4 Drywall Mistakes and How You Can Avoid Them

Drywall installation is one of the most popular DIY projects homeowners tend to conduct in their homes. This is because not only does it give homeowners a chance to test their home improvement skills but also because drywall installers are often in short supply. However, if a DIYer doesn’t have the experience and skills needed to conduct this job, then it’s likely that mistakes will occur during the installation.

In this post, Handyman Connection® of Rockville explains the various drywall mistakes DIYers often commit and how you can avoid or solve them.

Oversanding

One of the common mistakes is oversanding the dried mud compound and joints. However, this makes them also risk accidentally sanding into the paper or fiberglass tape at the seams, which can compromise the overall installation and requires re-taping the seams. Avoid this by checking on the progress of your sanding with a low angled light on the wall, highlighting rises or bumps.

Screws Are Driven Too Far

When a DIYer drives screws or nails too deep, it can break the paper face’s surface on the wallboard. This causes the screws or nails to lose their holding power. Instead, you can drive the screw head exactly to the surface of the paper cover or use special tools and attachments to regulate the screw’s depth. In the event you do puncture the paper, simply drive a new screw close to the failed one.

Drywall Joints Are Too Tight

While a drywall joint that is too tight might sound like a good thing, it actually isn’t. This is because you need to allow for the natural expansion and contraction of the framing members underneath and if the joints are too tight, they can crack. There’s no fix for this issue so you’ll have to be alert during the installation itself. 

Failed Joints

Joints between the drywall panels usually fall over framing members so both edges can be securely screwed down. However, this doesn’t exactly happen all the time as it is possible for hanging joints to occur. Once this happens, the joint’s failure is all but guaranteed. With that in mind, avoid hanging joints as much as you can by nailing an extra stud or sleeper blocking to provide another surface to nail them onto.

Turn to Handyman Connection of Rockville for your home improvement needs. We are your leading provider of carpentry and drywall installation services. Give us a call at (301) 453-2090 or fill out our contact form to request an estimate.