From: patter@dasher.uucp (24224-guthrie)
Subject: Re: Sheetrocking Question
Organization: Bellcore, Livingston, NJ
Date: Thu, 10 Sep 92 03:48:35 GMT

In article <9SEP199212522304@ducvax.auburn.edu> gottesmn@ducvax.auburn.edu (Robert W. Gottesman) writes:
>
>Well, I am just about to get started on sheetrocking our bonus room.  I've
>never attempted to do anything like this before.  I have a friend who has and
>is going to help.  
>
>Any pre sheetrocking tips, suggestions, etc?  What do I need to buy/have?
>What is the best/cheapest ways to finish the ceiling? Etc.

Well, basically you need
  1. Two stepladders. (It's also nice to have a bench about 1' high and
     about 5' long).
  2. A friend.
  3. A "deadman".
  4. The sheet rock.
  5. Hammers and/or screwguns or cordless drills with screwdriver tips.
  6. Utility knives.
  7. A sheet rock or keyhole saw.
  8. Nails or sheet rock screws. The choice here should match your choice in
     item #5!
  9. A sheet rock jack. You make this out of scrap lumber.
 10. Enough metal (my preference) corner bead to cover any outside corners.

For finishing you'll need:
  1. A 4" sheet rock knife.
  2. A 6" sheet rock knife.
  3. Optionally, a 12" sheet rock knife.
  4. Sheet rock paper joint tape.
  5. A 5 gallon bucket of good sheet rock compound (I use USG).

You do the ceiling first. Most housing codes require at least 1/2" rock.
Even if your code doesn't, this is what I'd put up. I normally use 3/8"
on walls, but thicker is better.

First, make your "deadman". Cut or find one piece of 2x4 about 3' long.
Measure the distance from floor to ceiling joist and cut another 2x4 one
and three quarters inch shorter. Nail the 3' piece to one end of the long
one to form a "T".

Now, measure the distance between joists and mark lines on your rock where
each one will be so you know where to put the screws (or nails). If necesary,
cut the rock so that the edge ends up in the middle of a joist. Hang the
ceiling rock in whatever direction that results in the fewest pieces of rock
being used. In other words, it doesn't matter. Some people like to stagger
the placement of the ends, with a short piece on the right side for four
feet, then a short piece on the other side, but I've never seen a pro do
this. If you line up the ends of the rock, you can tape the whole line with
one piece of tape.

Start in a corner.
Using two ladders and people, carry the rock up, lift it over your heads,
and hold it up to the ceiling. One person should brace the rock with both
arms and his/her head while the other secures his/her end. The first person
should be closer to the center of the rock to take the brunt of the load.

The second person holds his end (I'm going to use "his" for the rest) with
one hand and slaps in two or three screws. Then that person gets down and
puts in the deadman. Place the three foot 2x up against the rock where it
needs holding (close to where person #1 is), and kick the bottom to wedge
it in place. It should be put in in such a way that the top of the T crosses
the joists. Once it's in, both of you can work on securing the rock - let
the deadman hold it up. As you can tell, I recommend screws instead of
nails for at least this part.

Once the ceiling is done, work the walls. Make a sheet rock jack out of
a piece of thin plywood about 6" wide and about 2' long. Take a 2x4 about
a foot long and cut the end at a 45 degree angle. Then nail the plywood
to this to form a "T" shape. That's your jack.

Now, mark lines on the rock for the studs and cut the first piece so that
it will end in the center of a stud. Place the cut end in the corner in
which you're going to start - you want all your joins between sheets to
be beveled (factory-finish) edges. Unless the wall height is exactly the
length of your sheet of rock, cut your rock about 1/4" to 1/2" shorter
than the wall is high. Place your jack on the floor with the plywood side
against the wall, the 2x4 perpendicular to the wall, and the plywood facing
up. Lift the rock and set the end on the jack, then push it against the
wall. Wiggle it into position. When it's where you want it, step on the
2x4 to jack the sheet of rock tight up against the ceiling rock and screw
it into place.

If you run your wall rock horizontally, you figure it out. I've seen pros
do this a couple of times, but I can't remember whether they put the top
in place first or second.

Whichever, it *is important* to get the top of the wall rock tight against
the ceiling rock, but I no longer remember why.

If you have rough door or window openings, rock right over them and then
cut the rock out with a handsaw, using the framing timbers to guide the
saw. If the doors and windows are in, cut the rock around them before
putting it up. Cut openings for electrical boxes before putting the rock
up. The keyhole saw does this well.

We'll talk about finishing some other time. Suffice it to say that it
requires about two weeks (mostly drying time) to do this properly.

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                    |
George Patterson -  | No city is large enough to support one lawyer
                    | No town is too small to support two.
                    |                        Samuel Clemens
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