Clear Drain Clogs

Nine out of ten clogs in kitchen and bathroom sinks can be cleared with little effort. Usually a few pumps with a plunger does it. When hair causes a clog, a zip-it tool easily removes the soap-laden mess.

Clogs you can’t clear this way are deeper in the pipes and may call for more intrusive methods, including disassembly of the P-trap. That’s a job a competent tenant can DIY, but you need permission from the landlord in case something goes wrong.

Definitely don’t use chemical drain cleaners without the landlord’s permission. The wrong ones can harm septic systems and damage pipes.

Fix Squeaky Hardwood Floors

If you’re renting an apartment with hardwood floors and the boards squeak, you can often get relief by sprinkling talcum powder into the cracks. This non-intrusive repair lubricates the floorboards and usually stops the squeaking.

You can also use powdered graphite, crushed soapstone or a talcum substitute if you’re worried about the potential health effects of inhaling talcum.

If the floor still squeaks after you try this, leave the repair to the landlord. It usually involves driving screws or nails to secure the floorboards and subfloor to the joists. One mistake on your part might deface the floor.

Change Lightbulbs

This is a simple enough procedure. Removing the cover from the fixture can sometimes be challenging, especially when working on a ladder. If you feel up to the job, your landlord will probably thank you.

When changing incandescent or halogen bulbs, be sure not to exceed the wattage rating for the fixture. To be safe, install a bulb with the same wattage as the one you remove.

If you need to change bulbs in recessed lighting fixture in a high ceiling, don’t overreach and put yourself in danger. Use a lightbulb changer.

Replace AC and Mini-Split Filters

If a window air conditioner or the wall unit of a mini-split heat pump system isn’t keeping the room comfortable, the problem may be a dirty filter. New filters are inexpensive and easy to install, so there’s no reason to call this one in to the landlord.

Just remove the front grille from the AC or wall unit, pull out the old filter, purchase an identical one and pop it into place. You might not even have to replace it. Depending on what kind of filter is, you could just clean it with soap and water.

Shovel Snow

If you’re renting a ground-floor apartment, someone needs to clear your driveway and walkway. Many communities have strict requirements about removing snow from public walkways in front of residential buildings within a certain time period — often 24 hours.

This one’s a no-brainer. Unless the landlord has a maintenance staff to shovel snow, go ahead and do it yourself. This may even be stipulated in the lease, especially if you live somewhere with heavy snowfall. Clearing sidewalks and driveways are a matter of safety as well as convenience.

Patch Holes in the Wall

Small holes left after you take down a picture or remove a screw are easy to fix. All you need is a little spackling compound and a putty knife. If the hole is small enough, you can even use toothpaste.

You can also repair larger holes (up to about an inch in diameter) by filling them with patching compound and covering that with spackling or joint compound.

Touching up the paint is a touchier subject. Unless you have the exact paint color on hand, it’s better to let your landlord or the maintenance staff handle this. If you get the color wrong, you may be liable for repainting the entire wall.

Adjust Cabinet Hardware

Cabinet doors that tilt and won’t close are annoying. So are wobbly handles and drawers that stick. All it takes to fix these nuisances is a screwdriver and maybe some WD-40. No reasonable landlord will insist on coming over to do it for you.

Of course, if your building has reliable maintenance people, you may prefer to leave the job to them, But if you rent a house or a single detached unit and you’re on your own, you can make these minor improvements yourself.

It’s best to leave things like broken hinges and cracked or delaminated doors to the landlord. But if you need new shelf liners, go for it.

Replace Smoke Detector Batteries

Nothing ruins a good night’s sleep more than the beeping of a smoke alarm that needs new batteries. If you have new batteries and a ladder, go ahead and change them. Just open the battery compartment door, pull out the old ones, insert the new ones and you’re done.

If you don’t see a battery door, you may have to rotate the housing counterclockwise and remove it to find the right compartment. With newer models, It’s also possible the batteries are sealed. If that’s the case, call the landlord, because the smoke alarm needs to be replaced.

Un-Jam the Garbage Disposal

Uh oh … someone put chicken bones in the garbage disposal, and now it’s stuck.

Most units — including all Insinkerators — feature a slot on the underside of the canister for a special key that lets you turn the rotor and free the blockage. If you don’t have the key, try a 1/4-inch hex wrench. Be sure to unplug the disposal before you do this.

And after you get it running again, grind some ice to get rid of any other small bones that might still be lurking. Rather than giving you a hard time, your landlord will probably thank you for taking the initiative.

Re-Caulk Bathroom Fixtures

When caulk in the shower, bathtub or around the sink gets old, it’s discolored by mold and starts to separate. Besides being unsightly and unsanitary, it allows water to seep into places it shouldn’t.

Although it’s a job that takes some time, you can pull off that old caulk with a sharp knife, then apply new caulk yourself with a squeeze tube or a caulking gun.

It does take a little skill to do it right. But if you feel competent, you shouldn’t have to involve the landlord in this repair. You’ll have a cleaner, healthier bathroom while doing the landlord a solid by waterproofing the fixtures.

The post 10 Apartment Repairs and Maintenance You Can Do Yourself appeared first on Family Handyman.

Prep the Rough Opening

• Not all windows are perfectly centered in their rough opening. To center them, you may have to shim the sides, top or bottom of the opening. The goal is to achieve an even reveal between the window and the drywall return around the inside perimeter of the opening.
• You can purchase drywall shims or make your own by ripping different thicknesses of plywood.
• Attach the shims to the rough opening using staples or finish nails.
• Always insulate around the window with spray foam or fiberglass insulation.

Measuring

• Measure the depth of the window return from the inside face of the window to the wall’s outer surface. Subtract 1/4-inch. Now, measure the height of the side returns from the top to the bottom of the rough opening.
• Next, measure the length of the top return from left to right and subtract the thickness of both pieces of drywall.
• Transfer all these measurements to the drywall sheet.

Cut the Returns

• Score the drywall along your line using a utility knife and straightedge. You need to cut through only the paper on the first pass.
• Let the sheet of drywall overhang your work table past the score line (or place a 2×4 beneath that scored line). Push the board down away from you and the drywall will snap on the line you cut.
• Cut through the backside of the drywall paper along the crease.

Attach Returns

• Place the drywall return on the underside of the top window return, keeping it 1/4-in. from the window and flush with the wall. Attach the piece with drywall screws, two screws every 12 inches.
• Use a drywall screw bit or set the clutch on your cordless drill so you don’t drive the screws in too deeply. The screw heads should be below the surface but shouldn’t break through the paper.

Cut and Attach Inside Corner Bead

• Cut two of the side tear-away corner beads to length — the same length as the drywall you cut. Dry-fit the pieces and trim to length as needed.
• Cut the top and bottom tear-away corner beads so they butt against the two side beads. Trim back the tear-away strips just enough so they don’t interfere with the side tear-away strips.
• Attach the two side corner beads first, then the top and bottom corner beads. Secure all four corner beads to the drywall with spray adhesive and 3/8-in. staples as shown.

Cut and Attach Outside Corner Bead

• Cutting the outside corner bead is different than cutting the inside bead. It’s similar to making a picture frame with 45-degree angles on all four corners.
• Attach the outside corner beads with spray adhesive and staples.
• If you’re removing trim, fill the gap between the window return and the drywall before attaching the outside corner bead.

Mudding

• With a nine-inch knife, apply a skim coat of joint compound over the corner bead around the outer edge of the whole window, feathering the joint compound out and away from the window as you go.
• For mudding the returns, start in a corner and work your way around all four returns, using a six-inch knife to apply a skim coat of joint compound.
• After the joint compound dries completely, use a six-inch knife to scrape off any excess around the returns.
• Apply a final coat of joint compound, let dry and sand.

Peel Tear-Away Strip

• Now it’s time to peel the tear-away strip on the inside corner bead, leaving a clean edge and line between the drywall return and the window.

Window Sill

• A window sill finishes off the window opening with a surface that’s more durable and much easier to keep clean than drywall.
• A composite or PVC material works well for this and won’t rot or warp.

The post Trimless Windows: How to Achieve the Look appeared first on Family Handyman.

Two-Part Filler

Stain Markers

Texture Spray Cans

Epoxy Glue

Blend Fillers to Patch Laminate

Self-Sticking Hole Patch

Rethreader in a Can

Epoxy Putty for Wood Repairs

The Glue-Anything Glue

Deck Remodel in a Can

Epoxy Fillers Are Worth the Hassle

Spray-On Crack Fix

Silicone Repair Tape

Quick-Setting Mud for Speedy Repairs

Long-Life Work Boots

Time-Saving Wall Patch

The post Amazing Repair Products appeared first on Family Handyman.

How to Cut Outside Drywall Corners

It’s tempting to cut the first piece of an outside corner flush with the framing and run the perpendicular piece flush with the first. Don’t do it. If you run the first piece just a little too long, the second piece will flare out. If you cut the second piece a bit too long, it will have to be shaved down to accommodate the corner bead. A good-quality metal corner bead will cover a gap and hold up as well as a perfectly flush corner—without the fuss.

Hang it, Then Cut it

You can save time and be guaranteed a perfect fit if you cut out the door opening after you hang the sheet. Once the sheet is up, score the back of the piece, pull the scrap forward and finish it off by cutting the paper on the front side.

Inside Corners: Measure Exact, Then Subtract

When you’re working in a smaller area like a closet and have to cut a piece that’s going to fit between two perpendicular walls, don’t try to cut exactly. Precision is a worthy goal, but you’re not building a piano. All the inside corners are going to receive mud and tape anyway. If the piece is too big and you try to force it into place (which you will do), besides scraping up the drywall on an adjacent wall, you’re more than likely going to damage the piece you’re trying to install.

Spiral Saws: A Drywall Hanger’s Best Friend

Spiral saws save time and money if they’re used properly. Here are a few tips for getting the most out of this important drywall tool:

• Make sure you’re using a sharp bit, and have extra bits handy because they will break.
• Don’t insert the bit too far into the spiral saw. About 1/8 in. of the bit’s shank should be exposed. This allows the bit to flex and reduces the chance of breaking.
• Make sure the bit is adjusted to the proper depth. If the bit extends too far, you may cut right through an electrical box or nip a wire inside it. If the bit doesn’t extend far enough, the tip of the bit may hop right over an electrical box or recessed light and head off in the wrong direction.
• Cut in the proper direction. Go clockwise when cutting freehand. When cutting around an electrical box or recessed light, move the spiral saw in a counterclockwise direction. The spinning motion of the bit should pull toward the object that’s being cut around.
• Never over tighten the drywall or drive screws too close to the cutting area. The pressure will crack and tear the drywall as you’re finishing the cut.

Use Heavy Boxes and Watch Out for the Wires

If you have any control over which electrical boxes are going to be used on the job, suggest the ones made from hard plastic. A spiral saw can cut right through boxes made from soft plastic (usually blue) sending the saw off on an unfortunate path.

Make sure wires are tucked in far enough so the spiral saw won’t cut them. Fishing new wire can be an expensive inconvenience, but cutting a live wire could be worse.

Don’t Hang Drywall too Close to Door Jambs

Window and door jambs are not always straight. Often, the jamb has to be adjusted when you install the casing. This can’t be done if the drywall is cut too close to the jamb. When you’re using a spiral saw, guide it with the wood that makes up the rough opening, not the window jamb itself.

Gaps Mean Extra Work

All tear-outs and gaps that won’t be completely covered by a cover plate have to be taped and feathered out—more work. So use your spiral saw carefully. If a gap around an electrical box is just filled with mud and the cover plate is overtightened, the mud will crack and crumble out of the gap. The areas around outlets are particularly vulnerable because of the pressure of plugging in and unplugging electrical cords.

Back-Beveling Gives You Wiggle Room

Even in a world of spiral saws and screw guns, two classic tools—handsaws and keyhole saws—are still essential on any job site. One advantage of hand-sawing is the ability to create a back bevel. This allows for a little more leeway when you’re sliding a piece into place, because if you need to trim, you won’t have to remove as much material.

Avoid a Large Gap at the Floor

When you’re dealing with a wall that is a few inches over 8 ft., two sheets of 4-ft. drywall will leave you with a large gap at the floor. While most base trim will cover that gap, the tapered edge on the bottom sheet will have to be filled with mud or it will show above the trim line, and that’s a lot of extra work (and bending over!) for the taper. Instead of leaving a gap at the bottom, leave a gap in the center of the wall, and fill it with 3/8-in. drywall. The thinner drywall is a snap to tape over smoothly. Your taper will thank you.

Invisible Butt Joint

A butt joint in drywall will result in a raised layer of tape and mud because the edges aren’t tapered. A good taper can minimize the ridge over a butt joint, but it’s hard to eliminate it altogether. If you’re installing drywall by yourself or installing in a space where it’s impossible to deliver 12-ft. sheets, butt joints are going to be unavoidable. And if you’re dealing with wall sconces or areas where raking light means a truly flat wall is imperative, a butt joint backer may be the answer.

A butt joint backer is basically a 4-ft.-long, 5- or 6-in.-wide board with 1/16-in. to 1/8-in. spacers added along the edges. You can purchase them at a drywall supply store or make your own. You could use an inexpensive 1×6 pine board and either glue or staple strips of ripped-down wood to the outside edges.

Installing the backer is easy. First, install the sheet of drywall, making sure the end doesn’t land on a stud. Next, attach the butt joint backer to the back of that piece. Finally, fasten the second piece of drywall to the backer. When installed properly, the butt joint backer will cause the ends of each piece to suck in, resulting in a recess similar to the recess created by two tapered edges.

The post How to Hang Drywall: Pro Tips for Cutting and Installing appeared first on Family Handyman.

Properly taping drywall is a fine art but fortunately, you don’t need to be naturally gifted to get the hang of it. These tips and step-by-step tricks of the trade will help you achieve invisible seams and smooth walls.

Video: How to Tape Drywall

Fill Wide Gaps with Setting-Type Compound

• Mix the powder setting compound with water in your mud pan to a paste consistency.
• Press the compound into gaps, especially those wider than about 1/4 inch.
• Keep the fill level even with, or slightly below, the surrounding surface.
  • Pro tip: Don’t overfill. Keep the fill flush with the drywall surface.
  • Pro tip: Work quickly, because the water activates a catalyst that causes the compound to harden. Setting times vary, depending upon which mix you buy. Start with a 90- minute setting compound to give yourself plenty of working time so it doesn’t harden in your pan.

Spread the Compound Over Joints

• Spread enough setting-type compound to fill the joint pocket.
  • Pro tip: Tapered drywall joints have special edges that provide a pocket for joint compound and tape. They’re deceptively easy to fill because there’s plenty of space for both tape and “mud.” However, the trick here is to completely fill the joint, flush with the surrounding surface, on your first coat.

Lay on the Tape

• Lay on the tape and embed it in the compound with a stroke of the taping knife.
• Spread a thin coat of mud over the top of the tape, making light strokes with your knife.
  • Pro tip: Pressing too hard will flex the blade and depress the compound, leaving you with more filling to do with the next coat.
  • Note: Properly applied tape (bottom photo) is embedded in the setting compound, which completely fills the tapered drywall edges, making the wall flat. 

Mud and Tape Drywall Corners

• Lay a ribbon of mud about 1/8 inch thick and 2 inches wide along each side of the corner.
• Sharply crease the paper tape and tuck it into the corner.
  • Note: The crease stiffens the tape and helps keep the corner straight and crisp.
• Quickly and lightly stroke your knife over both sides of the tape to position it exactly in the corner.

Bridge from Corner to Wall

• Create a smooth, crisp joint by resting one end of the taping knife on the tape and the other on the wall.
• Stroke down to embed the tape.
  • Note: Some mud will squeeze out, but leaving about 1/16 inch under the tape will do. You can leave an irregular mud edge at this stage. It’s easy to fill and smooth during the second coat.
  • Pro Tip: Hold your knife at a slight angle to the adjacent wall (not square to it) so you don’t gouge the mud on it.

Fill Outside Corners

• Lay on plenty of mud to completely fill corner bead pockets.
• Drag your 6-inch knife along the bead on one side and the drywall on the other.
  • Pro tip: Use light pressure; a heavy hand here will squeeze out the mud, leaving a hollow that’ll need more filling later.

Tape Butt Joints

• Since butt joints don’t have tapered edges, take the following steps to avoid a large bump in the wall.

Cut Away Loose Paper

• Trim away loose drywall paper to prevent lumps and bubbling under the tape.
• Cut on both sides of the joint, to create a shallow V-shaped channel.

Apply Compound

• Apply about a 4-inch wide ribbon of mud about 1/8-inch thick over the joint.
  • Pro tip: Make sure to completely fill the “V”. 

Tape and Smooth

• Lay on the tape and embed it with a light stroke of your knife, leaving no more than about 1/16 inch of mud under the tape.
• Apply a thin second layer of mud over the tape.
• Lightly stroke down each side to taper the extra mud away from the center.
• Once the compound dries, taper the edges out a foot or more with later coats to hide the bump left by the tape.

The post Taping Drywall Tips: How to Tape Drywall Joints appeared first on Family Handyman.

A Great Idea Made Better!

My design is similar to one we featured 65 years ago. The building process was much the same, but I upgraded the plywood, used modern ball-bearing slides, and chose concealed push latches for a clean look. Hidden behind the paneled wall is a lot of accessible, organized storage space.

Open the Wall

• Pry off the baseboard, then remove the drywall.
• I cut out a small section of drywall first, so I could see inside and verify that there were no wires or other obstructions in the cavity.
• If there is an existing outlet, you’ll have to relocate it. I used a reciprocating saw to cut the drywall, taking care not to cut into the stair stringer.

Reframe the Opening

• Remove the studs, salvaging what you can for reframing.
• Attach a stud at each end of the opening, and divide the remaining space into three openings of equal width.
• Cut and attach the two inner studs, making sure they’re plumb and accurately placed.
• To be sure that my pullout wouldn’t hit the baseboard on the adjoining wall, I installed that tallest stud and trim 1-1/2-in. away from that corner.

Build the Drawer Slide Supports

• Assemble the T-shaped drawer slide supports using glue and finish nails.
• Then add 1-1/4-in. wood screws for strength.
• The available depth under my stairs was 36 inches, so I used 34-in. drawer slides.
• Subtracting 3-1/2-in. for the stud plate left 30-1/2-in. for the slide support length.

Install Slide Supports

• Attach the slide supports directly behind the studs using construction adhesive and two-inch screws.
• Use a framing square to make sure the supports are square to the bottom plate so the drawer slides won’t bind.

Add Furring Strips and Trim   

• I chose inset drawer faces, but wanted their faces and trim flush with the skirt board.
  • Note: This meant adding 1/2-in. furring strips to the adjoining wall stud and floor stud plate before attaching the trim.
• The drawer faces cover the other three studs, so they didn’t need furring strips — just 1/4-in.-thick trim. I primed and painted the trim pieces before applying them.

Make a Template

• Building for this angled opening was tricky. A full-size plywood template of the opening proved helpful for calculating drawer and drawer front sizes.

Assemble Drawer Boxes

• To calculate the drawer width, measure the opening, then subtract the thickness of two drawer slides. Make the drawers as deep as the drawer slide length.
• Make each drawer box 3/4-in. less than the height of the opening, for 3/8-in. clearance top and bottom.
• Glue and nail the boxes together, adding trim screws later for strength.

Re-saw Frame Stock

• Applying a hardwood frame to the face of 3/4-in. plywood is an easy way to simulate a frame-and-panel drawer front.
• Rip the frame stock to width, then re-saw it into 1/4-in.-thick stock.
  • Pro tip: Set your saw’s fence to 1/4 in., then raise the blade to cut just over halfway through the board. Make the first pass, flip the board — keeping the same side against the fence — and finish the cut. Use a push stick as you get close to the blade.
    • Note: You can skip this step if you can find 1/4-in.-thick lumber at your local home center.

Sand Out Any Saw Marks

• Sand out any saw marks with a random orbit sander.
  • Pro tip: A new or newly sharpened saw blade all but eliminates them.
• Mark the sanded surfaces for gluing so the factory sides face out on the drawer fronts.

Apply Frames

• Cut the drawer fronts to size, and the frame parts to rough length.
• Mark, cut and attach the frame pieces, using glue and 5/8-in. brad nails.
  • Pro tip: For accuracy, instead of taking measurements, hold each piece in place, then mark and cut them to length. Run the two vertical sides, or “stiles,” long to hide the end grain of the horizontal rails.

Fill the Edges

• Fill any voids and gaps on the drawer front edges with putty or spackling compound.
• Fill the nail holes on the faces as well.

Sand the Drawer Fronts

• Once the filler has dried, sand the drawer fronts. I used 120-grit sandpaper on a block for the edges, and a random orbit sander for the large surfaces. Soften any sharp edges.

Paint the Drawer Fronts

• Prime the frames, then apply two coats of paint.
  • Pro tip: Because I used prefinished plywood for the drawer fronts, I didn’t need to prime them. I just reduced the gloss with 120-grit sandpaper before painting.
• The backs of the drawer fronts only need paint around their perimeter, about three inches in from the edge, as they’re mostly covered by the drawer boxes.

Install the Drawers

• Set the slides 3/16-in. back from the face of the finished furring strips and attach them to the supports, making sure they’re level.
• These heavy-duty slides don’t come apart, so the mounting procedure is a bit different.
• With the slides extended, set the back end of the drawer on a 3/8-in. shim in the opening.
• Then using a 2×4 and shims, level the drawer and attach the slides to it.

Position the Drawer Fronts

• Drive a couple of screws through each drawer from the inside, until the points poke through.
• Set the drawer fronts on two shims that create an equal gap, top and bottom, and lean them into the opening. Adjust the gaps around the drawer front by sliding it right or left and raising or lowering it with shims.
  • Note: I usually eyeball the gap, but you can mark the gap on a shim and use it as a gauge for all the fronts.
• Once the gap is set, push the drawer front against the protruding screws, leaving two indents. Drill pilot holes at these points.

Attach the Drawer Fronts

• Drill and countersink holes where the marking screws were, then attach the drawer fronts with 1-1/4-in. wood screws. Verify that the gap is still correct, then add more screws.
  • Note: I used eight on the large front, six on the middle one and four on the small one.

Install The Push Latches

• Attach the push latch in its approximate location using the two oblong holes.
• Stick the latch plate magnetically to the end of the fully extended latch. Push the drawer front in until it contacts the plate.
• Hold the plate while pulling the drawer front and plate free of the latch.
• Mark the plate location and attach the plate.
• Test the latch, adjust it as needed and then install the final two screws.

The post How to Build an Under-the-Stairs Storage Unit appeared first on Family Handyman.

When you need to hang something in a spot without a stud, drywall anchors are the way to go. But how much weight can drywall anchors hold? We were skeptical. So we picked up some drywall anchors at a local home center and a few others online to subject them to a stress test. Here’s what we found.

The HomeLAB Test:

We installed each anchor in one-half in. drywall, following the manufacturer’s instructions. Then we hung a tension scale from the anchor and fastened it to a hook screwed into a 2×4 fastened to the wall studs. We slowly twisted the turnbuckle and watched as the tension increased until the anchor buckled. Here’s how we tested each drywall anchor:

• Tension scale: When tension is applied, this scale measures weight in pounds.

• Turnbuckle: Turning increases the tension on the scale, providing a weight reading.

• Hold-down: A 2×4 screwed to studs provides a solid base.

Check out this compilation of tips for working with drywall to make your next build or repair easier.

The Results:

All the anchors we tested lived up to the claims, and all but one exceeded their weight rating.

Everbilt Ribbed

• Claimed: 22 Lbs.
• Tested: 80 Lbs.

Given the modest claim, we didn’t expect much from these, but we were amazed by their strength.

Cobra TripleGrip

• Claimed: 45 Lbs.
• Tested: 90 Lbs.

This heavier-duty anchor snaps into place when the screw is installed, but it performed about the same as the Everbilt Ribbed.

Pop Toggle

• Claimed: 60 Lbs.
• Tested: 130 Lbs.

This anchor clips to the back of the drywall and creates a tight bond. In our test, it held more than twice its rated weight.

E-Z Ancor Twist-N-Lock Medium Duty (Best Value)

• Claimed: 75 LBS.
• Tested: 100 LBS.

The E-Z Ancor is a great multipurpose choice. They’re widely available, inexpensive and easy to install (no need to drill a hole).

Toggler SNAPTOGGLE (Best Overall)

• Claimed: 80 Lbs.
• Tested: 180 Lbs.

This anchor held strong at 180 lbs., and we couldn’t turn the turnbuckle any more. They’re overkill for most projects, but sometimes the job calls for maximum strength.

Cobra DrillerToggle

• Claimed: 90 Lbs.
• Tested: 140 Lbs.

This anchor screws into drywall. Then, as you drive in a screw, a metal arm tightens against the back of the drywall.

WallClaw Anchors

• Claimed: 90 Lbs.
• Tested: 90 Lbs.

Easy to install with no drilling required (use a hammer), this stays true to its weight rating. But once over that, several popped right out of the drywall, leaving a big hole.

The post How Much Weight Can Drywall Anchors Hold? appeared first on Family Handyman.

Plaster and Lath Pro Tips

Removing plaster and lath is always an ugly ordeal, but my first try, 25 years ago, was the worst. I made every mistake in the book—mistakes that cost me time, frustration and blood. Since then, I’ve gotten smarter. Read on and I’ll show you how to remove plaster and lath faster, safer and better.

Turn Off the Power

Old walls hold hazardous surprises like wires without insulation and devices without junction boxes. In one wall I tore out, the wiring was embedded in the plaster! So turn off the circuits inside the wall and check any outlets or switches with a non-contact voltage tester before starting the tear-out.

Prepare for a Dust Storm

Demolishing plaster and lath is a dusty, filthy job. Wear a dust mask, cover doorways with painter’s plastic, turn off the furnace or central air conditioning, and cover HVAC grates. Check out these tips for how to reduce dust.

Cut the Plaster Walls

As you break up plaster, cracks can spread to adjoining walls and ceilings. To prevent that, cut the plaster where you want the demolition to stop. I make perimeter cuts with a grinder and a diamond blade. A diamond blade can also cut through metal lath, which was sometimes added over wood lath at corners and archways.

Cutting with a grinder whips up tons of dust. You can also use an oscillating tool equipped with a diamond or carbide- grit blade, which will cut slower but with less mess.

Cut the Lath

After cutting the perimeter of the plaster walls, cut the wood lath to prevent cracking the adjoining walls and ceilings. An oscillating tool with a round blade is perfect for this.

Protect Floors

Lath nails and plaster chunks really tear up flooring. The best protection is 1/8-in. hardboard taped together at seams. With wood floors, I use hardboard even if I plan to refinish the floor later. Lath nails can leave deep gouges that are hard to sand out.

Scrape Off the Plaster Walls

Chip away a small starter hole with your hammer claw. Then get to scraping. My tool of choice is a bent pole scraper that screws onto a broom handle (mine is a Hyde No. 12070; $15). Some home wreckers prefer an ice scraper or a square shovel. Whatever you use, scrape parallel or diagonal to the lath. If you scrape perpendicular to the lath, your scraper will break through.

Scoop Up the Plaster

Shovel the plaster into buckets or heavy-duty trash bags. If you choose bags, don’t fill them too full; plaster is heavy! Check out our tips for how to remove a wall and other demolition tips.

Don’t Mix Plaster and Lath

You could tear off plaster and lath at the same time— that’s actually a little faster than attacking them separately. But cleaning up a mountain of mixed debris is painfully slow. You can’t shovel up the plaster until you fish out all the buried lath, one stick at a time. So tear off the plaster, clean up, and then strip off the lath.

Yank Off the Lath Board

Lath nails come out easily, so you can often pull off two or three rows at a time. I like to use the hook of a wrecking bar. Try to remove full lengths of lath; they’re easier to pick up and haul out than a million splintered sticks.

Watch Where You Step

When you step on a big nail, you can often feel the pressure and shift your step to avoid an injury. Not with lath nails. Those sharp, skinny buggers will puncture your shoe and foot before you know what’s happened.

Does Plaster Contain Asbestos?

Adding fiber to plaster, for extra strength and crack resistance, was standard practice for centuries. The wall shown here contained horsehair. But at least one major plaster manufacturer used asbestos instead, and did so from the 1920s until the ’70s. So you can’t be sure unless you test. Just search online to find a testing service and send in a sample. You’ll get the results in about a week and pay about $60. If the plaster does contain asbestos, check with your local inspector for demolition regulations. Check out these 100 super scary home inspector horror stories.

Hit the Other Side From Behind

If you’re removing plaster and lath from both sides of a wall, do this: Completely strip one side of the wall, then attack the other side from behind. I like to stab at the lath with a square shovel, right next to studs. As the lath loosens, the plaster breaks away and falls off. After that, the lath is already loosened and pops off with a few more shovel whacks. Karate kicks work too!

Watch the video from our plaster and lath demolition!

The post Plaster and Lath Tear-Off Tips appeared first on Family Handyman.

How to Build a Drywall Arch

Converting a plain doorway into a curved arch is a relatively straightforward project that requires some carpentry and drywall taping skills. You’ll need to frame a curved arch, bend and fasten a strip of drywall to the curved framing, and then install a flexible corner bead. None of these steps are difficult, but it’s fussy work.

Cut into Drywall and Make Template

First cut away the drywall inside the opening to expose the framing. Don’t worry if you break it back a few inches on the walls. Next determine the style and size of the arch (half circle, partial circle or ellipse) and make a pattern out of cardboard. Tape this up in the opening to make sure it looks OK and leaves enough headroom.

Use this template to mark out and cut two 1/2-in.-thick plywood arches. Next cut a 6-ft. 2×4 down to 2-1/2 in. wide (or 2 in. narrower than the total wall thickness).Cut one top block and two side blocks and nail them to the door framing. Center them so that the 1/2-in. plywood arches will sit flush with the existing framing. Now nail the arched plywood into place on both sides.

Cut Blocks for Drywall Door Arch

Cut short arch blocks and screw them between the plywood arches about every 6 in. Cut strips of 1/8-in. hardboard (such as Masonite) and nail them to the arch blocks following the curve of the plywood. Use short drywall or underlayment nails. The hardboard provides a smooth, solid backer for the drywall and eliminates creases. Run it all the way down the sides to the floor.

Next, fasten the drywall over the face of the arch. Let it overhang into the archway and then cut out the curve of the arch with a drywall or keyhole saw.

Fit Drywall into the Curve

Then cut a strip of drywall the same width as the total thickness of the wall. If you’re using regular 1/2-in. drywall, wet the backside of the strip to help it bend. Lay it between sawhorses so it can sag as the water soaks in. You may need to wet it several times and let it slowly bend for an hour or two. Another option is to buy 1/4-in. drywall that’s designed to bend.

Start 6 in. below the curve of the arch, pushing the drywall firmly against the hardboard. Drive a pair of nails every 6 in. into your blocking around the curve. Then use straight strips to finish the sides. Apply flexible plastic corner bead (also available at drywall suppliers) to both edges. Run it all the way to the floor. Start at one end and fasten the bead with a staple gun, driving 9/16-in.-long staples every 3 inches. Keep the bead centered on the corner and tight to the drywall. This step gives the arch its final shape, so take your time.

Finishing Touches

Finally, mix up some setting-type joint compound and cover the corner bead. Apply second and third coats of joint compound, letting it dry between coats. Sand, paint and then go relax. You’ve earned it!

Are you puzzled by the funny little door in your home’s pantry? Many old homes have perplexing features that baffle their modern-day owners. Here we’ve solved 15 of those old home feature mysteries!

The post How to Make a Doorway Into an Arch appeared first on Family Handyman.

Permanent Repair

If you’re doing your own drywall and electrical work, some mistakes are easy to make. Maybe you measured wrong. Or maybe you just got a little carried away while cutting.

Whatever the issue, now you have to find a way to fix an electrical box cutout that’s too big. If you don’t, you’ll leave the outlets unprotected.

Sure, you can cover your mistake with jumbo electrical covers. But that doesn’t look very nice, especially compared to other boxes nearby. Fortunately, it’s not hard to fix this the right way and have your outlets look polished. Try this simple tip and no one will be the wiser.

Fill with setting-type compound

First, bevel the edge of the drywall with a utility knife. Then fill in the gap with fast-setting joint compound.

Mud and tape

Spread the fast-setting compound into the gap and surrounding area and embed the tape right up to the edge of the electrical box. Let it set up and apply the final two coats of lightweight compound. Once it’s set, sand the area with a medium-grit sanding sponge.

Repaint the repaired part of the wall

Once you’ve finished sanding, repaint the repaired part of the wall and you’re done!

You might have made a common mistake, but it’s an easy enough fix, and no one will tell that the electrical box cutout was too big. And you didn’t have to spring for extra outlet covers.

The post How To Fix an Electrical Box Cutout That’s Too Big appeared first on Family Handyman.

A bathroom remodel can be a stressful endeavor, whether it’s a DIY job or you hire a professional. However, when done right, the payoff can be enormous. If you’re getting ready to embark on a bathroom remodel, you want to get it right. You know you need to set a budget (and stick to it), have a plan and set a realistic timeline, but there’s so much more to think about. Here’s a look at some dos and don’ts of a bathroom remodel.

What You Should Do

Choose the right surfaces for a bathroom

The surfaces you choose for your bathroom remodel should not only contribute to the overall aesthetic, they should be able to handle plenty of moisture. Porcelain tile is a favorite among bathroom designers when it comes to not only flooring, but walls and bathroom sinks because it resists staining, bacteria and odors, according to Build Direct. A tip: Opt for larger tiles to minimize grout lines and make upkeep easier.

Remember to follow all local building codes and have inspections done

If your bathroom remodel is a DIY project, you may be tempted to skip the often-pricey permits and inspections. However, this may result in some costly mishaps down the road (faulty wiring that results in a fire or leaking plumbing leaking through your ceiling). If you hire a contractor, they generally handle permits and inspections.

Remember to add storage

While you may be tempted to cut out storage to go for a larger walk-in shower or a longer vanity, you may regret this decision later. When planning your bathroom remodel, consider where you’ll keep bathroom essentials, linens and first-aid items.

What You Shouldn’t Do

Move fixtures unless you have to

Moving plumbing during a bathroom remodel may cost you big time. Unless you are dealing with a very challenging or cramped space, try your best not to make changes to your home’s plumbing system as it’s not always worth the extra expense. In some cases you can triple your plumbing costs if you rearrange the layout of the toilet, sink and shower, Nick Schiffer, owner of NS Builders, told Architectural Digest.

Forget about ventilation and lighting

Make sure the space is properly ventilated as moisture breeds mold and mildew and can take its tool on finishes and surfaces. In addition, you’ll want to ensure your bathroom has plenty of light. Install a ceiling fixture for general light, but depending on the layout of your bathroom, you may want to add sconces near the vanity and task lighting in a shower.

Be too distracted by trends

When planning your bathroom remodel, think about the long term. While you may be tempted to add a trendy mirror, lighting or tile, don’t go overboard when bringing your bathroom up-to-date, as trends come and go. Opt for practical fixtures that won’t lose their appeal in the next few years. Here are some tips and tricks to replace a towel bar on tiles.

The post The Dos and Don’ts of a Bathroom Remodel appeared first on Family Handyman.

Chances are you’ve seen paper and fiberglass mesh drywall tape on the shelves of your local home improvement store. What’s the difference? To help you choose the better tape for your application, we’ll look at three factors: adhesion, strength/flexibility and moisture resistance.

Adhesion

Mesh drywall tape has a tacky backing, allowing it to stick to the wall on its own. Paper tape needs to be embedded in a layer of joint compound. This makes mesh tape easier for the average DIYer to install on a flat length of wall.

Most paper tape also comes with a factory crease in the center. This allows the installer to fold the tape in half, forming a right angle that makes it extremely easy to cover inside or outside corners.

It’s possible to fold mesh tape, but it’s easy to get off center if done by hand. To apply mesh tape on corners, use a specialty mesh tape corner applicator and hit it with setting compound immediately. Of course, metal-reinforced paper tape makes for an even easier installation process and a resilient corner!

Strength and Flexibility

Hold both kinds of tape in your hand and you might think they bend the same. But the paper tape firms up dramatically after being embedded in mud, a little like papier-mâché.

This added strength makes paper tape an especially good choice for butt joints. If you prefer mesh tape, skip the standard joint compound and use a setting mud, which dries firmer and provides additional strength.

Moisture Concerns

Mesh tape, crafted from fiberglass, holds distinct advantages, particularly in environments where moisture is a concern. Its inherent mold-resistant properties make it an excellent option for areas prone to dampness, such as bathrooms and backsplashes. Given its resilience against the potential damage caused by water exposure, mesh tape proves to be a reliable solution in these situations.

Furthermore, the utility of mesh tape extends to specific applications like tile installations. When preparing backer boards for tiling projects, it’s essential to select an approved fiberglass tape. Mesh tape’s compatibility with these scenarios is noteworthy, as it aligns with the durability required for tile work. Its reinforced structure not only aids in preventing cracks and crevices but also ensures that the installation maintains its integrity over time, resulting in a sturdy foundation for the subsequent tile layers.

In essence, the mold-resistant qualities and adaptability of mesh tape, particularly in moisture-prone environments and tile installations, make it a pragmatic choice that contributes to the longevity and reliability of the overall construction project.

Conclusion

In general, paper drywall tape is slightly stronger and more versatile, but mesh tape has a more manageable learning curve and better moisture resistance. It comes down to personal preference: Use the tape you’re most comfortable with.

The post Paper vs. Mesh Drywall Tape: Which One Should You Use? appeared first on Family Handyman.

Tools for Drywall Taping

Day 1

On the first day of taping and mudding drywall, have these tools on hand:

• • 6-inch taping knife
  • Staple gun with 1-inch staples

Tack on Outside Corner Bead

Our pro installs the outside corner beads with a staple gun that shoots 1-inch, 18-gauge staples with a 1/4-inch crown. Drywall nails will also do the job, but using a staple gun frees up one hand to get the bead exactly where you want it before tacking it into place. Outside corners take a lot of abuse, so make sure the corner beads are securely fastened to the framing. Nail or staple each side of the bead every 10 to 12 inches.

How to Roll Out Fiber Mesh

Installing fiber mesh saves time because it’s self-adhering. And unlike paper tape, fiber mesh allows mud to pass right through it, so you don’t need to fill cracks and gaps in the drywall before you install the tape. All you need to do is roll it onto the wall and trim it off with a 6-inch taping knife. Tape over all the joints, large gaps, holes larger than 1/8 inch, and both sides of the outside corner beads. On inside corners, only areas with a gap larger than 1/8 inch need mesh. The rest of the inside corners will get covered on Day 2 with paper tape.

Drywall Compound

Setting compound shrinks less than regular joint compound, and it dries rock hard. This makes it ideal for day one, which is all about filling the big holes and gaps. But setting compound doesn’t sand nearly as easily as joint compound, so thinner coats are better. It comes in powder form, and the number on the bag indicates how many minutes it takes to set up. The bigger the job, the longer the working time you’ll want. Our pro mixes his with a mixing paddle bit in a 1/2-inch. drill. He keeps a bucket of water standing by so he can clean the paddle right away. Setting compound sets up like concrete—even under water! Here’s what you should do with your leftover drywall compound.

How to Tape Drywall

Taping a drywall can be tricky. Cover all the tape with setting compound using a 6-inch taping knife. Apply enough mud to fill the gaps under the tape, but remember, setting compound is much harder than the two coats of joint compound you’re going to apply the next two days, so you want to end up with just a thin coat covering the tape. If you sand through the joint compound into the setting compound, the result could be noticeably different textures on the two surfaces.

Tools for Drywall Taping

Day 2

On the second day of taping and mudding drywall, have these tools on hand:

• 14-inch knife
• Corner trowel
• 6-inch knife
• 10-inch trowel
• BANJO

Coat Butt Joints With a Knife

Use a lightweight joint compound on Day 2. Knock off any crumbs or ridges left over from the day before with a clean 6-inch taping knife—our pro always has one in his back pocket. Spread a thin coat of joint compound on the butt joints with a 14-inch taping knife.

How to Mud Drywall

Each of the long sides of drywall is tapered to allow room for the mud. The goal is to fill this recessed area with mud so the wall ends up smooth. Taping knives are flat but flexible. If you press one too hard against a tapered joint in the wall, it could bend into the recess, and you could squeeze too much mud out, creating a trough. Taping trowels have a little bend in them, so when you press them against the wall, they flatten out to form a straight bridge across the tapered joint. Our pro uses a 10-inch trowel on Day 2. Be careful when you buy one: A taping trowel might look like a concrete trowel but it’s not—a concrete trowel is bent in the opposite direction.

Tape the Inside Corners

Paper tape is more flexible than fiber mesh and has a crease in it, which makes it easier to push into the corners. Our pro uses a banjo to install paper tape on all the inside corners. He holds the tape secure with one hand as he moves the banjo along the corner. Once a long section of tape is pulled out, he pushes it into the corner with a corner trowel.

If you don’t own a banjo, lay down a thin coat of mud and push the tape into the mud. Make sure there’s mud under every square inch of the tape or you’ll end up with bubbles. Banjos do a great job of applying the proper amount of mud to the tape, but regular joint compound will have to be watered down when you’re using one. This will require about 1 cup of water for every gallon of mud, but it depends on the moisture content of the mud you’re working with, so just keep adding a little water until it’s roughly the consistency of yogurt.

Top-coat the Corner Tape

A banjo applies mud only on the bottom of the tape, so once the tape is laid down, it will need to be top-coated. Our pro uses a corner trowel. Corner trowels can be tricky to work with—the secret (as with much of taping) is to not lay down too much mud. This is especially true where inside corners meet the ceiling and floor. Too much mud will round out the corners, making it difficult to install trim and moldings.

Start at the top of an inside corner an inch or so down from the ceiling because a lot of mud will ooze out the top side of the trowel when you first press it to the walls. Then go back for another pass and smooth out the excess left behind. Once the tape has been covered, go back with the 6-inch knife and clean up each side of the tape. This step takes skill and practice. An easier (but more time-consuming) method is to top-coat one side of the tape, and do the other side after the first side has dried.

Fill the Screw Holes

Make two passes over every screw hole with a 6-inch taping knife. Hit all the screws that line up vertically in the field of each panel of drywall at the same time. To eliminate voids, each pass should come from a different direction. One efficient method is to lay out a thick coat in an upward motion, and then come back down, scraping off the excess as you go. Don’t forget about the screws on the ceiling. Save yourself a lot of walking around by covering all the joints, corners and screw holes in one area of a room at a time. It’s time to set up some fans and call it a day.

Mud Management

Our pro’s tools are caked with mud, but he works mostly on new homes where water is usually unavailable. He also burns through most of his tools in months, not years, so he focuses only on keeping the edges clean—a must for smooth mud lines. Here are some tips for managing your mud:

• Scrape and wipe out the bucket sides to remove mud before it dries and crumbles into the good mud.
• Clean lids after opening new buckets for the same reason.
• Never return unused mud to the bucket. Throw it away.
• Keep a wet rag or sponge on hand to clean tools and buckets with.
• Add a little water to the top of your mud between jobs to keep a crust from forming.

Tools for Drywall Taping

Day 3

On the third day of taping and mudding drywall, have these tools on hand:

• • 24-inch knife
  • 12-inch trowel
  • 6-inch knife
  • Corner trowel
  • 14-inch knife

Make Your Own Topping Compound

The same lightweight joint compound you used on Day 2 will also work for your final coat on Day 3, but topping compound works better. Topping compound is easier to sand and doesn’t leave behind as many tiny air pockets. You could buy a bucket of topping compound or you could make your own. Our pro pours in about 1/2 cup of dish soap (any brand will do) into a 4-1/2 gallon pail of lightweight joint compound. He’s found that this concoction works every bit as well and is cheaper and a lot more convenient.

How to Finish Drywall

Now apply the final coat on the inside corners the same way you did on Day 2, laying down the mud with a corner trowel and smoothing each side with a 6-inch knife. Cover all the recessed joints with a 12-inch trowel (2 inches larger than the one used on Day 2). The farther the mud is feathered out, the less noticeable the joint will be, especially on butt joints. That’s why after our expert lays down a layer of mud on the butt joints with his 14-inch knife, he immediately follows with a monster 2-foot knife—no need to add more mud on the second pass. That’s it. You’re done. Now set up some fans so you can move on to sanding.

The post Create Smooth Walls: A Mudslinger’s Guide appeared first on Family Handyman.

But 15 million pounds of drywall is produced in the U.S. every year. Most of it goes on walls, but around 15 percent is leftover waste. What should be done with it?

Recycle It

Drywall is essentially gypsum (calcium sulfate) and water spread on paper backing and kiln-fired in 4-ft. x 8-ft. (or 10-ft. or 12-ft.) sheets. Calcium sulfate is a natural mineral with beneficial properties in your lawn or garden soil. It’s also reclaimable; a portion of the drywall sheets you buy at the home center is likely derived from recycled drywall.

But few if any curbside recycling programs allow drywall. That means you need to do some legwork if you’re a recycling advocate. It is possible, though. Inquire about bulky materials via a recycling clearinghouse such as 1-800-RECYCLING.

Repurpose It

You can also re-purpose drywall by peeling off the paper. Just start at one corner and pull; it comes off pretty easily. Then crush the gypsum back into powder form and spread it on your garden or lawn. Gypsum can help improve soil structure and reduce erosion.

Compost It

You can also add crushed drywall with the paper backing removed to your compost bin. Be aware, though, that decomposing drywall gypsum is notoriously smelly.

Save It

If you are a DIYer, it makes sense to keep a few usable scraps of drywall around for repairs. Otherwise, you’ll end up buying an entire 4 x 8 sheet for a relatively small fix. If you are a creative type, know the paper backing on drywall takes paint well. You can use drywall as a canvas for your artwork.

Unless you can recycle or repurpose it, it’s best to get rid of leftover drywall. Garbage haulers generally will take it if it’s broken down and bagged up. If you are keeping some, store it in a dry space, since drywall (expect for the special mold-resistant kind) is a hospitable host for mold and mildew.

The post What to Do with Leftover Drywall appeared first on Family Handyman.

Square the Bandsaw Blade and the Board

Making sure the bandsaw blade is perpendicular to the table is especially important when you’re re-sawing a wide board. For the best results, raise the guidepost all the way and use a square with an arm that matches the saw’s re-saw capacity (left). Adjust the table so no gaps appear between the blade and the arm. Next, make sure the board has a square corner. That way it will ride flush against both the tall fence and the table during the cut.

Set the Bandsaw Fence at the Correct Angle

It sounds crazy, but on most bandsaws, you have to angle the stock to make a straight cut. Finding this “drift angle” and setting the fence to match it is crucial to successful re-sawing.

Start by marking a straight line on a scrap board, parallel to its edge. Then follow the line to make a straight cut, angling the board as necessary. When you’ve cut far enough to establish the drift angle, hold the board in position and transfer the angle to the saw’s table.

Use the line you’ve marked to position the fence at the same angle. Then make test cuts and adjust the fence as necessary to fine-tune the setup until the stock stays flush against the fence, without binding against it or wandering away.

Box in Long Boards

Re-sawing long boards is a breeze with this setup, because it automatically holds the board against the fence so your hands are free to feed the board. Make the box about as tall as the board is wide, about as wide as the distance between the blade and the front of the table, and about as long as the distance between the blade and the table’s right edge. Position the box in front of the blade and clamp it so the board fits snugly but slides between the box and the fence without binding or wobbling.

Double Your Re-Saw Capacity

Imagine creating a 24-in.-wide book-matched tabletop or turning a 12-in.-diameter log into lumber. Installing a riser block on a typical 14-in. band saw increases its re-saw capacity from 6 to 12 in. Check with the manufacturer to see if a riser block kit is available for your saw.

The kit includes the block and all the other parts you need to stretch your saw, such as a longer guidepost and blade guard. Of course, you’ll also have to buy new, longer blades, and if your bandsaw bogs down easily when re-sawing those super-wide boards, you may have to install a larger motor to handle the increased workload.

Make it Easy to Stack Re-Sawn Pieces

Re-sawing a board into thin, pliable pieces allows you to create curved shapes by bending and gluing the pieces around a form—a process called “bent lamination.” Marking the board with the cabinetmaker’s triangle allows you to reassemble the thin pieces as they came from the board, so the lamination closely resembles a single piece of bent wood.

Easy Re-Sawing

Partially re-sawing a board on your table saw makes re-sawing with your band saw easier, because the blade has less to cut and the saw kerfs keep it from wandering. It’s a great method to use if your band saw bogs down during full-width re-sawing, and in many cases, it can save time by allowing you to re-saw without installing a re-saw blade. Even if you can completely re-saw the board by raising the table saw’s blade, many pros prefer this method because it’s safer to finish the cut on the band saw.

Create Stunning Grain Patterns

Opening a pair of re-sawn pieces for the first time is a favorite part of re-sawing. That’s because re-sawing transforms an ordinary—or even homely—board into something extraordinary. It also turns a narrow board into a panel that’s twice as wide. Opening the pieces like a book—called book-matching—creates a mirror image. And that’s just the start: By simply rearranging the two pieces, you can create other patterns that are completely different but just as spectacular.

The post How to Re-Saw Wood on a Bandsaw appeared first on Family Handyman.

As with most remodeling tasks, having the right tools is the key to a top-notch job. For drywall sanding, you’ll need a hand sander, a package of 150-grit drywall sanding paper that’s precut to fit your sander, and a sanding sponge for corners and detail sanding. You’ll also need a double-strap dust mask rated for nuisance dust and goggles to keep the dust out of your eyes. A hat or scarf to keep the dust out of your hair is a good idea too.

Pole sanders are good for large sanding jobs. We didn’t show a drywall pole sander ($15) because it’s tricky to learn. But if you’ve got more than one room to sand, it may be worth the effort to pick up a drywall pole sander. The trouble with a drywall pole sander is that if you’re not careful, the sander can flip over and gouge the surface, causing extra repair work. One tip is to keep the sanding head angled slightly and never let it get at a right angle to the pole. A drywall pole sander works great for sanding the drywall primer coat before painting, a step that requires minimal control and pressure.

Using a drywall sander

Sand with light pressure along the edge of seams and around screws to avoid “fuzzing” the drywall paper. Sand the center of seams just enough to remove ridges and bumps.

Choose fine sandpaper for the best results

It’s tempting to buy 80-grit paper to speed up the sanding job. But because modern lightweight joint compound is so soft, you don’t need heavy-grit paper to sand it. Coarse-grit paper or sanding screens will leave undesirable sanding marks.

We recommend 120-grit or 150-grit paper for the best results. Buy precut sheets made to fit your hand sander. It also fits half sheets of standard size paper.

Use fine grit sandpaper

Install 150-grit paper on your hand sander. Make sure it’s taut by first anchoring one end under the clamp. Then push the other end under the other clamp with one hand while you tighten the clamp screw with the other.

Fill gouges, don’t sand them

Don’t try to sand out gouges and big ridges. It’s much easier just to trowel on another coat of joint compound. This is especially important at the edge of joints, where too much sanding will damage the paper face on the drywall.

It’s quick and easy to trowel a thin coat over the edge of the seam to fill a depression. You don’t have to cover the entire joint again.

Fill grooves with more joint compound

Touch up grooves and large ridges with another coat of joint compound rather than trying to sand them out. It may take a few coats to fill deep grooves.

Spot problem areas with a handheld light

First do a once-over with your hand sander, making sure to hit every surface with joint compound on it. Keep a pencil handy to mark problem areas that need filling or detail sanding. Next get a handheld lamp and go back over the job while shining the light parallel to the wall surface.

Use your hand sander and sponge sander to touch up trouble spots. Mark depressions and other spots that need filling. Finish the job by filling the marked areas with joint compound and finally sanding these spots when they dry.

Shine a light on the wall to spot problems

Go back over the walls and ceiling with a light and a sander. Circle dings, pits, sanded-through areas and other problems with a pencil. Then go back and touch them up with joint compound. Resand these spots when they dry.

Prime the walls, then sand again

Sanding after priming is a critical step that most beginners skip. But sanding before painting removes paper fuzz and lumps that will show through your paint job. This is also the time to take care of other imperfections by filling them with joint compound.

Don’t forget to sand and reprime these touched-up areas or they’ll also show up when you paint the walls.

Sand the wall after priming

Prime the walls and sand them lightly after the primer dries to remove paper fuzz and lumps.

Use a sanding sponge for corners

Sanding inside corners with a hand sander is asking for trouble. In the first place, it’s difficult to get a crisp corner. But even more troublesome is the tendency to scuff or gouge the opposite side of the corner with the edge of the sander. It’s OK to sand within a few inches of the corner with your hand sander. Then go back and touch up with a sanding sponge or folded piece of drywall sanding paper.

Sand corners with a sponge

Sand corners with a fine sanding sponge rather than the large hand sander.

Hand sanders can gouge corners

Oops! Got too close with a hand sander and gouged the corner. Touch it up and try again, with a sponge this time.

Sand with a light touch

Even though using a hand sander is straightforward, the drywall pro we talked to offered these helpful tips. Use moderate to light pressure and avoid sanding over the same spot in a straight line. This can leave a groove or depression that will show up when you paint. Instead, move the sander around on the joint as you sand. Don’t sand over electrical boxes or other openings.

The edges of the box can rip your sandpaper, or a piece of the paper facing on the drywall can roll up under the sander and tear off. Keep a few inches away from electrical box openings and touch up around them later with a sanding sponge.

Avoid over-sanding

Oops! Sanded too much in this spot. Touch it up with joint compound and resand when it dries.

Angle the sander and press lightly

Keep the sander angled slightly. Press lightly and avoid scrubbing back and forth in one spot.

The post Tips and Techniques for Sanding Drywall appeared first on Family Handyman.

Textured Walls Overview: How to texture a ceiling

Ceilings are notorious for showing flaws. Light shining across that large, uninterrupted surface accentuates every pockmark in the drywall mud, every little ridge left by the paint roller.

The usual way to mask these troubles is to spray on acoustical “popcorn” texture. But I go with a “knockdown” texture on most ceilings, whether they’re new drywall, old plaster or a repaired ceiling of any type. If your walls or ceilings are damaged check out our wall and ceiling repair simplified guide: 11 Clever Tricks.

The beauty of knockdown drywall texture is that it not only hides imperfections but also creates a more subtle look than heavier textures. A typical ceiling takes less than an hour to texture and costs less than $20 in materials. Best of all, it’s almost impossible to get a how to texture drywall project wrong—as long as you follow a few simple steps. To spray on the texture, I use a small electric texture gun. But a gun powered by an air compressor will work just as well to get textured walls. You can also find spray texture in a can at most home centers.

To Begin, prep the room

You can wipe up a ceiling texture or wall texture mess with a wet rag, but preventing a mess is a lot faster. Remove all furniture from the room, as well as floor coverings, light fixtures and wall hangings. I like to cover the floor with rosin paper instead of drop cloths because I can roll up the entire mess at the end of the job and drop it straight into the trash. I overlap each course of rosin paper about 6 in. and tape the seams before texturing walls.

Next, mask the top edges of the walls with 1-1/2-in. masking tape. Press the top half of the tape in a straight line along the top of the walls, just under the ceiling line. To the bottom half of the tape, adhere inexpensive 0.8 mil plastic drop cloths, “bagging” the entire room.

Paint now, or later

You can apply knockdown texture to bare drywall and paint over it later. But I prime and paint the ceiling first, then texture it and leave the texture unpainted. The slight color contrast between flat white ceiling paint and the off-white texture gives ceilings a nice dimensional depth. As a bonus, I don’t have to sweat lap marks or flash marks when painting. The texture will hide those imperfections. Depending on the humidity, the ceiling can be ready to texture in as little as three hours after painting.

Mix up the mud and load up the hopper

I add about 2 in. of water to a clean 2-gallon pail (an ice cream pail is ideal) and mix unaggregated texture powder into it. For knockdown texture, never use mix that contains aggregate. Continue to add water and powder until you have a bit more mix than you think you’ll need. Better to waste some mud than to run out before you’re done. Approximately 1-1/2 gallons of mix is adequate for a 10 x 14-ft. room.

Here’s a crucial step for this how to texture drywall project: Set the mix aside for about 15 minutes to allow for complete water absorption. Otherwise, the mix will thicken in the hopper. It won’t spray and you’ll have to clean it out and start over. After this “slaking” period, add a bit more water and remix. The final consistency should resemble pancake batter. A mix that’s too thick won’t spray well, so it’s better to error toward a slightly thinner consistency.

Practice, then spray

After filling the hopper, I spray a test pattern on the wall plastic. Since the walls are covered with plastic anyway, they’re perfect for spray practice. Light, even coverage is your goal. Move the drywall texture gun faster for less coverage, slower for more. “Just right” should look something like this, but you don’t have to be as fussy as Goldilocks.

Since months may pass between my knockdown projects, I have to relearn the feel of the spray gun. My goal is to achieve roughly 40 percent coverage. A knockdown finish depends on leaving about 60 percent open space so that the splatters can be “knocked down” to create the desired effect. I use a coarse or medium tip for my splatter application.

Blast the ceiling

After my test run, I spray the ceiling. Spraying an average-size room takes less than 10 minutes. Hold the gun about 18 in. from the ceiling and work in blocks about 3 ft. square. When spraying texture onto a white ceiling, it’s easy to skip some areas and overdo others. For consistent ceiling textures coverage, work across the room in a 3 x 3-ft. grid pattern. Try to avoid overlap where these blocks meet, but don’t worry about a little overlap.

Do worry about too much coverage: Keep the gun in motion to avoid spraying any area too heavily. Knocking down the splatters later will greatly increase the area that the mix covers. So it’s better to go with lighter coverage than heavier.

If a room is larger than 225 sq. ft., I only spray and knock down half the ceiling at one time. That prevents the mix from drying before it can be knocked down.

Knock down the splatter texture

There are really only two ways to spoil a knockdown texture: too much splatter coverage and waiting too long before knocking down the splatters. When the splatters become too dry, you just can’t knock them down smoothly. So keep a careful eye on the sheen of the splatters. As soon as the wet shine disappears from the first area you sprayed—usually after 10 to 15 minutes—get moving.

Drag the knockdown knife in straight, overlapping courses. Work inward from both edges of the ceiling, and keep moving. The splatters dry and harden quickly.

Knockdown step-by-step tips

To knock down the splatters, I use an 18-in. rubber squeegee-style knockdown knife. There are metal versions, but I find the rubber blade easier to use. If you don’t find one at a home center, get this knockdown knife on Amazon. Screw an extension pole to the knife and you’re ready to go. Here’s how to do it:

• Work across the ceiling in courses, overlapping each course by about 3 in.
• Complete each course in two passes. Start at one edge of the ceiling and stop a few feet from the wall. Then drag inward from the opposite edge to finish the course.
• Work across the ceiling joists. If you drag parallel to the joists, the knife might bridge troughs between joists, leaving some splatters untouched.
• Steer the knife in a straight line. Any swerves or curves in the line of travel will be noticeable on the finished ceiling. Run right over electrical boxes and recessed lights. Don’t veer around them.
• Keep a damp rag in your hand, and wipe the mud buildup off the knife after every pass.
• That’s it. By the time you’re done washing up your tools, the texture will be dry enough so that you can tear the masking tape and plastic off the walls.

We’ve hung and patched and primed and finished our fair share of drywall. Check out this compilation of tips for working with drywall to make your next build or repair easier.

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Regular Drywall

Regular (gray) drywall is the most common type of drywall and it’s the only kind many people are familiar with. All drywall has one thing as its core—gypsum, a common mineral found globally. In regular drywall, and most other types as well, gypsum is sandwiched between two layers of paper. There is paper on the back (usually brown) and the face, which, in the case of regular drywall, is gray. It can be used throughout a house and comes in a number of drywall dimensions—the most common size is a 4-foot by 8-foot sheet. And, as the most common type of drywall, it is also the cheapest, selling for about $12 per 4-foot by 8-foot sheet, depending on where you live.

Green Drywall

Green drywall is a type of drywall that’s mold resistant and is used in applications where moisture can be an issue—so most commonly, bathrooms. To maximize the mold resistance, use mold-resistant drywall mud, aka joint compound. Green drywall generally costs about 20% more than regular drywall.

Purple Drywall

Purple drywall resists moisture, mold and mildew. In addition, Purple drywall also resists scratches , scuffs and dents so it’s good choice for high-traffic areas. Purple drywall is about 30% more expensive than regular drywall.

Fire-Resistant Drywall

All types of drywall are inherently fire resistant. However, there is a special type of drywall that has higher fire-resistance ratings than others. This drywall is known as Type X, and it’s thicker (5/8 inch instead of 1/2 inch or less). Type X drywall has glass fibers mixed into the gypsum to increase its resistance to fire. It is not fireproof, but most Type X drywall has a one-hour fire rating. Type X drywall is hung just like regular drywall and is usually required by building codes for the shared wall between the house and an attached garage. This thicker drywall costs about 10% more than regular drywall.

Sound Dampening Drywall

Sound damping drywall is the same thickness as regular drywall (1/2 inch,) but it is layered. In between the front and back paper is a 1/4-inch layer of gypsum, followed by a membrane and then another 1/4-inch layer of gypsum. The layering effect increases the Sound Transmission Class (STC) and reduces noise transmission from one room to the another. It doesn’t require special tools or equipment to install this drywall and it can be used in any room of the house. It is significantly pricier than regular drywall, however, costing about 400% more than regular drywall.

More on Drywall Sheet Sizes

All types of drywall come in standard 4-foot by 8 foot-sheets. However, they also come in other dimensions. Most of the variation in size involves length; 8-, 10-, 12- and even 16-foot sheets are available. Longer sheets are often used to cover large areas and are usually used only by professionals. Many of these types of drywall also come in 54 inch width (4.5 feet). These are used for rooms with 9-foot ceilings. It’s not surprising that the price increase as you increase in length, for example, a 10-foot sheet might cost 25% more than an 8-foot sheet.

And a Few Words on Drywall Thickness

Finally, some types of drywall, like Type X fire-resistant drywall, are available only with a 5/8-inch thickness. However, other types of drywall come in different thicknesses; the most common are 1/4 inch, 3/8 inch, 1/2 inch and 5/8 inch. The most common thicknesses for general application are 3/8 inch and 1/2 inch. However, several decades ago, 1/2 inch became the industry standard. Quarter-inch drywall is often used to cover damaged plaster walls and also for curved areas because it bends easier than thicker drywall. Then the 1/4-inch-thick drywall can be double layered to get to the conventional 1/2 inch thickness to match the rest of the wall. Quarter-inch and 5/8-inch drywall tend to be slightly more expensive than 1/2 inch or 3/8 inch.

The post 5 Types of Drywall and When to Use Them appeared first on Family Handyman.

Sand Preparation and Dust Collection

Drywall sanding can be a tedious job. It’s not only dirty and grueling but also stressful because now you have to fix any earlier mistakes. Good sanding results are built on the foundation of good drywall taping, and the final sanding is your last chance to get the whole job right. The paint job will reveal the truth: Either you succeeded—all the fasteners and seams look uniformly invisible—or any taping and sanding flaws are now glaringly apparent forevermore. No wonder so many homeowners choose to hire out drywall work.

Take heart: If you’re patient and pay attention to detail, you can tackle this job with making some of the most common drywall mistakes. We’ll show you the sanding steps and finishing techniques the pros use to get sanding done quickly to make smooth walls.

Tips for Drywall Dust Collection When Sanding:

Drywall dust is fine, like flour, and will travel to other areas of the house. To prepare your house for the work ahead and reduce this dust, follow these steps:

1. Lay dropcloths. Use plastic sheeting and masking tape to seal off cold-air return ducts and doorways. Mount box fans in windows (exhausting out) to ventilate the room. Remove the screens from your windows and doors before starting work to avoid having to clean drywall dust from them afterward.
2. Capture dust at the source. If you have ever sanded drywall, you know what a mess drywall dust can be! For way less than you’d think, you can practically eliminate the problem with a dustless drywall sanding attachment for your shop vacuum. This one from Hyde Tools (No. 09165) comes with a 6-ft. hose and adapters to simplify the connection to your vacuum cleaner.
3. Get the proper safety equipment: a two-strap dust mask (changed every half hour if you’re working in under-ventilated areas) or a respirator—both types rated for drywall work—plus a hat, glasses (goggles fog up) and comfortable clothing.
4. Don’t forget the psychological aspect of drywall sanding: The work goes much quicker and easier if you recruit a helper and turn on your favorite music!

Map Walls and Ceilings

Before sanding, round up a shadow light, a wide taping blade and a pencil (not a felt tip pen; it bleeds through paint).  Map all wide seam work on ceilings and walls to plan how much to sand each seam. With a backlight positioned on one side of a wall or ceiling, place your taping blade across the end of a seam, slide the blade along the seam, then, every 4 ft., label the spots “high,” “fill” or “even.”

Use the following labeling codes:

• High. If lighting reveals a high spot in the middle of the seam, sand the high spot down so the seam is uniform and even. Avoid sanding off so much joint compound that you expose and scuff the underlying drywall tape. If that happens, use a wide blade and more mud to build out the seam from the high spot to both outside edges, let the mud dry, map the seam again and then sand it.
• Fill. If light shows only at the middle of the blade, the seam needs more mud fill. Recoat with more mud and let it dry before you sand it. Use an “easy-sand” joint compound, which is available at home centers and hardware stores in 25-lb. bags of powder that you mix with water. Add the mud, let it dry, then sand the seam; you can usually do it the same day.
• Even. If the light is uniformly blocked along the length of the blade, sand the seam minimally and evenly.

Two Tools Handle the Bulk of the Sanding Work

For 80 percent of your work, you’ll use a hand sander on the lower walls and a pole sander on both the high portions of walls and all ceilings. Both tools accept disposable, custom-sized sanding screens (which come in one choice of surface coarseness, or grit) or sheets of sandpaper (various grits). Use these tools to quickly grind down high spots or smooth the even spots on all flat seams, outside corners and fastener strips.

Set up work lights so they shine across the seams to highlight flaws in the taping work. Spend the time now to perfect your sanding; it’ll pay dividends once you paint and must live with the results.

Open Mesh Sanding Screens Yay or Nay?

Some pros use open mesh sanding screens, but most do-it-yourselfers should avoid them. The open mesh allows the drywall dust generated during sanding to pass through and off the sander. However, screens are prone to leave scratches on the finished surface and wear out faster than sandpaper.

Best Results From 150-Grit Drywall Sandpaper.

Most workers get the best results from 150-grit drywall sandpaper. The pores of drywall sandpaper may appear to be clogging during use, but drywall dust actually becomes an additional abrasive to both grind and polish the taped surface, yielding a smoother finish and extending the life of the sandpaper. However, for easier and speedier sanding, you’ll still need to change sandpaper sheets frequently (an average-size bedroom will take three or four sheets of sandpaper).

Apply Even Pressure

Apply an even-pressure, push-pull motion to work a hand sander inside the flat seams and along the narrow vertical nail/screw patterns. Work the edges of the seams or strips with this push-pull stroke or use a circular, buffing motion to feather out, or smooth, the transition edge between the seam and the bare drywall.

To smooth out shallow scratches in a seam or screw/nail pattern (called a fastener strip), use light pressure on the hand sander and move it in a circular buffing motion.

Note: We used water-resistant drywall because its green color provides more visual contrast between the drywall, the taped seams and the strips. Don’t use water-resistant drywall on ceilings (it sags). Also, check with a building inspector; many areas do not permit its use on exterior house walls.

Using a Pole Sander

Use a push-pull stroke with a pole sander. Your arms may turn to rubber, but using a pole sander is faster and easier than working a hand sander from a ladder.

Tips for Using the Pole Sander.

• Pole sanders are more difficult to control; use either the push-pull motion or a side-to-side sweeping motion.
• Twist the handle to control a ball joint on the sanding head that will shift the movement of the head and allow the sander to both switch directions and turn around the inside corners where seams meet.
• Turn the head of the pole sander wider to work across seams or narrower to sand along fastener strips.
• Confine hand and pole sanders to the “field” of a wall or ceiling. If you work too close to inside corners, these tools may slam into adjacent walls, denting or gouging the finish.
• The pole sander, with its ball joint in the sander head, is prone to flip over (“jackknife”) and cause damage.

Avoid Scuffing the Drywall. 

Carefully sand the transition edge between the taped seams/strips and the bare drywall to avoid scuffing the drywall’s paper face. Avoid scuffing or chafing the paper surface of the drywall because those flaws may be visible after painting. The edges of all seams and fastener strips should look soft and smooth after they’re sanded.

Three Common Problems

Certain problems crop up during this stage of drywall sanding so be aware of three common problems as you sand:

• Hide a protruding screw (or nail) by first setting the fastener properly below the drywall’s surface and then applying two coats of easy-sand mud.
• Knock off a ridge of dried joint compound on a seam with a small taping blade and smooth the surface with one thin coat of easy-sand mud.
• If you have a thick buildup on a transition edge, avoid heavy sanding because you’ll likely scuff the adjacent bare drywall. Instead, use a 6-in. blade to feather another layer of the easy-sand compound around the inside corner where these two seams meet.

Sand with a Light Touch for Painting Prep

Once you’ve done the bulk of the sanding, switch gears and tools to finish tricky “finesse” areas like those around electrical outlets or lights, and inside corners. You can choose a hand sander for finesse work, but a better choice around outlets is handheld sandpaper.

Control sandpaper with an easy, light touch to avoid scuffing and gouging the surface finish. If your sanding does uncover and then scuff joint tape, apply more mud, feather it out, let the mud dry and carefully sand again. Here are a few tips for taping drywall.

Using a Sanding Sponge

Hand sanders work great on inside corners, but while smoothing one side, you may end up over-sanding the opposite side, cutting a deep channel that will require a touch-up of mud to fix. Instead, use a fine-grit, angled, wet/dry sanding sponge to work each side of the inside corners.

Firmly grip an angled sanding sponge, apply steady pressure and move it up and down inside corners for a straight, well-defined edge. Then move the sponge in either a push-pull or circular motion to feather the transition edge of the finished corner seam.

Preparation for Painting

In the past, after sanding my drywall, I prepared for painting by either sweeping the surfaces or vacuuming them to clean off all the dust. Wrong, say many experts. They advise minimal wall and ceiling cleaning. Sweep off the accumulated dust from the inside corners and any dust balls from wide taped seams and fastener strips. Otherwise, leave an even coat of dust over the entire drywall surface, especially along the transition edges of the seams and fastener strips. The dust will bind with the paint and provide a filler to mask scratches, pinholes and chafed surface paper.

Dust—your opponent throughout the early stages of drywall work—ironically becomes an ally at the end to improve the paint job and help deliver the fine results you’ve worked toward.

The post How to Sand Drywall With Minimal Dust appeared first on Family Handyman.

A guide to smooth walls

Taping drywall can be a frustrating, gut-wrenching experience, even if you’ve got a solid grip on basic drywall skills. Nagging flaws will show up right after painting and even months later. Nail pops, corner-bead cracks and bad joints will plague your walls forever.

To make your next taping job more successful, we’ve come up with a novice-friendly guide for getting good results and how to mud drywall. We’ve simplified professional techniques so you can learn them easily and recommended the basic tools and materials you’ll need to achieve smooth, flat walls ready for paint.

Since 90 percent of the cost of a professional job is labor, taping your walls yourself can save you several hundred dollars, even on small jobs. The key is a methodical, step-by-step approach with the proper tools and materials. Otherwise, taping will drive you nuts.

We’ll show you how to avoid the most common rookie mistake: heaping on drywall mud and then counting on a massive (and filthy) sanding effort at the end to rectify mistakes. We’ll also show you how to gradually build up layers and feather edges to avoid ridges and knock off high areas of freshly applied mud.

We’ve added color to each coat of drywall mud to make it easier to see the proper order of application. The first coat is orange, the second green and the third yellow.

Buy or Rent These Taping Tools, also Called Drywall Mud Tools

You’ll find a mind-boggling assortment of gimmicky taping tools at home centers. The truth is, most aren’t worth having and you can do an excellent job with just the ones we recommend. Banjos and clinchers can speed up and improve the job. They’re a must for larger rooms with lots of corners. But for small jobs, skip the banjo, and if you only have a few corner beads to do, nail them on by hand and skip the clincher too.

1. Four-inch flexible putty knife for small filling jobs and applying second and third coat mud to angles (inside corners).
2. Six-inch flexible putty knife for larger filling jobs, embedding tape and filling fastener holes.
3. “Potato masher” mixer for hand-mixing a bucket of mud quickly and thoroughly.
4. Mud pan for convenient dispensing of patching, fastener hole and corner mud.
5. A clincher makes quick work of crimping corner beads accurately in place to hold them for nailing.
6. A 12-in. trowel is less fatiguing and easier to use for applying mud to the joints and corner beads than the standard wide taping knives.
7. A banjo is essential for all but the smallest taping jobs for dispensing mud-saturated tape right onto the drywall joints.

Buy the Old-Fashioned, Time-Tested Materials—They’re What Pros Use

Just as with drywall mud tools, there are many new drywall products on the market purporting to make taping easier. But talk to a pro and you’ll find that few of them work any better or are any more durable than the old-fashioned taping supplies like paper tape and 1-1/4 in. solid metal corner beads.

Pick up enough corner beads to cover every corner with a single bead—no splicing!—plus one or two extras to replace mistakes. You’ll also need a small box of 1-5/8 in. drywall nails for fastening the corner beads. One roll of paper tape is usually plenty for the average-sized room, but they’re only a couple of bucks, so get two in case you come up short.

Remove broken or loose drywall

Score the paper around broken corners, blisters or other damaged areas in the drywall with a utility knife. Peel the paper away and remove any broken or loose gypsum core. Lightly sand rough paper and scored edges with a sanding sponge.

Fill damaged areas and cracks with setting compound

Mix 45-minute setting-type taping compound in a mud pan to the consistency of peanut butter. Fill damaged areas and cracks more than 3/8 in. wide with a 6-in. knife. Keep mud flush with surrounding drywall, never raised. Setting compound is hard to sand after it sets.

Install corner bead

Cut corner beads to length with tin snips and hold them in place to make sure beads meet perfectly at corners. Clinch corner beads into place with a clincher. Run a 6-in. putty knife along the bead and adjoining drywall (on both sides) to make sure you’ve left a void to fill with mud. Then anchor the corner beads through the drywall into surrounding framing with 1-5/8 in. drywall nails spaced every 8 in. Drive extra nails into edges that don’t lie flat.

Close-up: Test fit the corner bead.

Hold the corner beads in place to test fit the corners.

Make a dimple in damaged drywall holes

Remove any fasteners that have broken through the paper surface or missed the framing, and drive a replacement screw above or below the location into solid wood. Slightly dent the damaged paper left from extracted fasteners by tapping the spot with the butt of the knife handle.

No matter how accomplished you are as a taper, bad or incomplete prep work will make taping tougher than it has to be. It’ll also spoil a good taping job. Poorly installed corner beads will crack or work their way through the paint. Tape will peel, lift and blister if cracks or voids in the drywall are unfilled and simply taped over. Improperly set screws and nails or inadequately fastened drywall will cause nail pops for years to come.

Selecting and Mixing Mud

Mud comes in “setting-type” and “drying-type” varieties.

Buy setting compounds only for filling gaps and repairing broken drywall corners. Setting compounds contain plaster of Paris to make them chemically harden. They’re usually available with different setting times. That lets you put on several coats in the same day, an advantage pros like. Once mixed with water, setting compounds can harden fast and if applied too thick are difficult to sand. Mix small batches so you’ll have plenty of time to work before the compound sets.

Buy drying compounds for the actual taping. They come in powder or premixed in 5-gallon pails. We prefer premixed because it’s easier to mix and store. Despite its name, premixed compound is not ready for taping when you open the pail. You’ll need to add a little water and thoroughly mix the compound to the desired consistency before using it for the first time and before you begin taping each day. Drying-type compounds come in three forms: taping, topping and our choice, all-purpose. All-purpose is designed to be used for all three coats in the typical three-coat taping system.

A 12 x 12-ft. addition will require about two 5-gallon pails of mud. You won’t need more than a few gallons of mud for the first coat, and since it’s mixed runnier than succeeding coats, transfer some mud to a clean 5-gallon pail before mixing and thinning it. Don’t let our colors throw you off; the mud for the second and third coats is exactly the same.

To keep the mud from drying out as you work, loosely cover the pails. At the end of the day, wipe down the insides of the pails and the bottom of the lid with a sponge to remove any deposits. Otherwise, dried chunks of mud will fall into the mix and you’ll discover the little troublemakers when you’re spreading mud. Then lock the lids on tightly. Every new day of taping, remix the mud before using, adding water as needed.

Tip:

Drag the knife over all the fastener heads and listen for the metallic “click” of a protruding head. Set the screw- or nailhead slightly below the surface with a screw gun or a hammer.

Load the banjo for the first coat

Mix the first coat mud to the consistency of honey with a “potato masher” mixer adding water as necessary. Load the banjo spool with a roll of tape and ladle mud into the hopper underneath a loop of tape.

Cover the joints with tape

Apply the tape by holding one end of the tape against the joint with your hand while drawing away the banjo to pull out the tape. Press the wet tape into joints by dragging your fingers over the tape. Spread a little mud on the 6-in. knife and embed the tape by dragging the knife over the tape, pressing it tight to the drywall. Mud on the knife lubricates it so it won’t pull at the tape and thoroughly moistens the tape for good adhesion. Cover the butt joints first, then the tapered joints.

Tape the corners

Apply the tape to the angles with the banjo and smooth it into the corner with the 4-in. knife, taking care to smoothly crease the tape at the center. Then cover the corner-bead flanges with tape and scrape off any excess.

Fill nail or screw holes

Fill fastener holes by spreading a narrow band of mud upward over a column of screw- or nailheads with the edge of the 6-in. knife.

Scrap away excess mud

Drag the end of the knife over the filler swipe to scrape away all of the surface mud. Use this technique at the end of each of the three coats to fill and refill all the fastener holes.

The “first coat” consists of applying the mud-saturated tape to all of the joints and corner beads and filling screw or nail holes for the first time. Begin with the butt joints first, then the horizontal tapered joints, then the angles and finally, the corner beads.

The easy way to apply the tape is to use the banjo, which not only dispenses the tape but also evenly saturates it with mud while you pull it off the spool. If you’re just working on a small area like a closet, skip the banjo and stick the tape on by hand into a layer of mud, then spread another coat over the top and embed the tape with a knife. You’ll be surprised how quickly you’ll learn to play the banjo. The key is to mix the first coat of mud to the consistency of honey (it should be pourable) and spoon it into the hopper underneath a loop of tape.

The right mix will result in even, complete mud coverage on both sides of the tape as you pull the tape out of the banjo and feed it onto the wall. Don’t be afraid to get your fingers dirty. As you feed out the tape, press and smooth it onto the centers of drywall joints with your fingers, then use the lip of the banjo to cut the tape to length. While you have the banjo in your hands, stick tape onto several joints at once, and then press the tape flat onto the joints with a 6-in. knife and tool off any excess mud.

After all the joints are covered, apply and flatten the tape over corner-bead edges. Although some pros skip this step, a layer of tape is easy, cheap insurance against cracked corner-bead edges later.

Mix the second coat of mud

Mix your second (and third) coat mud to the consistency of creamy mashed potatoes, adding water as necessary. Scoop mud out of the bucket and onto the trowel with the 6-in. knife for spreading on the wall.

Cover the joints with a second coat of mud

Lay on a 1/8-in. thick mound of mud across the centers of butt joints, then two more strips of mud on either side of the center strip. Make three more passes, feather the outer edges flat, then smooth the center.

Feather out the corners

Butter the sides of the corner beads, then level and smooth out the mud with the trowel. Fill both sides of the corner beads to the brim of the bead, feathering the outer edges flat to the surface of the drywall.

Coat the tapered joints

Lay the second coat on tapered joints. Keep the entire width of this coat only a few inches wider than the length of the trowel.

Spread the second coat over one side of angles

Spread a thin layer of mud over one side of vertical and ceiling angles with a 4-in. knife. Apply more pressure to the outside of the knife blade to wipe off excess mud and leave a feathered edge. Refill fastener holes.

Some pros use special wide taping knives for applying second- and third-coat mud, while others use conventional cement trowels like we did. If you’ve used knives successfully, great! But if you’re a first-timer, you’ll probably find a trowel easier to master and less fatiguing. Both take patience and time to get the right touch. When you’re first spreading the mud onto the wall to distribute it, hold the trowel at an angle away from the wall and slowly lower the leading edge as you empty the trowel. After the mud is on the wall, go back and hold the trowel flatter to smooth it out.

The second coat is the toughest coat to apply, especially on the butt joints. Don’t be shy about spreading this coat over a wide area. It really takes six passes with the trowel to handle a butt joint: three trowel-wide passes to apply the mud and three more to flatten the middle, smooth out the mud and feather the sides. When you’re through, the center should barely cover the tape, while the two sides feather out the center mound.

Different joints require different strategies. Butt joints, which join untapered ends, are by far the toughest because you have to build a wide, gradual “plateau” of mud and feather the edges to make the joint appear flat. In contrast, tapered joints along the long sides of drywall have recessed manufactured edges that are much easier to fill and level. They’re handled the same as butt joints, but the second coat doesn’t have to be nearly as wide or as built up because of the recess of the tapered edges.

Filling corner beads is about the simplest of taping tasks because you have the hard, defined surface of the corner bead to guide application. Just make sure to feather the edges flat to the drywall.

Angles only get one additional thin coat of mud—on one side during the second coat and on the other during the third-coat layer— with each side done alternately so one side is always dry when you coat the other side. That way you have a hard surface to drag your knife against. Again, feather all outside mud edges flat, then refill all the fastener holes.

Wall and Ceiling Repair Simplified: 11 Clever Tricks

Knock down high spots with a sander

Knock off excess dried mud from the edges of corner beads, tool ridges and high spots remaining after the second coat with a drywall sander and 100-grit paper or sanding sponge before beginning the third coat.

Tips for How to Use Painters Tape

Fill low spots and feather the edges of joints

Fill low spots and other imperfections and feather the edges on all butt and taper joints. Finish filling corner beads by spreading another coat of mud using the same technique as with the second coat.

Drywall Finishing with Setting-Type Joint Compound

Finish the second side of the angles

Spread a layer of mud over the second sides of all angles to finish them. Refill the fastener holes for the third and last time.

Before getting started on the third coat, scrape down or sand any projecting ridges over seams and excess mud on the corner-bead edges. If you did a competent job of applying the second coat, the third coat will entail filling in imperfections such as low spots, craters and tool marks.

Use a “raking” light to highlight areas that need special attention. Hold the light against the wall so it shines across the surface to make all the problem spots apparent before you start. The second coat shrinks as it dries, so fastener holes and corner beads need to be filled with a third coat of mud.

Sanding is the last step in achieving smooth walls. It’s also the least pleasant. Buy yourself a pole sander for the large areas, a hand sander for detail work and 120-grit paper and a medium 3M sanding sponge for cleaning up the angles. The $25 total investment will be money well spent. Use the raking-light technique to constantly check progress and highlight irregularities that need more work. Be very careful not to over sand, especially in angles and on butt joints where mud layers barely cover the tape. Quit sanding the center of butt joints as soon as inconsistencies disappear.

Angles only need light sanding. Try not to sand onto unmudded paper drywall surfaces too much or abraded paper will show through the paint. If you expose tape while sanding, you’ll need to add more mud and let it dry before sanding again. Exposed tape will show through multiple layers of paint. Here are a few tips for finishing drywall.

Taping tips

Here is a list of important tips for rookies:

• Cut corners off corner beads at roughly 45 degrees because sharp corners tend to curl through the mud.
• Feather the outside edges of each and every coat wherever you’re taping so they’re flush with the drywall.
• Never leave up any tape that has a dry bond against the drywall. You’ll be able to tell by the light color. Peel back and fill tape that’s still wet, or cut out and replace tape that’s already dried.
• Don’t worry about eliminating small ripples, ridges or craters during the second coat. They’ll get filled, scraped or sanded off during the third coat. Just try to get the distribution as even as possible.
• Never return leftover mud to the pail. There are bound to be chunks in it that’ll plague you the rest of the job.
• Spray texture won’t hide poor taping, so don’t get sloppy on ceilings.

The post How to Tape Drywall appeared first on Family Handyman.

Fig. A: Tapered joint

Where two tapered edges of drywall meet, they create a shallow recess that makes taping easy. Just drag your knife over the joint and—after the third coat of mud—you’ll have a perfectly flat surface. Here are a few tips for improving your taping drywall skills and increasing your speed.

Fig. B: Butt joint

Butt joints have no recess, so you have to build up a layer of mud that’s thin enough and wide enough to blend into the surrounding flat surface.

When it comes to finishing drywall, the hardest part of the job is usually the butt joints—the joints formed where two non-tapered ends of drywall meet. Unlike tapered joints (Fig. A), which provide a recess for the reinforcing tape and “mud” (joint compound), butt joints require a buildup of mud. To make that buildup blend into the surrounding flat surface, you have to feather out the mud about 18 in. on both sides of the joint (Fig. B). But there are ways to avoid this slow, fussy process.

Tips for Better Drywall Taping

Better ways

Fig. C: Recessed butt joint

Using blocks between studs or joists, you can create a recess at butt joints, making them as easy to tape as tapered joints.

Drywall Taping Tips

Screw or nail blocks, or a butt board, between studs or joists

To make these blocks, we cut 2x4s to a width of 3-1/8 in to create recessed butt joints on both sides of the wall. In areas where you won’t be hanging drywall on the other side (ceilings and exterior walls, for example), you can use 2×2 blocks. On walls, you’ll need four blocks for each butt joint. On ceilings, install five blocks. Chisel away part of the sill plate so the lower edge of the drywall can bend inward.

How to Choose Joint Compound

Screw on the drywall

Screw drywall to the blocks at butt joints. The drywall will bend inward slightly, creating a recess for the tape and mud.

How to Fix Popped Drywall Nails and Screws

Tape the joint

Tape recessed butt joints beginning with an 8-in. wide knife for the tape coat. For the following coats, use a 12-in. knife, or better yet, a 14-in. knife.

The best way to handle butt joints is to avoid them altogether by using sheets of drywall that will span the entire room. Home centers carry 8-, 12- and sometimes 10-ft. long sheets. If 12-ft. sheets aren’t long enough, try a specialty drywall supplier, where you’ll find 14-ft. and, perhaps, 16-ft. sheets.

If you can’t get sheets that are as long as the room, or if there’s no way to wrestle long sheets into the room, you can make it a lot easier to finish butt joints by creating a recess at each joint (Fig. C).

To make recessed butt joints, put blocks between the studs or joists. The blocks are set back about 3/16 in. from the face of the framing, so when you screw the drywall to the blocks, the butt ends are drawn inward, creating a hollow recess that’s as easy to finish as a tapered joint. This may sound like a lot of unnecessary work, but if you’re a bush-league drywall finisher like me, you’ll get better results and probably save time in the long run. Next, check out drywall installation mistakes you’ve probably made before.

The post Drywall Butt Joints Made Easy appeared first on Family Handyman.

Learn and Master the Basics

Before we get too far into the hacks and tricks, let’s pause a moment to make sure we all understand the basics of marking for a cut. It’s always best practice to mark the board where the saw will make it’s first contact. For a circular saw, that’s usually at the edge of the board, while a miter saw cut should be marked in the middle of the board. When possible, mark with a ‘V’ to reduce the chances of favoring one side of the line or the other. Check out this video on marking a board before cutting with a miter saw.

Simple Way to Mark Cylinders

It’s notoriously difficult to mark cuts on curved surfaces. Dropping a straight edge or a measuring tape on a length of tubing or PVC will give you a line to mark against, but it’s very simple to roll or shift your edge when trying to pull a mark. Use a length of angle iron to create multiple touch points on the cylinder, stabilizing the line and making it easy to draw a mark with a pencil or marker. If you need to pull a measurement on the surface, just put a tape measure or ruler on the flat surface of the angle iron. It’s a great way to make a tricky job simple!

Don’t be Afraid to Hack that Tool!

There’s no shortage of specialized tools on the market, and many of them make marking quick and easy. But that doesn’t change the fact that it always seems like the right tool for your specific job is back home or still sitting on the shelf at the hardware store. That’s why it’s important to learn to not fear adapting your tools on hand to complete your project. A perfect example is this clothespin scribing tool sent in by reader Bruce Kieffer.

Tack Trim in Place While Marking

One of the easiest places to make a mistake when laying trim is when transferring measurements from wall to saw station. Eliminate that risk with this simple hack! Set the trim in place and make your mark directly on the wall where it will be installed. If the trim piece has too much wobble to hold in place, set it with a temporary brad nail. Pop the brad out the back when you remove the trim piece, and you’ll only have a tiny hole to fill during installation. Here’s a great resource for more tips and tricks for your finish nailer.

Don’t Trust Factory Edges

We’ve all been there: you’re working with a stack of fresh boards or plywood panels when you realize you need to draw a straight line to mark a cut. If you don’t have a straight-edge close at hand, you’ll likely be tempted to simply use one of the fresh boards. After all, the factory edge is straight, right?

Not so fast! While some factory edges may be straight and true, that’s far from universal. If you need a straight edge, use one that you know is accurate. It may take a little more time than simply grabbing another board, but it may save a lot of aggravation in the long run. For more saw-marking hacks, see this article: Circular Saw Tips and Techniques.

Chalk Line Mastery

One of the most important job site skills to learn is how to mark out projects with a chalk line. Used for everything from determining plum to laying out floor patterns for tile and hardwood, this amazingly useful tool is a must have for any DIY tool belt. Maybe our favorite chalk line hack is an easy tip for marking angle cuts on drywall. A slight slit in the direction of the cut is all you need to hook or wrap the chalk line around, giving you enough tension to mark your cut. This article is loaded with more tips for chalking lines on everything from plywood and gypsum board to roofing tiles.

Marking Cabinet Pull Locations

Skip the repetitive measuring and remeasuring when installing cabinet drawer pulls. Your factory drawer faces should be square (but double-check per the earlier tip!) so just mark a pair of lines from opposite corners. The lines will intersect at the center of the drawer face. And with that simple hack, you’re ready to drill! And when you’re ready for more cabinet installation tips, check out this article: How to Install Cabinet Hardware.

The Right Scribe for the Job

In theory, much of woodworking and drywall installation is straightforward, simply setting flat against flat end. The reality is that flat surfaces are rare and you need to use a combination of precision cuts and the occasional artful hack in order to make uneven surfaces fit together flush. Part of that skill set is knowing not only how to scribe, but what tool to use when it’s time to do so. This might mean pulling out a specialized tool or a customized solution (like the clothespin scribe mentioned earlier) or using a standard tool for an unusual purpose, as with the woodworking compass shown here.

Marking an Arc or Circle

If you’ve ever struggled to mark accurate arcs and circles, then this is the hack for you! Using a standard ruler or yardstick, carefully center a 1/8-inch hole at every inch mark. Place a pin or auger through the first hole (at the 1-inch mark) where you’d like the circle or arc to be centered. Add 1 inch to the radius you want to lay out, and insert a pencil into that modified number. Use the pin as a pivot and rotate the pencil to mark the arc or full circle. Huge tip of the hat to reader Edwin Constantino for this tip!

Advanced Arcs

That last tip was great, but if you need an odd sized or uneven curve, you’ll need to push your marking game to the next level. Create much larger arcs with this hack: lay out the plan for your arc by figuring the bottom corners and peak, setting a nail or dowel at those points and at least one of the top corners. Then set two pieces of flat stock on the plan, one angled from the bottom to the peak, and the other from the peak to the opposite top corner. Fasten the two pieces of flat stock, then set a pencil in the juncture. Slide the stock pieces across the peak and bottom corner markers, and your pencil will mark a perfect arc.

Marking With a Speed Square

Most people have a Speed square in their tool kit, but very few use them to their full potential when it comes to marking cuts. One example of a quick hack: hook the notch at the end of a Speed square on a nail, and use a pencil to mark small circles. Or to mark angles, tilt the square until the angle on the square’s blade matches the angle you want. Check out How to Use a Speed Square for a detailed walk-through of this time-saver!

Use the Right Marker

We’ve talked a lot about the tools that help us find our marks, but now it’s time to turn our eyes to the things that literally mark our projects. A simple hack to make life easier is to keep a variety of instruments on hand.

Pencils are great for many purposes, but depending on the softness and shade of the lead, they can be too faint to see on some material. Sharpie markers work great and are easy to see, but while they may be tempting to use on surfaces such as drywall, keep in mind that if you plan to paint over the marks, you’ll likely need to seal with a special primer and possibly paint multiple coats in order to cover up those marks. Pens have a nice, narrow line and don’t need to be sharpened, but they can’t take abuse the way a trusty pencil can, and (like a marker) they can’t be easily erased. Lastly, if you are working with a gloss-finish material such as PVC or ceramic tile, consider keeping a grease pencil around so that your marking will be clear and easily removed. For more on marking tile, see How to Make Precision Cuts With a Diamond Tile Saw.

Plumbs, Bobs and Levels

Learn how to use plumbs, bobs and levels in order to make the most of your marking process. By using these tools effectively, you’ll be able to mark out your project quickly and get to the real work of assembly. And sometimes a simple hack can make things even easier! An inexpensive keychain laser can be modified into a plumb bob with a bit of sturdy string, and just like that, you’re ready to make your mark! For more detail on this topic ,our article, Plumb Bobs and Levels: An Essential Guide is a great place to start.

Smarter Graph Paper

One of the best ways to make sure you have your design clear, especially if you have to convey your concept to someone else, is to draw it out. But it can be hard to transfer a three-dimensional concept onto a two-dimensional surface, even with graph paper and drawing aides. Luckily, this hack makes the planning stage go much smoother! Isometric drawing pads supplement standard graph paper grids with diagonal lines. This makes it much easier to represent the true form of your project on paper, and you don’t need an art degree to do it.

This product is especially useful when planning out a large or complicated project like a whole house remodel. If you’re in the planning stages, here are 20 helpful tips for planning a successful house Remodel.

Kerf-Width Pencil Lead

A common mistake for beginner DIYers is to fail to account for the width of the blade when factoring in cuts. An easy hack to avoid this is to trim your carpenter’s pencil to match the width of your saw blade. Make your marks on the cutoff side of your measure, and you’ll be able to see exactly how much material you’ll have left—a huge time saver when planning multiple cuts from a single board or panel. Here’s a great guide for learning how to use a circular or miter saw: How to Make Perfect Cuts With Circular and Miter Saws.

Efficient Landscape Marking

When it comes time to work on your landscaping, it can be tempting to grab a shovel or hoe and break ground without adequately measuring and marking out your plan. Instead, take the time to do the equivalent of a “dry fit” that you’d do it assembling a piece of furniture. Use landscape paint to spray the outlines of your project onto the grass. It’s not permanent and will wash away with the next rain, or you can scrub or mow it out.

If your budget is extra tight, save a few bucks and use a length of hose to create a flexible boundary that can be adjusted and tweaked as you see fit. This kind of temporary marking will let you proceed with confidence and save time on your project. In fact, you’ll have so much time left over that you’ll be able to check out these eleven additional time-saving landscaping hacks!

Marking Painting Boundaries

Most people know that they can use painter’s tape to help achieve a crisp line when painting. But what if you want to do an unconventional boundary layout, maybe something with irregular edges? It turns out that you can still make life easier by using this hack from the October 2008 issue of Family Handyman. The trick is to create layers of tape to mark the boundaries, with torn edges to help feather the layers.

DIY Marking Gauge

Part of the tool-modification family of tricks, this quick and easy hack will let you convert an inexpensive combination square into an efficient marking gauge.

Start by drilling a 1/8-inch hole at the 1-inch mark of the combination square. Center it exactly on the 1-inch mark, and be sure to make your hole perpendicular to the square (use a drill press if you have one). Once that’s done, you’re through the hardest part of the hack! Next, set the combination square to one inch beyond your intended measurement, then place a pencil in your 1/8-inch hole. Simply slide your square along the edge of your material, your pencil will mark a nice crisp line at the distance you need. This tip is so great it’s one of our favorites on this list of 25 Measuring Hacks all DIYers Should Know.

DIY Board Center Finder

Finding the true center of a board can be a bit finicky, but this hack makes it a snap to find and mark dead center. Using a simple piece of 3/4-inch plywood and a pair of 1/2-inch dowels, you essentially create a U shape, with a hole for your pencil in the middle. As long as the board you’re marking fits inside the dowels, you can find the middle, and run the tool (and the pencil) down the entire length. You can find a full write-up on this hack in this Family Handyman article.

Faster Crown Molding Installation with a Marking Gauge

This marking hack is part of a three-piece crown molding installation that makes the whole project simpler. By installing the center of the crown using two pieces of preset flat trim, you’ll have greater flexibility to deal with irregular walls and corners. And to get there, you’ll use a marking gauge. Measure the run and drop of the crown molding, then join two blocks to make a backward L-shape. Place this against the preset trim to position the central crown. For full details on how to make a crown molding project less of a headache, see this article on three-piece crown molding installation.

Every product is independently selected by our editors. If you buy something through our links, we may earn an affiliate commission.

The post 20 Marking Hacks Every DIYer Should Know appeared first on Family Handyman.

Applying a knockdown texture is an easy, low-cost, low-tech project that can dramatically change a room’s appearance and simplify wall repairs. The name comes from one of the final steps in the project, when you use a wide knife to knock down and flatten the peaks of the texture applied to the walls. This step gives the texture its stucco-like appearance.

What You’ll Need for Texturing Ceilings and Walls

To texture the walls and ceiling of an average room, the rental sprayer, the joint compound and the knockdown knife will set you back only about $70 to $80, and you’ll be finished in one day. These are the three components you’ll use:

Joint compound

To make this project as easy as possible, use premixed all-purpose joint compound. These buckets contain about 60 lbs. of “mud” and are available at most home centers for $9 to $10 each. Don’t use the lightweight premixed compounds—you’ll be paying for a lot of air, and the mix won’t be as “sticky” as the all-purpose. It generally takes 1-1/2 to two full buckets of mud to texture the walls and ceiling of an average-size (12 x 12 foot) room.

Knockdown knives

Traditionally, knockdown textures were done with flat trowels or wide steel taping knives. However, the trowel technique is hard to master. A much better choice is to use one of the flexible Lexan knockdown knives now available at drywall supply stores. These knives are 18 to 24 inches wide and cost $15 to $18. Here’s what you need to know about the types of drywall texture.

Acoustical sprayer and gun

You’ll need to rent an acoustical spray gun, hopper and compressor from a rental center or paint store for this project. Although home compressors work fine for the initial orange peel coat, they won’t produce the volume of air you need for the heavier topcoat.

Expect to pay $25 to $30 for a one-day rental. While you’re still at the rental store, be sure to put the machine through a dry run to be certain it works. Also, remove the hopper from the gun and make sure the inside of the gun is clean. Look for a trigger adjustment on the gun. It allows you to control the fluid flow. The recipes in this article will give you the just-right mixes for your project.

Avoid Messes

File any sharp edges off the blade mixer. Sharp edges will scrape little plastic curlicues off the side of the bucket, bits that can clog the gun or wind up on the wall.

You will get mud in places you didn’t want it. Don’t worry! It cleans up easily with a wet sponge.

Check for Asbestos

If you have ceiling texture applied before 1980, it may contain asbestos. Before you remove any ceiling texture, contact your state’s Department of Environmental Protection, Department of Health, or a regional asbestos coordinator for information on asbestos testing and removal.

Apply the Texture

Mask off everything you don’t want textured

Mask your windows and doors with plastic sheeting. Then, cover the remaining trim, outlets and light fixture bases (remove glass covers) with masking tape. Cover your floors with a heavy canvas or multiple layers of those bed sheets you haven’t had the heart to get rid of. Don’t use plastic sheeting on the floor, or your work area will become a skating rink.

Always start each stroke with a clean edge on the knockdown knife. Keep a damp sponge and a bucket of water handy for this task.

Add water to the joint compound and mix it

Thin the joint compound, or “mud,” with water. Use a blade mixer mounted to a variable-speed 1/2-in. drill (most mixers are too large for 3/8-in. drills). You can also mix the mud by hand with a 5 gallon paint stirring stick (available free at paint stores). Scoop half of a full bucket of unthinned mud into an empty 5 gallon bucket and add the correct amount of water to both buckets. Hug the bucket firmly with your feet and stir. After the initial stirring, scrape the sides and bottom with a stick or your hand and stir again. The second stirring helps remove thicker clumps that can clog the spray gun.

Don’t let the hopper run dry. Keeping at least 4 in. of mix in the hopper helps maintain a consistent flow.

Spray on the base coat

Spray an orange peel base coat on the walls and ceilings. This step will help blend areas where new walls meet old, allow consistent drying for the topcoat, and act as a background for the final texture. Hold the gun about 30 to 36 in. from the surface. Starting in a corner, spray the ceiling first, working in grids sized according to what you can comfortably reach from a stationary position. On the walls, work from side to side and from top to bottom. Let the orange peel coat dry (three to eight hours).

Apply the top coat

Apply the topping coat using the same techniques you used to spray on the base coat but with different gun settings and mud consistency. If possible, practice in the closet or on a spare piece of drywall before moving to the main area. Hold the gun a bit farther from the surface, up to 48 inches. The splats should be 1/2 inch to 1-1/2 inches in diameter. Finish spraying the entire room before going to the “knockdown” step. After you apply the first coat, spray on a quick second coat to help even out slight differences.

Knock down the top coat

Knock down the topping coat with an 18-in. or 24-in. plexiglas knife and light pressure after the mud has set up for 10 to 15 minutes. Start in the closet until you get the feel of the knife and the effect you want. Knock it down in the same order you applied it. On the ceiling, knock down in a direction across the joists or framing. This helps compensate for the unevenness of the ceiling. On the walls, start at the top and bring the knife two-thirds of the way down, then start at the bottom and bring the knife up to finish off the knockdown.

Dealing with Textured Ceilings

If you have acoustical or popcorn ceiling texture, remove it by spraying it with water, letting it soak in for a minute, and then carefully scraping it off with a drywall knife. Wear goggles and a cap. To minimize accidental gouging of the drywall, round off the corners of the knife with metal snips and remove burrs with a smooth-face file. If your ceiling texture has been painted, you won’t be able to scrape it clean. You may need to skim-coat the surface.

Painting a Textured Surface

Paint a textured surface the way you would new drywall. Let the “mud” dry completely. As it dries, it will release tremendous amounts of moisture. You’ll feel as if you’re standing in an Iowa cornfield in July. If it’s warm enough outside, cut through the masking on your windows and open them, but leave the masking tape in place until the surface dries. If you have some box fans, use them to help speed up the drying.

After the walls and ceiling dry, check the surface for any spots you missed knocking down or any ridges you raised with the corner of the knife. With 120-grit sandpaper and a sanding block, sand these high spots down. Begin painting with a high-quality primer applied with a 3/8-in. nap paint roller. On the first coat, avoid going over surfaces before they’re completely dry. The mud is water soluble, and painting too soon can cause you to peel up a thin layer of mud with the paint.

For the final paint coat, use high-quality latex paint and a 3/8-in. nap roller. An “eggshell” or “satin” finish emphasizes the depth of the texture.

Other Knockdown Textures

If you want to texture just a small area or a single wall or don’t want to mess with a sprayer, you have an endless supply of options. One of the simplest and most attractive is done with a plastic loop roller or ceiling texture roller, which fits on an ordinary paint roller. To create this texture, use the same methods as described in this article, except skip the spraying steps and roll on a single coat of mud. You can also apply a knockdown texture using texture paints.

Recipe for orange peel coat or orange peel ceiling texture:

• Half a bucket (30 lbs.) of all-purpose joint compound
• 5 pints of water
• Spray gun orifice—second or third smallest
• Compressor setting—high (25 to 30 psi)
• Trigger—half open
• Mix consistency—thin pancake batter
• Splat size—pencil eraser

Recipe for topping coat:

• Half a bucket (30 lbs.) of all-purpose joint compound
• 3 pints of water
• Spray gun orifice—second largest
• Compressor setting—10 to 15 psi
• Trigger—fully open
• Mix consistency—thick cake batter
• Splat size—nickel to silver dollar

Recipe for rolled-on texture:

• Half a bucket (30 lbs.) of all-purpose joint compound
• 1 pint water
• Mix consistency—thick oatmeal/barely pourable

The post How To Apply Texture to Ceilings and Walls appeared first on Family Handyman.

Dampen a special drywall sponge and smooth out flaws in your final coat of compound. You may be tempted to use MDF (medium density fiberboard) on walls rather than drywall to avoid the dust when sanding the joint compound. Indeed, MDF would make a nice, smooth wall surface, and it’s often used for painted panels in wainscoting. It’s much more dimensionally stable than wood. But it still moves. Relative humidity fluctuations could cause a 4-ft. panel to expand and contract as much as 1/8 in. This would open a crack somewhere, even if you glued and splined the edges of panels to one another.

20 Tips for Working with Drywall

Drywall is a better choice

Drywall is a better choice for your walls, because it moves little with humidity changes. To limit the dust, consider wet sanding the joints. Tape with care so you don’t have to do much sanding. Here are a few tips for sanding drywall.

7 Drywall Installation Mistakes You’ve Probably Made Before

Buy a big flat drywall sponge

Then buy a big flat drywall sponge (inexpensive; at home centers),wet and wring it out, and simply wipe smooth any minor flaws. You probably won’t have to use the coarse side of the sponge unless you have unusually rough areas. Here are a few tips for patching drywall.

Video: Make Your Own Woodworking Sanding Blocks

The post Wet Sanding Drywall appeared first on Family Handyman.

Use Self-Priming Filler

Use Setting Compound for Big Holes

Make a Dent for the Patching Compound

Cover Cracks with Repair Spray

Learn more ways to repair a crack in drywall.

Fill a Row of Holes with One Swipe

Skim-Coat Areas with Lots of Dings or Holes

Seal Exposed Drywall Paper Before Patching

Use Stick-On Patches for Midsize Holes

You Can Spray on Wall Texture

Use a Raking Light When Patching Walls

The post Patching Drywall: 10 Tips & Techniques appeared first on Family Handyman.

How to Fix a Wobbly Ceiling Fan

While a slight wobble on your bedroom ceiling fan is normal, a fan that really wobbles is not only annoying but can be dangerous. Learn how to check the fan box, the blade and the blade irons.

Photo: Dmitri Ma/Shutterstock

How to Fix a Running Toilet

There is a four-step strategy for fixing a running toilet. The fix will not only give your toilet a stronger flush, it can lower your water bill.

Photo: Lolostock/Shutterstock

How to Fix Squeaky Floors

Silence those squeaky floors. This quick fix for silencing floor squeaks will take you just a day. Bonus: You don’t need any special tools.

Photo: g-stockstudio/Shutterstock

How to Fix a Crack in Drywall

It doesn’t matter if your son’s basketball got away from him or you nicked the wall moving a piece of furniture. At some point you’ll be faced with a crack in the drywall. You’ll need taping and utility knives, along with some drywall tape, pre-mixed joint compound and setting type compound to fix the crack so it doesn’t come back.

How to Fix a Leaky Faucet

You can fix that annoying, leaky faucet in about an hour. Even if you’re a plumbing novice, you can handle this DIY repair.

Photo: SpeedKingz/Shutterstock

How to Fix Cracked Grout

Even the best tile jobs will succumb to cracking grout at some point. If the grout between your bathroom floor tiles is crumbling, there is a quick fix that will save you from tearing up the floor and starting over.

How to Fix an Unbalanced Washing Machine

You threw a heavy load of towels in the washer and now it’s unbalanced. With a level, pliers and a pry bar, you can have the washer balanced again in five minutes.

Photo: Dragon Images/Shutterstock

How to Fix a Clogged Drain

Clogged drains usually happen at the most inopportune times. Keep a plunger and drain snake on hand to clear up most drain problems in less than an hour.

Photo: Andrey_Popov/Shutterstock

How to Fix Common Refrigerator Problems

Maybe your refrigerator isn’t cooling as well as it should, or perhaps the ice maker suddenly stops working. Many refrigerator issues are simple DIY fixes.

Photo: Andrey_Popov/Shutterstock

How to Fix Gutters

Wind, heavy rain, ice and debris buildup can all cause your gutters to sag or leak. If you can work a cordless drill, you can fix your gutters and save some money. Review these ladder safety tips before taking on this project.

Photo: SpeedKingz/Shutterstock

How to Fix a Water Heater Pilot Light

There could be a few reasons the pilot light on your water heater goes out. A common cause is a bad thermocouple, which shuts off the gas to the pilot light.

How to Fix Leather and Vinyl

If you have a vinyl sofa, or leather seats in your car, you can fix those tears before they get bigger. You’ll need an inexpensive repair kit and a little patience, but the tear will be fixed in just a few minutes.

The post 12 Easy Things Everyone Should Know How to Fix appeared first on Family Handyman.

Use Setting Compound for Big Holes

While you’re at it, find out how to tape a drywall!

Make a Dent for the Patching Compound

Cover Cracks with Repair Spray

Rent a Drywall Lift for Ceiling Work

Eliminate as Many Drywall Butt Joints as You Can

Mini Drywall Saw

Solo Drywall Hanging

Smash Protruding Drywall

Hanging Drywall Vertically: Proper Edge Support

Fast Patch Backing

Use Self-Priming Filler

Fill a Row of Holes with One Swipe

Skim-Coat Areas with Lots of Dings or Holes

Smooching Drywall

Protect Drywall With a Mud Ring

Prime and Texture Wall Patches to Avoid a Blotchy Finish

Seal Exposed Drywall Paper Before Patching

Use Stick-On Patches for Midsize Holes

You Can Spray on Wall Texture

Use a Raking Light When Patching Walls

The post 20 Tips & Tricks for Making Drywall Work Easier appeared first on Family Handyman.

Pillowed drywall

Ceiling drywall that sags between joists or trusses is sometimes called “pillowed” drywall.

If your ceiling drywall is sagging between joists, sometimes called “pillowing,” it’s probably on the top floor and attached to the roof trusses. If so, I bet the installers used 1/2-in. drywall instead of 5/8-in. Half-inch drywall can sag if it’s hung under roof trusses that are spaced every 24 in. It isn’t strong enough to handle the span, and the weight of the attic insulation just makes the sagging worse.

You only have two choices: Rip it out and replace it with 5/8-in. drywall or add spacers and new 5/8-in. drywall below it. Ripping out the old stuff is the most professional approach, but it’s a nightmare job. You have to pry out the ceiling drywall along the edges and pluck out all the old drywall screws. As if that weren’t enough fun, the attic insulation may collapse into the room.

If you can live with a lower ceiling height, you can save a lot of time by installing a new ceiling below the old one. Add the 1-by furring strips (on 16-in. centers) shown in Figure A. Use 1x3s rather than 1x2s because it makes the drywall easier to hang. (But if your ceiling sags more than 3/4 in., use 2x2s.) Screw the 1x3s to the truss framing with 2-1/2-in. drywall screws spaced every 2 ft. Next, install and tape and finish new 5/8-in. drywall. If you have ceiling fixtures, you’ll have to extend all the boxes so they’re flush with the new ceiling.

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