5 common drywall installation mistakes and how to avoid them

Drywall installation is as much of an art as it is a science, meaning there is plenty of room for error when performed by those not well-versed in the tricks of the trade. It’s easy to miss a detail or two that can cause the project to get out of hand pretty quickly, costing you both time and money while leading to subpar results.

Here are five common drywall installation mistakes and how to make sure you steer clear of them on your next project.

Driving screws too deep

It’s pretty easy to accidentally drive screws a bit too deep when hanging drywall, which results in them breaking the paper surface of the drywall and negatively impacting the holding power of the screws.

To make sure this doesn’t happen, you should drive the screw head only about a quarter- or half-turn past the surface of the paper. Most drills have a clutch that allows you to set the depth of the drive which can help in avoiding this issue.

Joints are too tight

Two adjacent sheets that fit together too tightly can result in the drywall breaking during or after installation. You need to allow enough space for expansion and contraction of the framing members, which occurs naturally as seasons change. Without enough space when this happens, you’ll get cracks.

Keep a 1/8-inch space between sheets during installation to keep this from happening. Using a guide can help make sure your sheets are properly spaced throughout the job.

Fastening before trimming

It’s not uncommon for an outlet hole to not quite fit the way you cut it at first. When this occurs, you should make sure to trim the opening BEFORE you fasten the drywall to the framing. Otherwise, the drywall is likely to break around the electrical box during trimming.

It’s fine to fasten the sheet with a few screws located far enough away from the outlet opening before trimming, but steer clear of fastening all the way until the hole is right.

Placing joints next to doors and windows

Lining up the edge of a sheet of drywall with the edge of a door or window frame is likely to lead to cracking in the future. As your home shifts and settles, the joint located adjacent to any door or window is weaker than solid drywall and will be at risk.

You’re better off notching drywall around the opening instead of making a joint in those locations. Lay a full sheet over the opening and cut out the space you need after fastening. It is okay to join sheets over an opening, as well – just not at the edges.

Having too many joints

The more joints involved in your project, the more difficult it will be. Not only is it more work for you as there are more sheets to deal with and more taping to be done, but there’s also more room for error.

To simplify, use the largest and longest sheets of drywall you can. Don’t worry about cost – it’s better to have more than not enough and drywall is not a particularly expensive material.

Kick off your next project at Al’s

Al’s Taping Tools has been providing contractors with the highest quality and most extensive selection of tools, parts, and accessories in the industry since 1985. Our experts are here to help you find easy ways to save time and money on your next project. Shop our products today to give yourself an advantage on any job site.