Ceiling Drywall Direction

[Mr. Roboto]

I am in the process of finally finishing off and insulating my detached 26x34 garage. It has 26' long trusses installed 24" on center. I just finished installing furring strips perpendicular to the trusses 16" on center in preparation to hang 1/2" sheetrock. I've been reading so much conflicting information with regards to what direction to now hang my sheetrock. Should I run it parallel or perpendicular to the furring strips? I'm planning on using 1/2" 4x8 sheets of drywall. What do you guys recommend?

Thanks!

 

[Kaizen]

opposite the furring strips. if you run with the strips the whole edge of the drywall is being screwed to a 1.5 inch out of 3 inch part of the strapping. if your strapping is not perfect you end up splitting the edge of the strapping or worse blowing out the side of the drywall.
I believe you CAN do it either way. for a rookie this is the easiest. also if you don't have a lift make some T braces out of 2x4s to help hold it up.
Stagger the joints.
Use mesh sticky seam tape
apply compound 3 layers 6,8,12 inch knives.

 

[pattenp]

Typical is perpendicular to the strapping.

 

[gasgas17]

Always perpendicular! Other wise the seams will stick out like a sore thumb. Also the 4' ends of the sheets have to be supported by wood or like framing or the **** joints will crack. That's why the tapered edges are rolled. There is actually 4 layers of paper in there to make that edge stronger to span between framing members. Screw each edge and at least 2 screws in between or at least 3 if your not going to heat the space full time in the cold season. Screw every 8 inches on the **** joints and vee the butts out with your knife before you tape.

It is common practice to stand the sheets on end when dry walling walls on commercial jobs to eliminate **** joints, so long as the sheets will reach or pass the ceiling.

 

[Mr. Roboto]

Perfect, perpendicular it is, thanks guys! I am surprised how many articles I read online said otherwise, it did not make sense to me. First time drywalling for me, I hope it comes out OK.

 

[Jlbc212]

Do yourself a favor and rent a drywall lift. If your ceiling is over 11'6", make sure to rent one that can reach the extra height. When mudding the seams put the mud on in thin layers. Use lightweight compound. I did all my walls (metal ceiling) without having to do any sanding. I used flat white paint and the job looks like I hired a pro.

 

[acer66]

When mudding the seams put the mud on in thin layers.

I learned that lesson the hard and dusty way.

 

[Mr. Roboto]

Do yourself a favor and rent a drywall lift. If your ceiling is over 11'6", make sure to rent one that can reach the extra height. When mudding the seams put the mud on in thin layers. Use lightweight compound. I did all my walls (metal ceiling) without having to do any sanding. I used flat white paint and the job looks like I hired a pro.

I've been debating this quite a bit. I do have a rolling scaffolding that i've been using to install all the strips, which has been great. I may try and use this in conjunction with some "T" shaped supports ill build out of 2x4s

 

[jvitez]

+1 on the drywall lift.

Actually, you didn't need furring strips. You could have hung 5/8" drywall on the 24" O.C. spacing of the joists themselves. You could have also used ceiling rated 1/2" drywall, also 24" O.C. Look into ceiling rated 1/2" drywall anyway. Installing them on your furring strips ensures you'll be sag free.

 

[James-W]

I could be mistaken on this, but I THINK you are supposed to use 5/8 drywall on a ceiling, at least around here you are. This may be just a local thing, I don't know, but it would be in your best interest to find out before you do the drywall.

 

[gasgas17]

Your roof trusses have greater strength with strapping than they do without. With the snow we all got pounded with in the north east this winter, it can go a long way to keeping your roof standing. Plus one on the drywall lift. You can hang 12' sheets by yourself using the lift with no struggle.

 

[rburke65]

Rent that lift. I used one to install the metal ceiling liner in my shop....13' 4". Thank you Jesus. What a great tool. I installed the entire ceiling myself with ease. A real nice tool.

 

[wssix99]

All you have to do is read the instructions! (Most people don't know there are instructions.)

http://www.usg.com/content/dam/USG_...-gypsum-panels-installation-guide-en-J371.pdf

 

[Mr. Roboto]

For what it's worth, I am also planning on doing blown in insulation above the ceiling after I hang it. I forgot to mention this.

+1 on the drywall lift.

Actually, you didn't need furring strips. You could have hung 5/8" drywall on the 24" O.C. spacing of the joists themselves. You could have also used ceiling rated 1/2" drywall, also 24" O.C. Look into ceiling rated 1/2" drywall anyway. Installing them on your furring strips ensures you'll be sag free.

Well, too late now, the strips are already up, and after the headache of installing about 700 linear feet of them..they're staying up I didn't see any 1/2" "ceiling" drywall for sale at home depot, what exactly is the difference over the regular 1/2" "lightweight" drywall they do sell?

I could be mistaken on this, but I THINK you are supposed to use 5/8 drywall on a ceiling, at least around here you are. This may be just a local thing, I don't know, but it would be in your best interest to find out before you do the drywall.

I will call my building inspector just to double check. I stopped by and talked to him a few weeks ago, and he just told me to use 5/8" on the left wall because I would like to attach the garage to my house someday, and that wull be the abutting wall to the house, but I didn't specifically ask about the ceiling.

Your roof trusses have greater strength with strapping than they do without. With the snow we all got pounded with in the north east this winter, it can go a long way to keeping your roof standing. Plus one on the drywall lift. You can hang 12' sheets by yourself using the lift with no struggle.

That's true...one added benefit for adding the strips would be the strength.

Rent that lift. I used one to install the metal ceiling liner in my shop....13' 4". Thank you Jesus. What a great tool. I installed the entire ceiling myself with ease. A real nice tool.

Sounds like the general consensus is to get the drywall lift!

All you have to do is read the instructions! (Most people don't know there are instructions.)

http://www.usg.com/content/dam/USG_...-gypsum-panels-installation-guide-en-J371.pdf

Thanks for the link, I will read over those. Who'd have ever thought it would be as easy as reading the directions

 

[Mr. Roboto]

Here's where I'm at now. have about 3 more rows of strapping to hang. Sorry for the lighting, but I had to rip all the old fixtures down so I could do the work on the ceiling. You can see the boxes of LED shop lights that will be going up as the replacements.

 

[Ajustable]

The different thicknesses of the drywall is for two reasons. Fire code and to prevent dry wall sag between the supporting members. 5/8" drywall for ceilings is code here, In our area, You can also buy 1/2" that is what I call High density, The drywall Itself is denser to help its resistance to fire and sag. I tried to get 5/8" drywall at Home depot this winter for a kitchen ceiling in 10' sheets. Home depot didn't carry them. So I went to a local builders material supplier/retailer.
They suggested I use the 1/2" denser ceiling rated drywall, saying that it is required for the building code. I ended up using the 5/8" simple because the ceiling I was matching up to, was already 5/8", meets the code and is just a little cheaper.

 

[TheModelAGuy]

Echoing the tips given:
5/8 or rated equivelant for added fire rating, but 1/2 shouldn't sag on 16oc.
Use a lift. Much easier unless you have hung allot of Rock. Tees sound easy and cheap but in the long run a lift will save you allot of time and get better job.
Keep your joints tight. Make accurate cuts.
I'd use 12' sheets if I had a lift
if you haven't taped before it is relative inexpensive to have it done for you, but it'd not hard to do. Rent the bazooka.....you'll be $$ ahead.
Oh yea, one bottle of alleve for your neck after the days workout!

 

[Mr. Roboto]

OK, looks like I will be buying a drywall lift and going with 12' sheetrock haha. Just need to call my building inspector and find out if 5/8 is required for the ceiling or not, and then I'll go from there. Can the lifts be used to hang the panels on the walls as well?

 

[dfiler2]

It looks really good, that's going to be a nice shop. The strips may not have been needed but they will add a lot of strength to your roof system. When truss rafters fail the first thing that starts to happen is the bottom cord will bow, I've seen many barn/shop roofs collapse because they didn't put in the proper rafter ties. One thing i would mention is to get in the habit of staggering splices no matter what you do, splicing all of your strapping on one rafter is just not a good idea, I wouldn't change anything and it looks like there are already some metal rafter ties in place but just a good habit to get into IMO. Would love to see more pics as you progress.

Edit: yes you can use the lift on the walls here is a link to a video.

I would buy a lift, I have one like this. You can sell it after if you want and probably end up having about $75 invested, usually cheaper than renting if you are spreading the work over several days.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/like/390953780885?lpid=82&chn=ps

 

[Mr. Roboto]

It looks really good, that's going to be a nice shop. The strips may not have been needed but they will add a lot of strength to your roof system. When truss rafters fail the first thing that starts to happen is the bottom cord will bow, I've seen many barn/shop roofs collapse because they didn't put in the proper rafter ties. One thing i would mention is to get in the habit of staggering splices no matter what you do, splicing all of your strapping on one rafter is just not a good idea, I wouldn't change anything and it looks like there are already some metal rafter ties in place but just a good habit to get into IMO. Would love to see more pics as you progress.

Edit: yes you can use the lift on the walls here is a link to a video.

I would buy a lift, I have one like this. You can sell it after if you want and probably end up having about $75 invested, usually cheaper than renting if you are spreading the work over several days.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/like/390953780885?lpid=82&chn=ps

Thanks....I didn't even think of staggering the joints with the strapping...I really should have. Oh well

Thanks for the links. I am sold on the drywall lift. I just called a local drywall company for a quote to have all the sheetrock delivered in 12 foot lengths. Will def be needing a lift for panels that long.

And thanks for the kind words about the shop. I suppose I should really start a thread to track my build progress. I've loved reading everyone elses build threads on this site, so I should create one as well.

 

[Mr. Roboto]

Thanks for all the input everyone. My town building inspector called me back and said 1/2" is code here for the cieling as long as there is no living space above it, which thre is not. So I have 38 sheets of 1/2" and 9 sheets of 5/8, all 4x12, being delivered this Friday!! Goingn to pick up a drywall lift before then as well. Hoping to be hanging Sheetrock this weekend. Been 3 years since I closed on this house, and it's finally happening! Thanks to everyone for talking me into 12' sheets, I don't know what I was initially thinking!!

 

[TheModelAGuy]

Cool, send us some pictures when you're done!

 

[billspit]

You do know that codes are minimum!