FHB Logo Facebook LinkedIn Email Pinterest Twitter Instagram Plus Icon Close Icon Navigation Search Icon Arrow Down Icon Video Guide Icon Article Guide Icon Modal Close Icon Guide Search Icon Skip to content
Main Menu
Subscribe

In every issue you'll find...

  • Expert insights on techniques and principles
  • Unbiased tool reviews
  • Step-by-step details to master the job
  • Field-tested advice and know-how
Subscribe Now!
Subscribe
  • How-To
  • Design
  • Tools & Materials
  • Videos
  • Blogs
  • Forum
  • Magazine
  • Members
  • FHB House
  • Podcast
  • Join
  • Log In
Main Menu Subscribe

Fine Homebuilding Project Guides

Drywall

Trusted, comprehensive guidance for choosing, hanging, taping, sanding, and repairing drywall—the right way

Drywall (aka wallboard, gypsum board, or Sheetrock) is on more walls and ceilings than any other material in new construction. Yet many people are intimidated by the process of hanging, taping, and sanding drywall. Improperly attached or finished, drywall can be a real eyesore. But properly installed, this mundane material can add real beauty to any home or business. And it's a skill that's not that hard to master. In this comprehensive project guide, we'll show you how to do it right every step of the way, with techniques and materials used by the pros. The guide finishes with a bonus chapter on plaster techniques and repairs.

From the most experienced builders in the business

  • Author Headshot
    Myron R. Ferguson
  • Author Headshot
    Chuck Miller
  • Author Headshot
    Mike Guertin
  • Author Headshot
    Justin Fink
  • Author Headshot
    Nick Aitchison
  • Author Headshot
    Patrick McCombe

Choose a Chapter

Search Guide
  • Drywall Basics
  • Tools and Materials
  • Hanging Drywall
  • Taping and Sanding
  • Special Installations
  • Drywall Repairs
  • Plaster
  • Drywall Basics

    drywall installation

    We're all familiar with the standard 4x8 panels that have been in use since drywall first became popular as a wall covering. But what about fire-resistant or mold/moisture-resistant drywall, lightweight panels, or VOC-absorbing drywall? Here, we'll sort through the wide variety of special-use drywall available, and also walk you through all the planning required before you hang that very first sheet.

  • Tools and Materials

    tools for hanging and finishing drywall

    You can do a pretty good drywalling job with only the basic tools, but you’ll get much better results if you have the right materials and equipment. (Keep in mind that many tools can be rented at most rental equipment stores.) We'll introduce you to the latest developments in drywall tools, as well as guide you through the various types of fasteners, joint tapes, and joint compounds, including new ones that have been developed for specific uses.

  • Hanging Drywall

    how to install drywall

    A good drywall hanging job provides the foundation for a quality taping job. In this section, we'll show you how to fit drywall panels snugly and keep joints to a minimum, accurately cut out holes for electrical boxes and other openings, and properly place and set drywall fasteners. Hanging drywall has the reputation of being a difficult, physically demanding job, but with the right attitude and the right techniques, it's not a part of the drywalling process that you need to approach with trepidation.

  • Taping and Sanding

    how to finish drywall

    Taping over freshly hung drywall is a nice break after the hanging stage: It's fast-paced work that's not too physically demanding, and it's pretty much dust-free. Yet taping is also the part of the drywalling process that requires the most skill and the most patience. As you'll see in this section, there's more to taping than just concealing the joints between panels. A properly taped joint should be as strong and as durable as the drywall panel itself. Sanding is the final step in the drywalling process; it's dusty, tedious work, but a good sanding job is critical for a quality finish.

     

  • Special Installations

    install curved drywall

    If all walls were straight and square with no butted seams and all corners were 90 degrees, drywalling would be a pretty mechanical and predictable job. But as anyone who is trying their hand at drywalling will soon find out, unusual seams, off-angle corners, and curved walls will present themselves sooner or later. Most of these special installations really aren't a lot harder than hanging drywall on a straight wall or ceiling, as long as you understand how to approach them and use the right techniques and materials.

     

  • Drywall Repairs

    how to repair drywall

    No matter how well you hang and tape drywall, there will inevitably come a time when you need to make some repairs–whether it be a ding from a doorknob or the need to relocate an electrical outlet. Some repairs are simply necessitated by the demands of daily life in a busy home and can be done with a couple thin coats of joint compound. Others require removing and replacing pieces of drywall, and can take several passes of taping and sanding to make walls and ceilings look new again. You won't need any special equipment for repair work, as the tools and techniques are the same as those for standard taping jobs.

  • Plaster

    apply lime plaster

    Drywall has largely replaced plaster as a surface finish for walls and ceilings, but hand-applied plaster is still widely admired for its texture and durability. In this final chapter of the guide, we'll show you how to apply lime plaster, which is a less laborious process than traditional plastering. We'll also look at the various ways to repair plaster, before wrapping things up with some classic plaster techniques.

Drywall

Drywall

Trusted, comprehensive guidance for choosing, hanging, taping, sanding, and repairing drywall—the right way

View All Project Guides »

Become a member and get unlimited site access, including the Drywall Project Guide.

Start Free Trial

Drywall Basics
  • Types and Uses of Drywall
  • Planning the Job
Tools and Materials
  • Hanging Tools
  • Taping Tools and Materials
  • Sanding and Finishing Tools and Materials
Hanging Drywall
  • Prep for Hanging
  • Measuring and Cutting Drywall
  • Guidelines for Hanging and Fastening Drywall
  • Hanging Ceilings
  • Hanging Walls
  • Hanging Airtight Drywall
  • Trim Accessories/Corner Beads
Taping and Sanding
  • Taping Basics
  • Taping Seams
  • Taping Inside and Outside Corners
  • Sanding
Special Installations
  • Tricky Transitions
  • Curved Surfaces
  • Other Special Installations
  • Decorating with Drywall
Drywall Repairs
  • Patching Holes, Cracks, and More
Plaster
  • Working with Lime Plaster
  • Plaster Repair
  • Classic Plaster Techniques

Search the Project Guide

Load More

Fine Homebuilding

Follow

Newsletter

Get home building tips, offers, and expert advice in your inbox

Sign Up See all newsletters

Membership & Magazine

  • Online Archive
  • Start Free Trial
  • Magazine Subscription
  • Magazine Renewal
  • Gift a Subscription
  • Customer Support
  • Manage Preferences

Taunton Network

  • Green Building Advisor
  • Fine Woodworking
  • Fine Gardening
  • Threads
  • About
  • Contact
  • Advertise
  • Privacy Policy
  • Careers
  • Copyright
  • Terms of Use
  • Accessibility
  • CA Privacy Rights

© 2021 The Taunton Press, Inc. All rights reserved.

    Main Menu

  • How-To
  • Design
  • Tools & Materials
  • Video
  • Blogs
  • Forum
  • Reader Projects
  • Magazine
  • Members
  • FHB House
  • Podcasts

  • FHB Podcast
  • ProTalk
  • Account

  • Log In
  • Join

    Podcasts

  • FHB Podcast
  • ProTalk
  • Popular Topics

  • Kitchens
  • Business
  • Bedrooms
  • Roofs
  • Architecture and Design
  • Green Building
  • Decks
  • Framing
  • Safety
  • Remodeling
  • Bathrooms
  • Windows
  • Tilework
  • Ceilings
  • HVAC

    Magazine

  • Current Issue
  • Past Issues
  • Magazine Index
  • Subscribe
  • Online Archive
  • Author Guidelines

    All Access

  • Member Home
  • Start Free Trial
  • Gift Membership

    Shop the Store

  • Books
  • DVDs
  • Taunton Workshops

    More

  • FHB Ambassadors
  • Reader Projects
  • Podcast
  • Customer Support

    Account

  • Log In
  • Join

Newsletter

Get home building tips, offers, and expert advice in your inbox

Sign Up See all newsletters

Follow

Join All Access

Become a member and get instant access to thousands of videos, how-tos, tool reviews, and design features.

Start Your Free Trial

Subscribe

FHB Magazine

Start your subscription today and save up to 52%

Subscribe

We hope you’ve enjoyed your free articles. To keep reading, become a member today.

Get complete site access to expert advice, how-to videos, Code Check, and more, plus the print magazine.

Start your FREE trial

Already a member? Log in