Just got finished hanging 62 shts of Densarmor Plus paperless drywall… I’d used it before, but only a few shts here and there. For anyone that’s interested, Here are the install pros and cons:
Pros:
1.) Cuts cleanly and nicely.. The lack of paper made every cut or shave a joy. One scored line on one side of the board is all you need; bend the board back all the way and easily snap it off in the reverse motion ( no need for a back cut). Also, Rotozips cut better, IMO.
2.) Lack of paper made the knife blades last about 3 times longer..And I only used ONE zip-bit to cut out some 20 or so boxes and 9 can lights..Also no paper means no paper to peel off, gum up the knife, or curl up into a mess. Shaving the tapered edges is easily accomplished with either the flat of the blade or the rasp.
3.) Boards seem more rigid. Screws don’t break the paper (but can still be over driven). Edges don’t break out when screwing close to a stud edge.
4.) Of course, the finished product is water resistant and mold free.
Cons:
1.) Fiberglass coating is a bit itchy…Wear a long sleeve shirt. It wasn’t as bad as I thought, however (and I absolutely hate fiberglass anything). I didn’t need to wear a mask, and only my hands itched.
2.) It’s more expensive than regular sheetrock (I paid $12.50 a sht from Lowes).
3.) 12′ boards are not available (yet). Also, anything other than 1/2″ is special order from most suppliers.
4.) peeling off the plastic strips on the ends kinda sucked…Only one side has a tear-strip. I liked the paper strips on regular drywall better.
I’ll be taping and finishing over the next few days. If anything is peculiar about that, I’ll post it…I’d heard that the boards needed to be skim-coated to get a smooth finish, but I don’t see that at all. The fiberglass backing is about as ‘textured’ as the paper stuff. Nevertheless, I’ll be spraying a high-build primer/surfacer when done, so I WILL have paper-smooth walls.
I surprised myself to say this, but, all in all, I think I like it better than the old paper-faced drywall.. AND, I suspect it will eventually replace most papered drywall in the future. It’s just a better product. When more builders are using it, the cost will probably come down to close or equal that of the paper stuff, methinks.
Replies
I agree with everything you said, except the itching. I've personally not noticed any new itch using this over paper faced. Short sleeves all the time too.
Rebuilding my home in Cypress, CA
Also a CRX fanatic!
If your hair looks funny, it's because God likes to scratch his nuts. You nut, you.
Well, it's not for me, but for a customer..I personally wouldn't spring for the extra cost unless I could justify it (a basement or laundry room might be worth the cost of DAP). I know the mold thing is gimmicky, and I personally don't worry about it, but, fact is, most people ARE.. More and more will want to use this type of product, like it or not.I did like installing it better than paper boards. I do think it goes up easier and neater. The fiberglass, as I said, usually bothers the hell out of me (I MUST wear a mask around any fiberglass insulation or my throat closes up) but I really didn't notice it at all in my lungs--and I did use a rotozip to do all door and box cut-outs, so the stuff was flying...I think because the glass is resinated, and not just loose as in batts, it just doesn't aerosolize very much. It did itch my skin a bit, but not bad. And while I have finished it before, not this much of it, so I'll get a better idea of how the seams allegedly flash this time. I'm a pretty good finisher, so I will definitely perceive the difference in the final product. But, like I said, I'll be spraying everything w/ a SW high-build surfacer, so it'll be smooth. I wouldn't skim coat that much drywall even IF a customer would pay me to do it (nobody I know would).Nevertheless, I think this stuff is in everyone's future, if you're in the business.. Might as well learn it, live it, love it.
We offer this product to generals when they need to get some rooms going (electrical, mechanical) but the building is not dried in. We just installed 100 sheets last month. This stuff is definately here to stay. Most hangers here put some baby powder on exposed areas when hanging densglass products. Mike
Trust in God, but row away from the rocks.
Ahh...baby powder..nice tip. I'll try it next time.And I agree--it's here to stay.
If you haven't finished DAP, you don't know what you are in for. I used to use DAP, but have stoppd because it's just too damn difficult to finish properly.
1) Screws don't dimple it. They either tear through the glass mat without creating a dimple or stay proud. You'll see what I mean when you start finishing it.
2) It absolutely MUST be skimmed coated unless you want to see EVERY seam and fastener flash.
It's totally impervious to water, which is good, but the mold-proof factor is BS when you think about it. All that needs to happen for mold to grow on it is for a little sawdust or other organic matter to get on the back of it and there's your food source. Plus, even though the flats are taped with mesh tape, the corners usually aren't...there's your paper infiltration.
I now use Goldbond XP Purple Board instead. It's not as water proof as DAP, but if there's enough water to get the drywall wet, the trim will be shot, your doors will be shot, and anything inside the walls is shot, so replacing any drywall is the least of it.
When the "mold scare" came out Georgia-Pacific has a brainstorm..why not use exterior gypsum sheating and make it white and call it mold free. The suckers went for it big time! I used it once and never again. You better wear a mask because the fiberglass will fill your lungs, the screws will pop so use glue and less screws, it must be skim coated. Use a router to cut out an outlet and watch the fiberglass float.
I have swiped black mold on my finger, placed it in my mouth, and sucked the mold then swallowed it many times. I tear away and discard molded drywall without a respirator. The mold scare is a farce! Mold is 25% of the world's biomass.....it's everywhere and the one you experience on paper drywall is harmless. Strange how paper drywall was good for 80 years and all of a sudden "the mold will kill you".
Good luck if you like it and don't worry about the fiberglass in your lungs.
Got a flyer from my yard the other day -- they said one of their manufacturers (National gypsum?) isn't going to make green board any more -- just the paperless. The other mfgrs can't be far behind -- that's one market where everybody copies what the other one does.
Mike Hennessy
Pittsburgh, PA
That is true, green board is on the way out. Same with the green core board. Mike
Trust in God, but row away from the rocks.
For working with any type of fiberglass - or anything greasy, stinky, or messy - I use the latex or nitrile examination gloves (like the ones the Filmmaker Michael Moore uses in his ads for his film "sicko" - "this will only hurt a little..."). If you get them fairly form fitting, they really don't hinder your dexterity very much (surgeons can tie tiny knots in sutures with them on). The latex ones seem to be a little more form fitting while the nitrile seem to hold up a bit better. My safety supply store has the nitrile gloves in at least three different thicknesses of nitrile, and a box of 100 generally goes for about $10. (Just used my last yesterday when bleeding my hydraulic clutch, so have to pick up another box). One problem with them is that if you don't use them often and leave them sitting around for a year or more, particularly in a hot area, they tend to deteriorate and will tear easily.
Actually, for working with drywall, I wear Hyflex nitrile coated gloves - usually the ones with the cut resistant Kevlar lining. They are sufficiently flexible that I can tie my shoeslaces without taking the gloves off. The Hyflex gloves with Kevlar are about $5 a pair while I think the ones with regular cotton mesh backs go for around $3. I buy them by the dozen at my local safety supply store (Sanderson Safety in Portland, Or.) Unfortunately, I have been wearing the gloves too much and hardly have any calouses any more...
In a manufacturing plant I worked at the guys sometimes worked with fiberglass sheets. Not insulation, but plastic sheets made of fiberglass and plastic resin. Those who did not like the fiberglass on them wore Tyvek suits and covered their exposed skin with barrier cream that the nurse provided. So if you have a particular aversion to fiberglass, barrier cream is an option. By the way, the guys said it worked.