BuffalOhio Posted November 23, 2004 Share Posted November 23, 2004 All good advice. It's not that hard, just takes a little practice to get good (and fast), which you don't have to be - plaster covers a lot of errors. Measure twice, cut once. A metal T-square, box cutter (and blades, sheetrock dulls them fast), pencil, chalk line (angles), hammer and nails is about all you need to get started. But 6000 sq ft may be more than you want to try your first time out. My brother and I would hang a 2000-3000 sq ft house over 3-4 days; it would take you quite a while longer. Here's how to cut the length of a 4x8 sheet cleanly: All the sheets should be staged on their side leaning against a wall (hopefully, the last one you plan on covering.) With the board on it's side, hold the top of the T-square on the top of the board with the right side of the verticle at your measurement. Use your toe to keep the bottom of the T in place, and use your knee to keep the middle against the board. There's a notch on the right side of the T-square - that's so you can take the knife and cut across the top of the board, then run the knife along the side down past your knee. Then turn the knife and start at the bottom of the T-square and cut up. Move the T-square out of the way. Lean the board out away from the others so you can grab the board with both hands, left one on the cut, right one far enought to the right to snap the board forward at the cut so that it breaks to a 90 degree angle - which will hold it up when you set it down. Keep a hand on top of the board. Step around back, and run the knife top down and bottom up on the backside of the cut to get all the way through. Snap the board back toward the stack of boards. Should be a clean cut and a clean break every time. You can't do that on small cuts, less than a couple inches, or you'll break the cut uneven. Lotta bad memories of doing this starting at 11 years old through Buffalo winters. Chalk dust so heavy you tasted it, and fingers that would get too numb to grab more nails out of the pouch (unfinished houses having no heat.) Which reminds me, 6000 sq ft, the hell with hammer and nails, get a good drywall screw gun, that holds the screw steady. A cheap one will do - your shoulder/elbow will thank you later. 130095[/snapback] Get a dimpling tool. It's a magnetic screwdriver tip that loses contact with the screwhead just before it pulls all the way through the drywall. Wonderful tool. Wish I'd known about it years ago, but now that I do, I never do drywall without it (not that I do it all that much, but I still do it!). Home Depot is where I got mine. Drywall Dimpler Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pm73 Posted November 23, 2004 Author Share Posted November 23, 2004 thanks for all the good advice. i'm sure many others can use it too. i'm definitely not a rookie at drywall but i do lack the skill to move quickly and not sacrifice quality. this is a big job and the fact that i've done so much work on the house already, i want to leave the finishing touch to the pros and make it all worth while so any recommondations are gladly accepted. PM me if you have an contact info or are intersted in the job. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pm73 Posted November 23, 2004 Author Share Posted November 23, 2004 bump Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fezmid Posted November 23, 2004 Share Posted November 23, 2004 You might want to look at http://www.angieslist.com I use them to find contractors in my area. Basically, companies are reviewed and commented on by people who have hired them in the past. EDIT: Nevermind, they don't have a location in NY... CW Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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