Drywall
The skin. Hides everything. Shows every mistake in raking light.
Overview
Drywall (gypsum board) is the material that gives a room its inside surface. Hung well, it disappears. Hung badly, it is the only thing anyone sees. Its great injustice is that it is judged not by how it's hung, but by how the light hits it in the afternoon.
The Craft
- Hang ceilings first. Walls support the ceiling edges. Not the reverse.
- Don't force a sheet. If it doesn't fit, it's you, not the sheet. Measure. Cut. Try again.
- Tape. Mud. Sand. Repeat. Three coats minimum. Feather the edges.
- Raking light is the final judge. Check your work with a flashlight held against the wall. The flaws you didn't see will appear.
- Primer is not optional. It is part of the drywall job.
"Drywall is 80% mental." — Finisher's adage