I am building my house in Riverside CA, in the hills east of Nuevo at the end of a dirt road. I am owner/builder. You all helped me get thru the stucco – with help calculating materials. Now I need help with dry wall. When the inspector was checking the insulation, he said that I should mark the floors to show shear walls, like I did when I installed the missing bolts. I have several interior walls with 1/2 ” OSB and lots of bolts. The nailing on the OSB has passed. What has shear got to do with dry wall. The Northridge Quake showed that dry wall can’t count as shear. I have to screw the dry wall because I have already stuccoed (and because it is better). The inspector said to use 2″ screws on the sheeted walls. I can understand that. Can some one tell me what the screwing schedule is? The plan notes give nailing schedules, but don’t refer them to particular walls. The dry wall supplier said for screwing dry wall, it is 12″ oc for ceilings, and 16″ oc for walls – from the manufacturer. It doesn’t mention shear walls. Are shear walls a different spacing? And is it ok to use 1 5/8″ screws no the non sheeted walls?
Thanks
Clint
Edited 11/6/2002 1:56:55 AM ET by Clint
Replies
We usually schedule each sheet to be screw immediately after it is held up against the wall.
Other wise your arms get tired from holding it up for extended periods of time.
at your service..
T
Do not try this at home!
I am a trained professional!
Ya beat me to the punch ya sonofabitch!J. D. Reynolds
Home Improvements
"DO IT RIGHT, DO IT ONCE"
The taper that I used said that I overkill my spacing. He says the standard is 4 screws in the field and 5 on the ends when hanging it horizontally.
Consider contracting it out. Drywall is one of the lowest cost trades. It usually doesn't pay to do it yourself, especially in Southern CA. Labor rates for hanging and taping are pretty low.
Good luck.
You guys are a riot!
Thanks fo the info. I'm hanging the walls verticaly - no but seams that way, only the tapered edge seams. I have trouble finding people who want to work for an owner/builder. Got any names?
Clint
I would think 5 on the ceiling ,and 4 on the walls not counting the edges would be ample. 1 screw has the holding power of two nails . Here we use 3 in the feild period , for it is= 6 nails . But I dont live in earth quake zone. I was thinking that he should give you a regulation code book. California is a pretty weird place[ no offense ]to building codes. I know that rock has rack strengh, cause it keeps some metal buildings straight that I have seen . If you add glue , 5/8s rock, its really pretty awsome rack strength.
Tim Mooney
Clint,
Screw schedule for non shear walls is 12" on edges, 16" in the feild & 12" on ceilings. (table 25-G UBC) On the shear wall a call to the engineer that stamped the plans would give you the answer to this question. The project I am on now we go 6" o.c. on the shear walls. 1 5/8" screws should be fine on the non shear areas.
Ther ya go!
Tim Mooney
But seriously folks.............
On the cielings I like to put one screw on each edge(in the taper) and two pairs (four)of screws in the field spaced approx. 1-1/2".
two reasons for this.
1) Some times the first screw will not draw the rock tight, so put one right next to it to make sure.
B) with screws close together the taper can fill both with one swipe.
III) More screws = better holding power.
On walls I do just two or three spced evenly in the field .
If you need more holding power I think using adhesive would be more efficient than more screws that will have to be filled.
However I do not live in earthquake or hurricane country.
But logic suggests that the shear walls will do the least "movin & shakin" in a quake or a storm, so if any where I would use extra fasteners on the non-shear areas.
JMNSHO
Mr TDo not try this at home!
I am a trained professional!
No engineer involved - can't afford that. I'll go with 6" on the shear walls, but I still don't see the point. I'm covering 1/2 " OSB that will handel the shear. How about the non-sheeted side of the interior walls. Do I do them with 1 5/8 screws, 6" oc?
Thanks for the help.
Clint
"Do I do them with 1 5/8 screws, 6" oc?"
Yes, but you have to set them exactly on 6" centers, if not you might be better going with a 4" pattern.
Actually, bolts may hold better than screws...
Clint,
I would put a call in to the local building department & have them answer your questions. Most building departments set aside time in the am to answer questions. Not knowing the standards the local building department is looking for in your area, to answer any questions would be a waste of your time. Would hate to find out that they make you take somthing down because it does not meet the local requirements.
Drywall screwing schedule? Before or after the wedding?
The progression is usually something like: Nightly / weekly / monthly / ahhh, let me think ....