How to Change Double Wide Walls to Sheetrock

Old double wide modular houses were not always made with Sheetrock on the ceilings. Many may have vinyl walls that do not provide the insulation and sound resistance of Sheetrock. Instead of just living with this wall material, you can rip out the old and replace it with new Sheetrock. This project will take at least a weekend to complete, depending on the size of the double-wide. Some experience in hanging this material will be helpful, but it is not necessary.

Drop cloths
Pry bar
Measuring tape
Sheetrock panels
Utility knife
Drywall joint tape
Joint compound
Fine-grit sanding block

Instructions

- 1
  Prepare the room for the job by removing the furniture and laying down drop cloths. This project will create a lot of dust. Drop cloths make the clean-up easier and will protect your flooring. Tape them down on the baseboards with masking tape.
- 2
  Pry off the old wall material with a pry bar. Start at one corner of the wall and insert the pry bar underneath the wall panel. Pry it outwards. Continue until the entire panel has been removed. Take the panel outside to give yourself enough room to work.
- 3
  Remove any old nails from the wall studs with the back of a hammer. Pull out the old nails and discard them in a bucket. You can save them for future projects or just throw them away.
- 4
  Measure the wall to determine how many Sheetrock panels are needed. Sheetrock typically comes in 4-by-8 foot panels. Decide how many panels are necessary.
- 5
  Cut the Sheetrock with a utility knife to fit the wall. Flip the panel over so that the back side is facing up. Score it with a utility knife. Snap it back towards you to break the board. The paper will not break -- cut it with your utility knife.
- 6
  Hang the drywall with drywall screws. Place the first panel against the wall studs. Insert one screw every 12 inches vertically into the wall studs. Continue until all the Sheetrock is on the wall.
- 7
  Tape off the joints with self-adhesive drywall tape. This tape eliminates the need for a first coat of mud between the joints. Press the tape down firmly to get an adequate seal.
- 8
  Apply joint compound over the tape with a drywall knife. Spread on a thin, even layer of compound that extends past the edge of the tape. Let it set until hard.
- 9
  Apply joint compound over your screws. The screws will have dimpled the drywall. Fill in these holes with joint compound. Let it set until it is hard. This will typically take a couple of hours.
- 10
  Sand down the joint compound with a fine-grit sanding block. The entire surface of the Sheetrock must be level. Sand down the compound until it is smooth to the touch and flush with the board. You can now finish the wall with primer and paint.

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