several different directions as well as strength of pressure, until complete Step #5: with a damp sponge wipe clean until noticeably you see the effects of a finish product Step #6: repair any maladies with drywall mud until suffice then sand Step #7: prime entire ceiling 2 coats, now paint with your favorite color!!
Don’t forget the after photos before you crack that cold one and sit back to enjoy the fruits of your labor, GOOD JOB!
When the patent came out on the Fein multi master, we all had to have one ASAP, diy home improvement tool of the decade, for sure. For $3oo plus it was worth it’s weight and could do almost too many things to mention on a blog. As a DIY tool that sands, fine cuts, scrapes and plunge cuts anything, it truly did not get any better. But last year the patent ran out and today, Dremel gave us a gift that just keeps on giving.
The Dremel Multi-Max Oscillating Tool offers do-it-yourselfers and pros a versatile and effective multitasking tool. With fast side-to-side motion, the Multi-Max can take on a variety of projects that involve repair, remodeling, or restoration. With minimal dust and a powerful 1.5 amp motor this tool superseeds the other for under $100 @ Home Depot, equaling the best BEN any DIY or pro could ever spend on a tool!!
Applying cornerbead on an outside corner of your diy drywall project is to complete the job. No job is done until the paper work has been finished. Unlike drywall work, no job is complete until the cornerbead has been applied. Mudded and sanded, first the 
actual metal or plastic piece of 8′or 10′ foot corner cap, gets screwed or nailed over the drywall and into the framing IE wall, ceiling soffit rim etc. With a fastener every 6″ or so hold this cornerbead down and tight to the face of your drywall. In essence a phase of diy drywall is the application of any metal around the rough edge of the drywall, for the mud to be held and finalizing a finish product. Whether going square or bullnosed diy drywall cannot be complete without the cornerbead.
Any one of us can easily diy drywall if we really want to.
It’s not all that difficult once the basics are understood. Common framing layout is 16″ on center, hence divisible by 48″ and 96″, or a standard 4×8 sheet of drywall. If lined up on one framing member IE wall stud and or a ceiling joist, the natural other end of the sheet of drywall should end up on the center of the framing member for fastening there. After a few sheets it will be hard to tell where the field (middle of the sheet) needs screws or nails. It is advised to mark with anything all the framing members prior to covering, then as each sheet goes up or on nail or screw each framing member at the edge as you go, this will fasten as well as enable your new framing members as marked. Be certain to check your local building department for all corresponding schedules and details. DIY drywall and do it right the first time, have fun while the transformation occurs!
After all has been hung and nailed or screwed off we can now begin the mudding process. Pre mixed drywall compound can be bought in a few different ways. Basically in a box or in a bucket and ready to be used as is, although you may add a little water and mix it in to make it more fluid and less stiff for your drywall finishing ease.
Taping joints is the act of covering any seams to bring an even flowing appearance and looking as it’s all uniform.
When mud has been applied over the seam first we then cut our piece of tape to length and place onto the seam(illustrated @ left) . The mudding compound acts as a glue for the tape and can then be knifed smooth by applying another coat of mud over the tape to cover entirely as a first rough coat.
The corner seams get the same approach only the tape will be pre-folded prior to installing, NOTE: if gaps in seams are big it is not necessary to fill the void with mud. The drywall compound mud need only be applied behind and on top of the tape completely. If not you will see what looks like bubbles in the tape, this is where the mud was not there and caused the tape to not adhere.
Thats right it’s time to cover it all up in this bathroom. 1/2″ drywall on the ceiling and 5/8″ on the walls, the ceiling is going up first so we need to get some dimensions. There is one fan/light to cut for and we’ll take two measurements, the first coming from the corner above the tub and with a 4′ x 8′ sheet we have to cut the length off at 62″ with the fan getting only notched here because its 42″ from back wall and 28″ from the left wall. And to make this accurate we need to realize it has to be installed upside down. In other words it becomes exactly the opposite on the saw horses? Because it gets flipped over the top becomes the bottom and the numbers have to be pulled from the correct sides. 
Okay got it? Now with the marks made take your sharp bladed utility knife and score into the face of the drywall sheet about a third of the way through. Pull the sheet past the edge of the table it’s on until the cut line is at the edge and the cutoff will fall to the floor (get clearance to fold it down) with pressure lifting up and pushing down at the cut it will snap on the line and hinge off the table. Not free yet we have to now score and cut the back of the drywall’s paper at the hinged cut. It will drop free and were off to hang the first piece drywall on this project.
This application of cement mortar over wire and paper is essentially the same as interior plaster and stucco on a exterior wall. Difference mainly here will be the wire used, which in a tile mortar bed float the wire has 1/4″ diamond holes to hold the cement, where typical stucco covered wire a standard application is chicken wire type with 1″ voids. Using the same mortar mix and scratch coating as well as floating the exact same method.
This first coat is considered by most the scratch coat as to just cover the wire and to not get too thick at once because the cement has a tendency to try and dry from the inside out and will crack, so a 3 coat approach is the system. Scratch, float and finish but the tile mortar bed need only a floated flat and level 2nd coat.
Spend a few minutes talking to a home improvement aficionado and you’ll most likely come away with a newfound respect for the art of hanging drywall. The process can be exhausting, but the end result is always rewarding when done right. If you’re planning a DIY drywall project, be sure to enlist the help of a friend. The mere act of lifting sheetrock can be too backbreaking for a solo venture.
You’ll need to perform a few routine tasks before you begin hanging the drywall. Double check all of your measurements to ensure that you have the right amount of sheetrock. Consult an experienced professional when purchasing other supplies – nails, tape, joint compound, etc. Someone at the local hardware store should be of service. Lastly, look into local building codes to make sure that the drywall you plan to use is of a proper thickness.