Drywall, similar to sheet rock, is the thick cardboard-like backing the makes up the composition of many walls, especially in modern homes. Drywall is lightweight, sturdy and smooth, making it the ideal component for walls.
When you install drywall, it is typically mounted to a wooden frame. Insulation is stuffed between the vertical supports in the frame and stabled to the sides. The drywall is then custom cut to fit the wall size and requirements using a special splicing tool or scissor. When cut, the sides of the drywall remain jagged, but that is not generally a problem because it will be covered over.
Once the drywall is placed flush with the wall, screws or nails are placed every 11 inches along the support beams. The nails or screwed should be installed flush with the face of the drywall – any deeper and you will have to spackle over the screw head so that it does not create an indentation.
Next, you will place special grid tape over the seams between two adjoining pieces of drywall. These pieces of tape are not meant to hold the drywall together. Rather, the will hold the spackle that you will place into the seam to help create a smooth surface.
From here on out, you will follow the same steps you use when applying drywall for the first time as you would use when repairing a hole in the existing drywall.
Using a special flat-edge spackle tool, place the spackle onto the tape, smoothing it out onto the surface of the drywall, like buttering a piece of bread. Be sure to make the application as smooth and even as possible. The thinner and more flush the spackle is with the wall, the better it will look once the walls is finished and painted.
Wait about two hours for the spackle to completely dry. Once it is dry to the touch, you are ready for the next step. However, if the spackle is not completely dry, you will run the risk of creating deep indentations and holes in your spackle, which will require that you re-spackle the entire surface.
Next, use a piece of sandpaper or a sandpaper block to smooth the rough edges and surface of the spackle. Working in a circular motion, start with the inside of the spackle surface and work your way to the edges of the spackle where it overlaps with the drywall. The goal is to smooth the spackle as much as possible so that you cannot tell a differences between the drywall and the spackled wall to the touch.
Your final step will be to paint or wallpaper you wall. Apply your paint or wallpaper evenly, regardless of its relation to the spackled portion of the wall. In order to ensure that you have a smooth coat of paint, you will want to use at least one layer of primer. The drywall and spackled wall should absorb the paint evenly.
Congratulations! You have just put up fresh drywall or repaired a hole in your drywall. You are well on your way to becoming an experienced independent contractor. Next step: installing drywall framing!