How to Hang Drywall on a Ceiling

Gather your equipment. You'll need a hammer and drywall nails or drywall screws and a drill with a screwdriver bit, not to mention enough drywall to do the job.

Rent a drywall jack from your local rental center or drywall supply house. This equipment has a large rack to support the drywall in a flat position while it's positioned and raised with an easy-to-operate cable jack mechanism.

Mark the ceiling joists, or rafters as they're commonly called, on the top plate (the two 2-by-4s or 2-by-6s that cap the wall studs) of the wall. This will make it easier to find the joists as you fasten the drywall to them.

Measure and cut any light fixture areas from the drywall as needed (see "How to Cut Drywall," under Related eHows).

Place a sheet of drywall onto the drywall jack (make sure you always put the drywall on the jack with the finished side facing downward), and lift to the ceiling.

Position the drywall sheet in the correct location. Make sure the end of the drywall is in the center of the joist.

Nail around the edges and remove the jack. Nail about 1/2 inch from the outside edge to prevent breaking the edges.

Complete nailing the drywall in place with nails or screws approximately 7 inches apart along each joist. Remember to dimple, or countersink, the nails or screws slightly so they can be hidden with drywall compound. (When using a drywall screw gun, this countersinking action can be adjusted so that it's the same with each screw put in.)