Drywall was introduced in the 1920s by U.S. Gypsum Co., which trademarked it as Sheetrock, a name still used today. It was made of gypsum fibers formed into a solid board and covered on both sides with paper facing. It was intended to replace gypsum plaster, which was both harder and more expensive to use as interior wall covering. It eventually did, especially in the building boom after World War II. Today, drywall is almost universal as interior wall sheathing. It can be painted or finished in many ways.
Instructions
1. Measure the walls and ceiling with a tape measure to get the square footage of drywall needed; it comes in panels 4 feet wide and from 8 to 12 feet long, with 4-by-8-feet the most common. Multiply the height and width of walls and divide by 32, the square footage of a typical panel, to figure the number of panels needed. Measure the floor to calculate ceiling footage. Measure corner to corner on walls and floors to make sure they are square.
2. Install drywall on the ceiling first. Lift it in place and brace it with a drywall lift, two boards formed into a T with angled braces to support the top. Have help to raise a panel and hold it in place. Get on a ladder to fasten a panel in place with drywall screws using a screw gun. Run panels perpendicular to ceiling joists and drive screws into joists every 12 to 18 inches. Trim panels with a utility knife or drywall saw if necessary.
3. Set the first wall panel horizontally at the top of one wall end. Fasten it with screws to the wall studs. Put panels at the top of the wall from end to end. Start the next row of panels below that with a half-panel, cut lengthwise. Cover the bottom of that wall with panels completely. Use a utility knife or drywall saw to cut openings around doors, windows, electrical boxes or other objects.
4. Cover all other walls in the same fashion, from top to bottom and end to end. Butt panels solidly against each other, with no intervening space. Put screws into studs around door and window openings to hold those panel edges firmly in place. Cut panels to fit any irregular openings created by walls not being square.
5. Tape all joints and corners with drywall tape, preferably pre-pasted fiberglass mesh, although paper or unpasted mesh may be used. Press pre-pasted tape over the joints; fold it in half lengthwise to cover inside or outside corners. Prepare for unpasted tape by spreading a thin layer of joint compound over the joint with a drywall knife. Cover that with tape and spread another layer of compound over it to secure it. Let all the compound dry, then add a second, slightly wider, coat applied with a wider drywall knife to seal the seams.
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