Drywall is suspended below the ceiling joists.
Drywall is a building material that is used to create walls on the interiors of buildings. Typically, a room has drywall attached to both the walls and the ceiling, creating a shell that you can then install other coverings over or simply paint over. Installing drywall on the ceiling requires a few special steps, due to the difficulty of installing something above your head.
Measure and Cut First
It may be tempting to just slap the drywall on the ceiling and screw it in place, making your cuts as you go, but you will find the process much easier if you measure and cut each piece of drywall beforehand. The shorter ends of the drywall, called the "butt" ends, need to end exactly in the middle of a ceiling joist to ensure that you will have a strong joint. You also need to ensure that your butt joints are staggered, so you don't have one continuous row of butt joints across your ceiling. Once you make your measurements, cut the drywall by scoring down the cut line with your utility knife, snapping the drywall along that line, then scoring the back side to make the cut.
Getting the Drywall in Place
Drywall isn't the heaviest building material, but when you have to keep it in place a few feet above your head, it can wear out your arms quickly. Two people are required to get the drywall into place, but to hold it there, you will either need a drywall lift or a large T-brace. A drywall lift is a large platform that you place the drywall on. Crank the level under the platform, and the lift raises the drywall up to the ceiling. For smaller or lighter pieces of drywall, a T-brace is just as good. Lift the drywall up to the ceiling with a friend, then raise the T-brace underneath the drywall, holding it in place.
Cut Openings for Fixtures
Measure and mark the location on the drywall of any fixtures that will require holes in the drywall. Do this before you hang the piece, and double-check your measurements. Also mark the lines across the drywall where the joists will be located, so that you can easily screw the drywall into place. Once the drywall is secure on the ceiling, use a rotary saw to make the cutouts, using your lines as a guide.
Use Glue and Screws
Since ceiling drywall is applying constant downward pressure, you'll need a little extra adhesion to be sure that it will stay in place. Apply drywall adhesive, using a caulking gun, to the underside of the joists just before you raise up the drywall. Use one thin stream of adhesive down the middle of the joist, unless that particular area is where a butt joint will be. In that case, spread the adhesive out in a zigzag pattern over the entire bottom face of the joist. Once the drywall is up, drive a screw every 12 inches along the joists and the edges of the ceiling.
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