Drywall Installation near you

Every drywall panel has the same basic make-up, a gypsum core between two facings, but the core and the facing change with the job. Board also comes in several thicknesses, lengths and weights; ask your installer what they plan to use in each room and why.

Before any board goes up, the framing should be checked for straightness, electrical boxes, plumbing and ducts should be in place and inspected where required, and on outside walls the insulation and vapour barrier should be complete and sealed. A crooked stud is much easier to fix now than to hide under compound later.

Contractors describe drywall finishing in levels, from seams taped and nothing more, for spaces nobody will see, up to a thin coat of compound skimmed over the entire surface. The higher the level, the more coats, sanding and time it takes, and the flatter the wall looks under strong light.

Two quotes for the same room can describe very different amounts of finishing, so put the level you expect in writing. Walls that face big windows, long hallways where light skims along the surface, and glossy paint all show joints that a flat finish would hide.

A basement is where new drywall is most likely to fail. Foundation walls sit against damp soil, and water can get in through cracks, around windows or through the slab during the spring thaw. Gypsum and its paper facing soak up that moisture and feed mould, which can spread unseen behind a finished wall.

Before framing goes up, look for warning signs: damp patches, white mineral deposits on the concrete, a musty smell, stains at the base of the walls, or water after heavy rain. Deal with the source first, whether that means regrading, extending downspouts, repairing cracks or waterproofing, and let the space dry out. The basement renovations page covers insulation, framing and layout.

Hanging drywall on its own rarely calls for a permit, but drywall is usually one stage of a larger project that does: finishing a basement, moving or adding walls, building an addition or turning a garage into living space. Many municipalities want to inspect framing, insulation, the vapour barrier or wiring before walls are closed, so confirm the permit and inspection schedule before the first sheet goes up.

Where a garage is attached to the house, the building code sets requirements for the wall and ceiling between them, to keep exhaust fumes out of the living space and, where required, to slow the spread of fire. The type of board, the number of layers and the way joints and openings are sealed depend on the code in force where you live and on whether there are rooms above the garage, so ask your municipality's building department what applies. Don't cut openings for lights, vents or a pet door into that wall or ceiling without checking first.

Sanding joint compound produces a very fine dust that drifts through doorways, gets pulled into ducts and settles on every surface in the house. Good crews plan for it from day one rather than cleaning up at the end.

The schedule depends less on hanging, which moves fast, than on finishing, because each coat of compound has to dry or set before the next goes on. Drying slows in cold, damp air and speeds up with heat and air movement, so a basement in winter or a humid week in summer can stretch the job.