Drywall is heavy and easy to break.
Wallboard, or drywall, is a common building material that comes in large, unwieldy sheets. Wallboard is easy to crack and damage, so transporting it is difficult, especially if you are working alone. There are several options for carrying wallboard, depending on the scale of your operation. Choose the tool that provides the most help for the best price.
Panel Carry Tool
If you only need to carry a few sheets, you can buy an inexpensive panel carrying tool. Typically, this plastic tool has a large handle on one end and a hook or inset on the other. To use it, you grasp the handle and place the panel into the hook or inset. This provides a comfortable hand grip and gives you greater control of the panel while walking.
Dolly
A drywall dolly has four wheels and is suitable for transporting several sheets at once. If you plan to transport many panels of wallboard, buy a model that has a sufficient load capacity. Other features include stability bars that keep the panels upright or special designs that make it easier for you to turn corners while transporting wallboard.
Drywall Lift
A drywall lift is an effective choice if you must install drywall by yourself. To use a drywall lift, you place the board on the hooks, then crank the lever to raise it toward the installation location. Once it's in place, you can attach the wallboard with screws or nails. Without a drywall lift, it's nearly impossible to install large panels of drywall by yourself. It can only hold one sheet at a time, but it does have wheels that allow you to move a board across a room, so you can use it to transport wallboard if necessary.
Considerations
The larger the panel of wallboard, the more difficult it is to carry without breaking. Large sections are flexible, so jerky movements can cause the wallboard to flex too much and eventually snap. To minimize this problem, manufacturers typically package sheets of drywall in pairs and connect them with a paper packaging strip. While it is more difficult to carry two sheets at once, you should always carry drywall in pairs if possible to minimize the chance of snapping.
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