Updated June 18th, 2020
Steps to Installing Drywall in Mobile Homes
Turn Off Electricity
In order to install mobile home drywall, the first thing you will need to do is to turn of the main power to the mobile home. This is important for safety precautions, as you do not want to work around live electricity when doing this type of construction. Once you take the walls down you will have to expose the electrical wires behind and it is safer to do if the electricity is off.
Remove All Outlet Covers, Trim and Baseboards
After turning of the electricity, you will need to remove any covers from electrical outlets, which can usually with a flat head screwdriver. Also, you will need to remove any trim and baseboard from the wall. This is best done with either a hammer or a pry bar.
Pry Off Old Drywall
After removing all trim, baseboards and electrical outlet covers, you will be able to pry off the old wall. It is best to start at a corner or a seam with a pry bar. Once you get the wall off, you will want to pry out any nails left in either the wall or the studs for safety.
Adjust Placement of Electrical Boxes
Once you have the wall off, you will need to detach the electrical boxes from the studs and move them forward so that they are flush with the front edge of the drywall.
For example, if you are using ½ inch drywall, you would need to move the electrical box forward so its front face is ½ inch out past the stud.
Installing the Mobile Home Drywall
The next step is to begin installing the mobile home drywall. You should fasten the sheet of drywall to the studs using drywall screws and a drill. This ensures that you don’t move the studs or crack the drywall by pounding on it with a hammer if you were using nails.
You will need to use drywall keyhole saw to cut out holes in the drywall for the electrical outlets that you just moved forward. After all the drywall is placed on the studs, the seams need to be sealed. Apply a coating of hot mud to the seams with a drywall blade, and then cover the seams with fiberglass mesh drywall tape. After applying the drywall tape you will want to immediately add another coating of the hot mud on top of it.
Now the drywall needs to be finished. Apply a layer of the mud to the drywall and let it dry overnight. After it is dry you will need to sand the first coat with medium-grit sandpaper. You only want to sand down enough to smooth out rough areas, make sure you don’t sand down to the tape. Then you can apply a second coating of mud and let it dry overnight.
When the second coating is dry you will need to sand it with fine-grit sandpaper, then apply the last coating of mud. Once that last coating of mud is dry wipe down the walls with a damp cloth and they are ready to be painted.
Replace All Covers, Trim & Baseboards
The last step in installing mobile home drywall is replacing all the electrical outlet covers you removed in the beginning. You will also need to nail the trim and baseboards back onto the studs.
After that, you’re all set. Enjoy your new DIY Drywall in your mobile home!
