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We are having our first (?last) new home being built this fall, and would appreciate tips on preventing the drywall sagging I sometimes see on sloped ceilings. I read in the latest FH that the long axis of the sheet should be perpendicular to the slope of the ceiling, and that 5/8 inch drywall is stiffer (? therefore better for this application). I also read that some painters sprinkle sand or glitter on the sloped ceilings to hide any rippling; we do NOT want a glittery ceiling! Any suggestions are appreciated.
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I would use the 5/8 drywall, it is stiffer and will not sag as much as 1/2. Most of the builders in my area(ne ohio),use the thicker stuff. On the market now is a 1/2 drywall that is specifically for ceiling use, though i have never used it and it probably has not been around long enough to be "tried and true". One other option, though costly ,is veneer plaster over 5/8 blue board.This is by far the most beautiful modern finish.
*JWetterhahn,I have not seen this problem before. 5/8" thick sheet rock is stronger, but sheet rock has no grain and therefore doesn't know which way it is hanging. In the old days I was taught to double nail the ceilings. That is, where you would normally put one sheet rock nail, you would have two about an inch apart. Now that they screw all sheet rock, this method is not used. If your worried about the sheet rock sagging under it's own weight, just be sure the builder has the sheet rock contractor double nail or screw it to the ceiling. Or at least have them screw each sheet with six screws on the joints of each sheet and at least five in the field at each joist. That should be enough to hold it flat to the ceiling.Good luck,Ed. Williams
*JW Can't say that I've seen properly installed drywall sag. 1/2" should be fine.5/8" is stiffer but also heavier. If anything I would ask the drywall contractor to glue the drywall in addition to mechanical fasteners. Don't be surprised if he wants a little extra. It shouldn't be that much and may alleviate Your concerns. I've never seen drywall run parallel to the ceiling members in residential construction and My gut feeling is that it would be a bad way to go.
*Ditto the gluing and screwing but another vote for furring ceilings using 1x4's to decrease the rafters 24" (spaced 24" oc down here) spacing to 16". I still say drywall fastened every 24" will sag. I would think a sloped ceiling would be less likely to sag than a flat one. We always use stripping to ensure a 12" or 16" fastner spacing and string the stripping to make it flat to take crowns out of the joists or rafters.
*For cathedral ceilings, my thoughts are:1. Use 5/8" for long runs. I put it against the grain. Don't know why. Just do.2. I would use construction cement. Why not? Total cost would be $100 max.3. Use firing strips to strenghten the dry wall. On the East Coast, when I was learning the building trades, the drywall subs always put 1x3's perdendicular to the joists. It is cheap, and provides a second nailing surface, and gives the whole ceiling a bit more flex, so it moves, it will move as a unit, not individual sheets.4. Screw instead of Nail. Assuming one knows how to use a drywall screw gun (many subs do not, and over tighten the screws), screws are stronger, and won't pop out. I do like the control of nails though, and the real key is how good you are at "feeling" the Milwaukee Screw Gun. It is definitely an acquired art.5. I like veneer plaster, but most of my homeowners don't have the budget. It sure hides cracks!
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Today I took my six-foot level and a step ladder and checked my ceilings, in four rooms, for flatness. The ceilings are all 1/2" sheetrock, hung in 1995, taped and finished with a light texture. Included were three types of ceiling framing: prefab trusses 24"o/c, cathedral ceiling of 2x6 joists 24"o/c, and 1x3 strapping installed 16"o/c over floor joists. Nowhere was there ever more than 1/16" visible under my six-foot straightedge. The flattest ceiling was the strapping on 16"o/c.
Perhaps it takes longer than four years for sagging to develop. We shall see. Until then, I think straightness of framing members - or the lack thereof - is responsible for many more "sagging" ceilings and wavy walls than the use of 1/2" drywall.
*J Wetterhahnall the other sugestionsI heard above sound like good advice. one thought I have is the weight of insulation placing additional weight on the back of the drywall. Furring strips should provide adequate support for any batts installed and keep the weight of the insulation off of the panel. If you don't use furring strips I would make sure the batts are well secured. God speed Patrick L McCann
*J Wetterhahnall the other sugestionsI heard above sound like good advice. one thought I have is the weight of insulation placing additional weight on the back of the drywall. Furring strips should provide adequate support for any batts installed and keep the weight of the insulation off of the panel. If you don't use furring strips I would make sure the batts are well secured. God speed Patrick L McCann
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I am a great fan of using screws (had to think twice there, almost said something mildly obscene - and this is a family site, isn't it...) and probably one guilty of overtightening - after all, if some is good, more is better, and too much is just enough, right. So what is the proper technique? I thought if you overtightened them, they just sank into the dry wall a bit more and you just slathered on a little more compound - I mean, if the drywall stays on the wall, what more could you want...
*"this is a family site, isn't it..."Most of the time.The screw (or nail) is too tight when the head breaks the paper.Rich Beckman
*Brian. Strapping of ceilings at 16-inches oc is common practice here in New England. But I always strapped 24 inches on center. I never used anything but 1/2-inch GWB. Over this we blew 15-16-inches of cellulose. In all these years we have never had any callbacks because of sagging ceilings. Indeed we know of a builder in Colorado( Stephen Lentz) who regularly blows 21-inches of cellulose on 1/2-inch GWB screwed at 24 inches oc. He has been doing this for years, and has had no sagging problems. GeneL.
*gene....maybe its the fact that with stripping we have 31/2" to screw too instead of 1 1/2" when screwing directly to joists or rafters.......also by stripping we take out a lot of crown in the joists if done properly. The sagginmbggd mayb ee due to ssdkl iiiim toodrunk
*Brian. Right on. Although it is the rare nbuilder that uses the strapping to level out the unevenness of the bottoms of the floor joists.GeneL.
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We are having our first (?last) new home being built this fall, and would appreciate tips on preventing the drywall sagging I sometimes see on sloped ceilings. I read in the latest FH that the long axis of the sheet should be perpendicular to the slope of the ceiling, and that 5/8 inch drywall is stiffer (? therefore better for this application). I also read that some painters sprinkle sand or glitter on the sloped ceilings to hide any rippling; we do NOT want a glittery ceiling! Any suggestions are appreciated.