When preparing to install drywall, one of the first things to do is to check the layout of the ceiling to see what thickness is needed. If you have trusses, your layout will be 2 foot on center and you will need to use 5/8 sheetrock. If you are covering sealing joist, like in a basement and the joist are 16″ centers, then you can use 1/2″ sheetrock. Use a minimum of 5 screws per row, i use 6. Screws need to be at least 1 and 1/4″ long.
Figure how much sheet rock you will need! On the ceiling you measure width times length of the total project, and any pop outs that may be there. Divide that number by 32 if you are using 8 foot rock. If you are using 12 foot rock you will divide by 48. The number you get will be the number of sheets you will need. On the walls, you will need to measure length times how tall the walls are. Measure every wall in every room, and in every closet. You will divide the same way as you did for the ceiling. On the walls you will use 1/2″ rock. The number of screws will be the same to ensure no movement.
Before you begin hanging the rock, you should check to ensure the walls are all nailed good and there isn’t any warped 2×4’s in your walls. Use a straight edge, lay it across the 2×4’s horizontally to find any warped boards. Replace the boards that are bad. This is especially important where cabinets and tubs will be. You also need to go to your equipment rental store and rent a sheetrock jack to install the rock on the ceiling, this is done before the walls are started.
There are screw tips that are sold in hardware stores that are made for installing rock. The tips have a bell on them to stop the screw before it breaks the paper on the sheetrock. You don’t won’t to break the paper around the screws for this will weaken the rock. You sure don’t want a piece of rock coming down on your head. The other tools you are going to need are a T-square, a kick jack, utility knife, phillips or cross point screw driver, a key hole saw for cutting around electrical boxes, and small stool or ladder. You may also need a small hammer.
Hang the ceiling first and return the sheetrock jack. Make sure you stagger the joints on the rows of rock. This will ensure a better tape job for it will decrease movement. When hanging the walls, you install the upper row first and then the bottom row. This is done because trim or baseboard will cover any gap that is left on the bottom. If you have a wall that is 9′ tall, then fill in the middle with a 12″ strip, this will make it easier to tape.
Well, good luck on your project! There are so many other tips to tell, this is just basic’s.