Installing Drywall - Mudding and Taping

Installing Drywall, or hanging drywall as the professionals usually refer to the task, can be done by the homeowner. However, it is usually best done with two or more people as it requires significant lifting of heavy material. Mudding and Taping can also be performed by the homeowner, however these tasks require some practice and artistry.

Measuring and Ordering Drywall

Prior to actually hanging the drywall, the material first needs to be ordered and delivered. To determine how much material to order, measure all of the surface area, starting with the ceilings and then the walls. Calculate the total square feet and divide by 32. The result should give you the number of 4'x 8' sheets of drywall required for the job. I would also recommend adding another 5-10% to this figure to account for inefficiencies. Drywall does come in larger sheets, such as 4'x12', however for a Do-it-Yourself homeowner these larger sheets can become unwieldy and maybe even impossible to bring into the existing home.

For bathrooms or other moist areas Greenboard should probably be used as this material is moisture resistance.

For bathroom areas where ceramic tile is to be applied, e.g. Shower/Bathtub areas, Concrete board should be used. The concrete board is also referred to as Wonderboard or Durock.

Joint Compound and Fiberglass tape will also be required for Taping and Mudding. Joint Compound typically comes ready-mixed in 5 gallon containers. I would suggest 1-2 containers per 500 square feet of drywall. Fiberglass tape is quite inexpensive so I would suggest picking up 2 to 3 roles for most Do-it-Yourself drywall projects.

Drywall screws or ringed nails will also be required. Typically I use 1.25" length screws or nails. Also, strips of corner bead will be required.

Drywall Tools

Prior to starting drywall installation, you need to obtain the proper tools. A Drywall Lift really comes in handy when hanging sheetrock/drywall on the ceilings. You can rent Drywall Lifts at hardware or home improvement stores. If your budget does not allow for this cost, Jacks (or Ts) can be made out of 2"x 4"s. The Jacks (or Ts) should be of a length such that they are just an inch or two taller than the height of the ceiling and have a cross beam that is approximately 3' in width. Usually there are a couple of 45o angle braces connecting the crossbar to the main stem of the Jack. The Jack can then be used to hold up the drywall to the ceiling while it is screwed/nailed into place.

In addition to the Lift or Jacks, a drywall screw gun, hammer, T-square, carpenters knife, drywall saw and a keyhole saw are required. The keyhole saw is used for cutting around electrical boxes.

If mudding and taping are to be performed then Taping knives, a Corner knife, sand paper, a pole sander and a Mud easel or pan will be necessary. For the taping knives you will need a 6" wide blade and a 12" wide blade.

Preparing the site for Drywall

Prior to hanging the drywall, make sure the building inspector has first approved the Framing, Plumbing, Electrical and Insulation jobs. Secondly, a vapor barrier should be applied over the insulation on the outside walls if un-faced insulation was installed. Frequently sheets of plastic are used for creating the vapor barrier. The plastic is simply stapled to the framing, covering the insulation.

Finally, inspect all of the framing carefully. Ensure that nailers (e.g. 2" x 4"s) are existent at each corner and header, that the framing is straight, and that the framed walls create smooth planes. In addition, the ceiling should have strapping applied (1" x 3" cross boards). Also, make sure metal protection plates have been installed to studding where sheetrock screws or nails could inadvertently penetrate plumbing pipes or electrical wire.

Safety

Drywall installation is dirty, heavy work. The Gypsum in drywall can be irritating to the eyes, lungs and sinuses so wear safety goggles and masks to avoid breathing in the material. Gloves are also recommended to protect against sharp blades.

Installing Drywall

Start with the ceiling as this will allow the sheets on the walls to help hold the sheets on the ceiling. Use the Drywall lift or Jacks to hold the sheets in place while screwing or nailing them to the ceiling. The screws or nails should be installed such that they are slightly recessed and create a small dimple without breaking the paper. Screws or nails should be applied every 8 to 12 inches on each stud. Screws are typically stronger and can be placed further apart, e.g. 12 inches. It is best to fasten the screws/nails to the edges of the drywall first and then fill in the field afterwards.

Rows of drywall should be applied in a staggered pattern. This will create an interlocked pattern that creates a tighter and stronger ceiling/wall.

After the ceiling has been completed it its time to move on to the walls. Drywall should be applied from the top down, with the sheets hung perpendicular to the floor joists or studs. Again the rows should be staggered. The bottom piece should sit about ½ inches from the sub-floor.

For purposes of efficiency and strength it is best to apply the large sheets of drywall over the doors and window openings and cut out the excess later. This will create stronger/cleaner looking walls and save significant time.

Installing Corner bead

Once the drywall has been installed, corner bead should be applied to all outside edges. Corner bead should be nailed every 6-8 inches and penetrate the framing.

Taping and Mudding

Again start with the ceiling. Apply a skim coat of joint compound over the surface of a seam using a 6" wide taping knife. If the seam is wide, apply a liberal amount of joint compound to fill it. While the Joint compound is still wet, apply the fiberglass tape over the skim coat of Joint Compound. Make sure the seam is centered under the tape. Once the tape has been installed, apply additional Joint Compound over the tape, again using the 6" wide taping knife. Continue this for all of the seams. Note: the tape will still be visible. Additional coats will eventually hide it.

The inside corners are usually the most tricky and require practice. Patience is the best advice and note that additional coats will be applied later to smooth out any imperfections.

Once the seams are done, using the 6" wide taping knife, apply mud to all of the screw/nail dimples. A skim coat is all that is initially required.

Note: When applying the mud over the tape and screw/nail dimples, make sure all excess material and uneven patches are smoothed down with the blade. This will reduce sanding later.

Once the ceiling is done, you can move on to the walls. Repeat the same process, however with the outside corners just apply a liberal coat of joint compound to the valley that is formed by the corner bead. This valley typically represents the first 3 or 4 inches from the edge of the corner.

Once the first coat has been applied let it sit overnight or until it is dry, prior to starting the second application of Joint compound. Make sure to completely clean off the taping knife, the mud easel and any other containers or instruments that have mud on them prior to finishing up for the day.

Applying the Second Coat of Mud

After the first coat has thoroughly dried, it is now time to apply the second coat of mud. It is this coat that should hide the tape.

Again, start with the ceiling. Using the wider taping knife apply a generous amount of joint compound over the taped seams as you want to build up the area over the tape. Taking large strokes smooth the joint compound over the tape applying more pressure to the side of the taping knife further away from the tape. This will help to leave more mud over the tape. When complete, the mud should cover an area that extends beyond the width of the tape by 2 to 3 inches.

After the seams have all been completed, apply a second coat of mud over the screw/nail dimples. With this second coat, flare out the mud over the dimples such that the diameter of the mudded area is about 3-4 inches in diameter.

For the inside corners a Corner knife may come in handy. Corners involve a little artistry so again take your time. Apply a generous amount of joint compound and then run the Corner knife down the corner starting from the top. Take long, even strokes. A 6" taping knife may also be helpful to smooth out any imperfections.

For the outside corners, using the broad taping knife apply a generous amount of joint compound and flare out the material such that it extends out 6 inches or so from the corner. Again, apply more pressure to the blade side that is further away from the corner so that you leave more mud nearer the outside corner.

Once the second coat has been applied let it sit overnight or until it is dry, prior to starting the final application of Joint compound. Make sure to completely clean off the taping knife, the mud easel and any other containers or instruments that have mud on them prior to finishing up for the day.

Applying the Final Coat of Mud

After the first coat has thoroughly dried, it is now time to apply the final coat of mud. It is this coat that requires the most artistry and the least amount of joint compound. Here you are simply applying a final skim coat to the already mudded areas.

Prior to applying the skim coat it is best to take your wide taping blade and lightly pass over the mudded surfaces. This will remove any bumps or ridges.

Again start with the ceiling seams and apply a small amount of joint compound using the broad taping knife. Again continue to flare out the seam by extending the mudded area such that about 6 inches resides on each side of the now invisible tape. Remember this is a skim coat so little mud is required. The purpose of this coat is to effectively fill in any lines or recessed areas.

After the seams have all been completed, apply a final coat of mud over the screw/nail dimples. With this second coat, flare out the mud over the dimples such that the diameter of the mudded area is about 6-8 inches in diameter.

For the corners use the broad taping knife and add just enough mud such that you can flare out the mudded surface area to about 8-12 inches, taking care to filling in any lines or dimples.

Once the final coat has been applied let it rest overnight or until it is dry,

Sanding

Sanding is a very dusty and dirty mess so please uses goggles and a mask.
I find it best to use a pole sander with an open screened sand paper material specifically designed for sanding sheetrock/drywall mud.

Lightly sand all of the taped areas, however concentrate sanding on the outer edges of the mudded areas such that all seams and ridges are eliminated and blend into the main surface areas.

Once sanding is complete, vacuum up the dust and you are ready for priming and painting the walls and texturing the ceilings.

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Installing Ceramic Tile Yourself - Is It Possible?

Installing ceramic tile yourself will save you money and keep strangers out of your house! You learn a new skill by doing it yourself too. Ceramic tile installation projects are tackled successfully by many home owners every year. No doubt there is an art to laying tile, but a handy person who has plenty of time can certainly learn to lay tile. Just like many home improvement projects, pros make money by doing work fast. If you aren't in a big hurry, your quality of work can be just as good as a professional...maybe better. So what are the main steps for a tile job?

Layout and Estimating

What kind of installation is this? Will there be some plumbing or carpentry required? Plan for the completion of those tasks. Measure the area to be covered so you know how much tile you need. Allow for trim and breakage. After you know your area, you can better shop for tile. If you have a budget, knowing the area of tile to be covered lets you calculate your cost as you shop for tile. Do you need any trim pieces? Often edges, like ceramic tile counter tops, are trimmed with hardwood. Bathroom ceramic tile might include towel racks or soap dishes.

Ceramic Tile Installation Tools

Hand tools for installing ceramic tile include trowels, cutters and measuring instruments. Trowels needed vary with the jobs. A basic trowel is the rectangular notched trowel. This tool is used to spread the adhesive. The trowel notches let the installer gauge the thickness of the adhesive. A smaller margin trowel is for detail work. Tile cutting is a critical function. The basic cutter is a nipper, which is especially used for detail work. A cutter board is often used for straight cuts, The cutter board scores tile to make it easy to break. A circular wet saw is the real workhorse of a professional. Saws come in all different grades and sizes. You can find an inexpensive saw that will be right for your job.

Adhesive

Tile is stuck to the floor using an adhesive. The material is either ready mixed or a wettable powder. Your supplier can recommend a grade for your project. Many adhesives are latex based and some are even stain proof and water proof epoxy. Epoxy grout is especially good for shower pans or bathroom ceramic tile.

Laying the Tile

Tile is always laid over a stable base that will not shift much. Often cement board is put down as a base, since cement board is water resistant and stable. Once the base is installed you can put down lines to help align the tile. Of course, no room is perfectly square, so allow for misalignment as you start your job. Locate the pieces that must be cut in the least visible areas. Sometimes, starting at one wall or one side will look best. Sometimes starting in the middle of a surface will be better. That's where the art of laying tile enters.

The alignment of the tile edges determines how the finished job looks. Beware that discount tiles often vary in size more than premium material, making alignment tougher. Use a chalk line to give you as many guide lines as you need. Then you can space the tiles by eye or use regular plastic spacers between pieces to help you.

Grout

After the tile is in place including all the trim, you fill the spaces with a masonry grout. Grout for larger spacing includes sand. The sand makes the grout stronger and less likely to crack. Grout comes in colors too. Grout is installed and spread with a special rubber faced trowel. After the grout is installed, you remove it from the tile faces before it completely dries.

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Installing Concrete Sidewalks at Your New Home

Concrete sidewalks can vary in shapes, colors and be formed into any shape you can imagine. Before starting on this project, look around at other homes and businesses to see what can be done but don't be limited by what you see. Use your imagination. Colored concrete is available today from most Redi-mix suppliers and concrete color stains are also another way to obtain a beautiful finished product. There are "cast-on" products out there that can provide a non-slip surface, a super hard surface and even anti-spalling compounds that help keep the sidewalk from chipping due to the use of winter salt. Most redi-mix concrete dries in some shade of beige color depending on the color if the sand and Portland cement used. Ask your supplier where he has poured his product and go look at it. This will give you an idea of what the "aged" product will look like later. Once you have decided what color concrete you are going to use, decide what strength concrete you need. I recommend the use of 3000# strength concrete for all sidewalks except very heavy use or vehicle traffic. If vehicles will be crossing the sidewalk, use 4000# or 5000#. It will cost a few dollars more a yard, but will last a great deal longer.

TOOLS REQUIRED-

Hammer, sledge, string line, and level with tripod. 4' hand level, pointed and flat shovels, wood 2x4 for screeding (leveling) of the concrete, bolt cutters, safety glasses, work gloves, fine broom and two edger's called sidewalk edger's and v-groove styles. A metal sidewalk edge finishing tool, a V-groove tool for center joints and a steel trowel are a must. Most masons prefer to use a magnesium float to put the initial finish on their walks prior to applying the final broom finish.

MATERIALS REQUIRED-

Concrete is ordered by the cubic yard. It is quite simple to figure out how many yards you need for your project using the following formula: Length x Width x Height (thickness) divided by 27 =? Cubic yards. A typical example: Your sidewalk is 3' wide, 3-0 feet long by 4" thick. Using the formula above: 3' x 30'x.33 /27=1.1 cubic yards. You cannot order.1 cubic yards. So it is either 1 or 1.5 yards. All Redi-mix companies charge what they call a short load charge for anything under 6 yards. So there are choices here to be made. Is there anything else that needs concrete? Make the walk a little wider? Add a patio area? Ask the Redi-mix company what the charge is for 1.5 or 2 yards. The price may be the same anyway. While we here, I want to spend a minute discussing getting the concrete to your site. Trucks are heavy. Very heavy. If your sidewalk or patio is in the rear yard, either the truck has to be able to get to it or you will have to wheel it in wheelbarrows. Wheeling 1 yard is not bad, wheeling 5 or 6 yards is a brute. You will need plenty of help and good wheelbarrows. Redi-mix companies also charge extra for any time spent over 1 hour on site. IF you decide to take the truck into the rear yard, be prepared for lawn damage. Concrete companies are not responsible for damage to your property if you direct them to drive over the lawn. Worse yet is if they pass over the septic system, buried pipes, etc. and damage them. BE SURE there is nothing underneath that can de damaged. Don't guess!

A Redi-Mix truck can weigh over 40,000 pounds! It will leave a lasting impression on your lawn and can damage lightweight asphalt driveways. Be careful where you send it.

You will need some misc. mixed lumber to form your concrete walk. 2x4's in long lengths work best. If you have a curve in the walk, it is best formed using strips of non-tempered masonite or 1/4" plywood. Whatever you use, it does not have to be pretty. It is going to be removed after the pour. Buy a bundle of 1"x2" or 1"x3" for stakes. These can be cut into 1 foot lengths and points cut on them. You will also need a couple of pounds of 8 penny common nails.

LAYOUT-

The easiest way to layout a new sidewalk is to use your garden hose. Simply lay the hose out on the ground where you want the walk to go. Forms do not have to be made of wood. Things such as brick, wood edging, pre-formed plastic edging are all used and produce many different edge finishes. If you use these types of things, just take extra care not to splash concrete on them. Concrete stains or discolors very easily and does not wash off well. When everything dries, the concrete you think you washed off, leaves a permanent stain. Another very helpful item available today for homeowner use is upside down paint at most hardware or box stores and comes in a variety of colors. This makes it very easy to spray a layout line for digging or removing sod or soil. DO NOT spray your hose unless you want it to be that color for a very long time. A few carefully placed spots that you connect after removing the hose is fine.

Make sure that you mark out the lines a few inches wider than the finished walk width. You need to get your 2 x4's and stakes inside the excavation and in most cases flush with the surrounding ground. If you are going to expose the edges of the new walk above ground, you will also have to finish the edges when you pour.

GROUND PREPARATION-

Never, never place concrete on frozen ground or mud. You need a firm foundation base for the new walk. You must remove the concrete thickness of earth plus the stone you will be placing underneath. A 4" walk usually gets 4" of stone base or good clean run-of bank sand and gravel. After removing the 8" of earth, place your sub-base material and tamp into place. Make it slightly wider than you walk width. Your forms will sit on top of the base. NOTE: Now is the time to run any yard lighting wires or conduits under the walk before you pour. Even if the lighting is in the future, you will be glad you make preparations now. Place a piece of 1" PVC conduit with caps under the walk for future use.

FORM WORK-

OK, we are using wood forms for this walk. Layout your 2x4's along the walk and drop stakes every few feet. Your 2x4s will be installed end to end so a stake is required at each joint. Starting on one side, install your 2x4's using enough stakes to firmly hold them in place. They must be straight and plumb. Nail the 2x4"s to each stake but DO NOT drive the heads all the way in. You have to remove these stakes later and it is a lot easier to get a hold of the nail head if it sticking out a little. If you have curves in your walk and are using 1/4" material to form you will of course have to use many more stakes. Just make sure the form is not going to move when you place the concrete against it.

Now cut a piece of scrap 1x2 the width of your walk. (3' in this case). Using this as a guide, install the opposite side of your formwork. It will save you having to measure over and over again and speeds up the work.

CONCRETE PLACING-

Ok, now we are ready to go. Check your list. Forms are all nailed? Not raining? Plenty of help? Got all the tools you need?

And most important did you order the concrete? Most companies require at least two days notice for homeowners to order. Commercial accounts come first due to their large volume of orders. BE READY! Remember the truck clock starts when he gets there, not when you start pouring. Using your garden hose, if the ground is very dry, slightly dampen it. This will help prevent premature drying of the concrete by the ground sucking the water out of the concrete before you get finished. Starting at the end the farthest from the truck (you will see why later) start placing the concrete in the forms. One person must, using his trowel, push the concrete into place and do a preliminary leveling within the forms. After placing a few feet of concrete, using a 2x4 as a screed, he can then level the entire width of the walk by sliding the 2x4 back forth over the top of the forms. You need one person leveling concrete with shovel, 2nd person using 2x4 as a screed to level concrete flush with the tops of forms and an extra third hand to wheel concrete, handle the chute, etc.

If a low spot in the concrete develops, just use the trowel to pickup some wet concrete and toss it in. Move back and re-screed over that area. If too much concrete develops in front of the screed just push or pull it into the area without concrete. You will soon get the hang of it. The people helping can watch as they pour the concrete from their wheelbarrows to be sure they don't overwhelm you. If you work slow and steady it goes pretty fast. OK, we now have the entire form filled with concrete. Place a little bit extra in one wheelbarrow and let the truck go. Now you need somewhere for the truck to wash out his chutes and you need to wash your tools and wheelbarrows. Concrete stains and gets HARD! Put it somewhere that can be easily cleaned later. Do not leave piles of concrete that cannot be moved.

FINISHING-

You get a few minutes break here. Have your favorite beverage and relax a little. The concrete will take a little while to start to setup but keep an eye on it. Touch it with your finger just like a cake. If it feels somewhat solid, now is the time to put the preliminary edge on it. Using the edger with a rolled lip, run it along the entire outside edges of your walk way. This will form a smooth sealed edge. You will have to pickup the edger many times and re-start. Just backup a few inches and moving ahead to remove the lip left when you picked the edger up. This will take some time so don't let the concrete "get away" (harden) on you. Once you have done an area, a 2nd person can start placing the v-grooves every 4 or 5 feet (less if you like the look). Using the edger, simply push the edger across the width of the walkway with enough pressure that both sides of the edger sit firmly on the concrete. This will leave a neat v-groove in the walk. You will get the hang of this very quickly. Don't worry for now about the little lip of concrete left on each side of the new groove and edges you made. Now using your broom, very lightly draw it across the width of the walk way being careful not to draw it across the v-grooves but do some very close to them and the edge of the walk. Read that sentence again. You can ruin the whole appearance of the walk if you mess this up. Be gentle but firm enough to leave broom lines in the concrete and wipe away the little lips of concrete you left behind when edging. The broom lines can be as heavy or as light as you like. This will leave a non-slip surface. Always broom across the path of the traffic, never with it. The trick here is to not to let the concrete harden before you are done. Start with a SMALL project and work your way up. After your first pour, you will know some of the tricks and better able to judge how fast concrete sets up.

Keep some plastic or tarps handy just in case you get a surprise downpour. You can quickly throw plastic over the pour and save it. If the rain washes out the top layer of concrete, the walk will be ruined.

It is very strongly suggested that you do not leave a smooth or hard trowel finish on any outside walk. It will become very slippery when wet. A broom finished side walk is what you normally see. There are colored aggregates that can be scattered over a walk to add color and a non-slip surface at the same time.

OTHER FINISHES-

Stamping-There are available metal stamping tools that can be used to place an imprint in wet concrete to simulate stone, pavers, brick, etc. These can produce a dramatic effect from plain concrete but take some experience to use.

COLORING-
You may be able to buy pre-colored concrete from your supplier. It is expensive but can come in many different colors. It is produced from regular wet concrete with a powder added to the mix while still in the truck. Pour the entire area in one pour. Just a slight change in the amount of powder or water or sand in each truck can produce a different shade of concrete. This will show when dry. The powder is measured in ounces with a postal scale. It is that exacting. Concrete suppliers have color charts for concrete but this needs to be ordered well ahead of time as they do not stock all colors.

EXPOSED AGGREGATE-

This is a really tricky method of finishing concrete. You purchase your concrete specifying the use of round washed river rock 3/4" or smaller. If you visit the concrete supplier, you can see what color the gravel he has available. Most river rock is beige/brown in various shades. It is not an exact science though and there will be some variation from week to week of what you can get. I have on occasion for a very large project, ordered enough stone to supply the total amount of yards required for the work. The supplier will of course want payment as he will have to wait to supply it as you need it, but it is one way to control final color and costs. Placement of the concrete is the same as any other side walk however the finishing is much different. After edging your walk, using your trowel you must place a flat finish on the walkway and let it sit. At just the right time, using your garden hose and spray nozzle, you literally wash off the top of the concrete removing the cement and leaving the stones beneath exposed. It is tricky but leaves a gorgeous finish. Too much water or pressure and you undermine the stones, too little and the concrete won't wash off enough to leave the stones exposed. The trick here is wash to before it gets too hard. You might well want to try process on a small test sample during a different pour. Washing lets the color of the stones show through. Do not try to finish after washing; you will smear the final finish

CLEANUP-

Always clean up your tools and yourself as soon as possible after the pour. Concrete can cause serious burns to the skin due to the lye in the concrete and many people are quite allergic to it. Always wear eye protection when pouring concrete. No matter how careful you are placing the concrete, it splashes everywhere. A small drop in your eye can cause serious pain and permanent eye injury. Place covers on anything you do not want concrete to get upon. Shrubs, flowers, lawns, etc. should be protected.

Enjoy your new sidewalk. You saved a ton of money doing it yourself.

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