How to Abut Sheets of Drywall Together

Create a drywall layout before you start hanging the panels. The goal is to reduce the number of butt joints. For example, if you have a standard 8-foot ceiling and a 16-foot wall, you could put two 8-foot sheets of drywall horizontally on the left side and one vertical sheet on the right side. That configuration, however, would give you a butt joint where the two blunt ends of the horizontal panel meet the tapered end of the vertical panel.

Install larger panels if you can avoid butt joints. On the 16-foot wall, you could install two, 16-foot panels horizontally, one above the other. This would give you one long tapered seam between the two joints, and a smoother finished wall.

Abut panels tightly together. The tighter the seams, the less joint compound you’ll need to apply. Drywall compound contracts slightly as it dries. When you apply the compound to wide seams, it has a tendency to buckle and warp when it dries.

Cut drywall panels accurately for the best-fitting seams. Measure, snap a chalk line on the panel as a guide, hold a straight edge on the line, and then score the paper facing with a utility knife. Turn the panel on its side and bump the back of the panel, near the scored line. The drywall will snap along the scored line. Use the utility knife to cut the back paper facing.

Lift overhead panels with a drywall lift to reduce neck and back strain. Without a lift, it takes at least two strong workers to hold the panels overhead, while another inserts the screws. By using a lift, you can take your time and fit the panels snugly before attaching them to the joists.

Hang the uppermost panel horizontally on a wall first and then use a drywall floor jack to assist in lifting the bottom panel until it’s snug against the top panel. Drywall floor jacks resemble curved iron strips. One end slips under the edge of a panel and then you step on the other end, which pushes the panel upward a few inches.