9+ Tips for Hanging Drywall Easier

We did a lot of renovations on our first house after it was built.  We learned and made all the mistakes on that house.  Now we feel we {sorta} like we know what we are doing when it comes to remodeling. Here are our hanging drywall tips.  Keep in mind, not all walls are level and we are not professionals, just 2 people working on our house.

Hanging Drywall Tips

1. Get the right drywall – select the right kind of drywall for your project.  Green drywall is needed for bathroom and wet areas. The thicker the drywall, the more sound proof it will be.  Thinner (1/4 inch) is good for walls that are not straight and good for arches)
2. Measure twice – measure for the outlets twice, it avoids ruining a piece of drywall (not to mention wasting money).  A drywall router would be helpful as well in making precise cuts for the holes.
3. Hang from the top down – hang the drywall from the ceiling down to the floor.  This makes the seams not at eye level and you are less likely to to see them.
4. Less is best – the fewer seams the better.  Use the largest size of drywall you can handle safely.
5. Take a load off – rent/buy a drywall lift to help lift the pieces.  Especially helpful if you don’t have someone working with you.
6. Give a little – leave 1/2″ space between the flooring and  drywall on the wall, to allow the house to shift and move.  This prevents the wall from cracking. You can hide this with trim and honestly you are also going to be putting flooring down too.
7. Good side up – when cutting the drywall, place the good side of the drywall up so that when you are cutting,  you are cutting down, and the tears on the drywall paper will be on the back side and unseen.  This will avoid extra mudding.
8. Adjust the seams. At the corners of doors or windows is not the place to have a seam.  The windows and doors get a lot of use.  The walls will be prone to cracking over time.  It’s not a place to skimp in using your pieces.  Use a large piece to go over the window/door so there is not a seam.  Seams should not line up with any window or door corner.
9. Screw it – don’t use nails that can come loose, use screws.
10. A little at a time – when mudding, apply thin coats, allowing to dry in between.  This prevents cracking and gives a smooth finish.

What are your hanging drywall tips?