Whether you’re installing or renovating a wall or a ceiling, drywall should be one of your top considerations. The material, also called sheetrock, is easy to install, durable, and easy to work with when repairs are needed. But, should you drywall your ceilings or walls first?
You should drywall your ceiling first, and then focus on the walls’ top sections. The order in which you install drywall can affect its durability, longevity, and esthetic appeal, and installing drywall on the ceiling before the walls typically always yields the best results.
You can save money by installing drywall yourself. You’ll achieve the best results if you follow the right procedure to install drywall. This article explains why drywall panels should go to the ceiling first.
The Basics
Drywall is a favorite wall and ceiling covering material for many homeowners. The material is smooth, fun, and easy to install if you follow the proper sequence.
Apart from being durable, drywall is also affordable. This makes it perfect if you want to be able to renovate your home easily and without fuss in the future. The correct order of installing drywall in rooms is to cover the ceiling first and then the walls.
Nothing stops you from putting drywall on the walls before the ceiling. The problem with this reversed drywall installation sequence is that it can make your work difficult and won’t give you the best results.
For example, you may have unsupported ceiling panel edges over a long stretch. The unsupported ceiling drywall ends may sag or crack because of gravity over time. As a result, your room may require expensive repairs sooner than you want.
Reasons to Drywall the Ceiling Before the Walls
Professionals place drywall on the ceiling before the walls because this installation order has many benefits. Let’s examine the advantages of putting drywall on ceilings first before moving to the walls:
Wall Drywall Supports the Ceiling’s Drywall
Installing your ceiling drywall first pushes the wall’s panels against those of the ceiling, providing extra support at the sides.
With the ceiling panel endings resting on the wall panels, you can prevent the ceiling sheets from sagging and cracking, which may occur when the edges are loose.
Ceiling panels are held in place with screws. However, you may need to use extra screws or studs if your ceiling is heavily insulated.
The best way to increase the support is to put some weight on the wall panels at the edges.
You Get Nice, Tight Corners
You may have floating ceiling panel edges if you install drywall on the ceiling after the walls. In addition to the risk of cracks occurring at the floating ends, you may also end up with poorly done corners.
You can avoid this problem and make tight, neat corners by installing wall panels after the ceiling. Since the wall pieces press against the ceiling sheets, you get strong, tight, and good-looking corners.
You Can Improve the Room’s Fire Safety
Installing drywall on the ceiling before the walls can lead to fire safety benefits. If you install the walls first, there may be vertical gaps where the wall and ceiling pieces meet.
Fire typically travels upward. If you have vertical gaps in the corners, it will get to the beams faster.
You can improve a room’s fire safety by installing drywall on the ceiling before the walls. That avoids vertical gaps at the corners and can help prevent fire from spreading rapidly. This can be a smart fire safety measure if you don’t install the fire-resistant drywall variety.
Installing Ceiling Drywall Is Easier
Installing your ceiling drywall first makes the process much simpler. Many professionals will tell you that working on ceilings is usually one of the most challenging parts of a construction project.
After installing the ceiling’s drywall, the difficult part is usually over, and you can look forward to the more enjoyable task of installing the wall.
Why You Should Hang Drywall Horizontally on Walls
The best method is to install drywall on the walls once you finish covering the ceiling. To begin, hang pieces of wall drywall from the top because this will provide support to the ceiling’s edges, and help you to create a neat and tidy finish.
Drywall can be arranged vertically or horizontally on walls. In commercial buildings, fire codes typically require the panels to be installed vertically. In residential buildings, however, drywall sheets are better installed horizontally.
Here’s a few benefits of installing drywall horizontally on walls:
- Improves wall alignment: Arranging drywall sheets horizontally on the walls makes it easy to hide uneven studs, leading to better wall alignment.
- Increases wall strength: The horizontal orientation allows for more contact between the drywall sheets and studs. This can result in stronger walls and more durable structures.
- Minimizes the lineal footage of seams: You can reduce the lineal footage of joints on the wall by up to 25% with drywall sheets in a horizontal orientation compared to a vertical arrangement.
- Reduces panel cutting: Drywall panels are typically longer than standard residential wall heights. As a result, the panels require a lot of cutting to fit if hung vertically. Horizontal fitting reduces the need to cut panels.
- Prevents wall sagging: Vertically arranged drywall sheets are at a higher risk of sagging due to gravity than horizontally fitted sheets.
- Easy to install and finish: Arranging the panels horizontally puts the joints at a convenient height for access. That makes finishing easy, which can result in a more professional-looking installation.
Do You Leave a Gap Between the Drywall and the Floor?
You should leave a gap of at least half an inch (12.7 mm) between the drywall and the floor. The gap allows drywall to expand without cracking. Moreover, the gap shields drywall from moisture if the floor is wet.
As a result, leaving a gap between drywall and the floor enhances your structure’s strength and durability.
If installing drywall in a basement, you should leave a larger gap between the panels and the floor. Aim for a one-inch (2.5 cm) gap for the basement installation. You may also want to apply a waterproof filler in that gap.
Baseboards will hide the gaps you leave between the wall and the floor.
What Drywall Size Is Suitable for Your Project?
Drywall is available in various types and sizes. There are panels enhanced for fire resistance that are ideal for covering kitchens or furnace rooms. Also, panels hardened against humidity may be ideal for bathrooms and other typically wet spaces.
Drywall panels are typically 4 feet (1.2 meters) wide. Panel lengths can range from 8 feet to 16 feet (2.4 to 4.9 meters). The most common drywall size option is the 4-foot by 8-foot (1.2 meters by 2.4 meters).
Most drywall sheets are half an inch (12.7 mm) thick. Panels of this thickness are easy to work with since they are light to carry and hang. If you’re wondering how thick drywall should be, you can find thinner and thicker options suitable for various applications.
The thinner panels are suitable for ceilings and curved walls. The thicker variety is suitable for covering walls susceptible to puncturing or dents, such as children’s rooms.
In Conclusion
You should install drywall on the ceiling first before the walls. This drywall installation sequence provides additional support for the ceiling panels, produces neat corners, and improves fire safety.
