Best Materials to Use for Major Sheetrock Repair
As a homeowner you may eventually find it necessary to take on a project for sheetrock repair or drywall as it is sometimes called. If you plan to make your own repairs to walls in your home, or if you plan to finish a basement or remodel rooms in your home, you'll find that you'll need certain sheetrock materials and tools such as those you'll find described below.
Stainless Steel Drywall Pan
In acquiring a drywall pan, choose one that will last over the time period you'll be repairing the sheetrock. A pan that is 12 inches wide will allow you to give you faster cleanup time than those made of plastic. It will resist staining and rusting, unlike cheaper metal pans. If you keep your pan clean you'll find that you will unlikely need to replace it for years to come.
Taping Knives
To make your job easier you should acquire a variety of taping knives. For repairing smaller patches the 3-inch and 6-inch knives will work better. For larger patch finishing, use an 8-inch knife. For applying patching compound, the larger 12-inch knife will be the best choice.
Drywall Saw, Razor Knife, and Rasp
One of your most frequently used tools when drywalling will be a knife or saw to cut your sheetrock. You should have both of these tools in your tool box. Each serves a different purpose in cutting your sheetrock. The saw is most often used to cut completely through the sheetrock, such as cutting out an opening for a light switch or receptacle. But for scoring, a saw will not work at all. For this you will need a good, sharp knife. If you want to smooth the edge of your drywall that have been made by your saw, you'll also need a drywall rasp.
Drywall Hammer
When you're attaching fasteners to your sheetrock, you will want to avoid damaging the drywall surface. With its convex head, the drywall hammer will allow you to attach your fasteners with less risk of damage.
T-Square
Cutting a straight edge on a drywall sheet will be virtually impossible without first making a straight line on the sheet, then using a guide that ensures that the line you cut will be straight. Your T-square will service both of these purposes. If you plan to cut sheetrock, a T-square will be indispensable.
Chalk Line
The fastest and most accurate way to draw a line on your sheetrock is to use a chalk line with blue chalk. Just hook the loose end of your chalk line on the edge of the sheetrock, touch the near end of the chalk line to your measure mark, stretch the line to make it taut, and snap it. You'll get a perfectly straight line every time.
Sheetrock Lifter
A sheet of drywall lying flat on a floor can be quite hard to lift, owing to its weight and the difficulty of getting your hands beneath it. Typically, you'll need a sharp, flat object to shove under the sheet in order to lift the sheet from the floor. This is where a drywall lifter comes in handy. It will lift the sheet high enough for you to get a good grip on the sheet.
