How to Hang Drywall in a Mobile Home
How to hang drywall in a mobile home comes down to two basic choices. Remove all the existing wall panels and attach the drywall to the studs, or attach the new drywall sheets over the existing wall material. Both will give a satisfactory finish, but obviously, the first option involves a lot more work and material that has to be disposed of.
If you opt for the first option, then exposing the studs will make it easier to attach the mobile home drywall sheets. The most common method of attaching drywall to the studs is by using screws, but mobile home drywall adhesive is available and will secure the sheets to either the studs or the existing panels. Most mobile homes are constructed to give an eight-foot ceiling height, so the drywall sheets should fit between the floor and ceiling. If you decide to replace the ceiling panels as well, then you should drywall the ceiling before you tackle the walls. This makes for better wall-to-ceiling joints since the wall boards will be secured tight to the ceiling boards.
Mobile homes are designed to be light, but the walls still have wooden studs and manufacturers will often use 1/4-inch paneling to cover the framing. The wall studs are spaced to support 4-by-8 panels, so the mobile home drywall, which comes in 8ft by 4ft sheets, should be no problem to install. Choose the thinnest drywall sheets you can get, 3/8-inch is lighter than 1/2-inch and will be easier to handle and come with a tapered edge or straight edge. Once you have measured the area you need to cover, and estimated the number of sheets needed, add a percentage to your total for waste. Most supply stores will deliver to your home due to the size and weight of the sheets.
How To Hang Drywall In A Mobile Home.
Things You Will Need:
Hammer
Pry bar
3/8-inch drywall
1 1/4-inch drywall screws
Screw gun
Drywall bit – “dimpler”
Fiberglass mesh drywall tape
Drywall blades
Drywall Adhesive (check out our top seller: Titebond 5352 Drywall Adhesive)
120-grit sandpaper
Start by removing all the outlet and wall switch covers, molding, baseboards, wall panel strips, and any ceiling-to-wall strips. If you are working on one room at a time, then cut the power in that room by turning off the appropriate breaker, since removing the wall panels will expose the electrical wires and you will have to reposition the electrical boxes to be flush with the new drywall surface. Otherwise, turn off the power to the whole house by means of the main breaker.
Using a hammer and pry bar, pry off the old wall panels, starting at a corner or seam that is loose enough to get the pry bar behind it. Continue around the room until all the panels are removed. If you can, loosen the electrical boxes from the stud and reposition it so the front edge will be flush with the new surface. If this is not possible, then adjustable extender boxes are available which will do the job.
How to hang drywall in a mobile home consists of screwing it to the studs with 1 1/4-inch drywall screws using a drill bit known as a “dimpler,” placing the screws approximately 12 inches apart along the stud. The “dimpler” will allow the screw to penetrate the mobile home drywall without puncturing the paper. Around doors and windows, hang full sheets and then cut around the opening. Keep the joints snug and of course, measure where openings need to be made for the electrical outlets and switches. If you are using mobile home drywall adhesive, make sure the adhesive does not squeeze out at the joints or ends. If the studs don’t line up exactly with the edges of the sheet, or there is not enough stud to attach the sheet using screws, use some mobile home drywall adhesive instead. Continue working around each room until the drywall installation is complete.
To smooth the drywall surface for painting the joints and fasteners need to be concealed.
Use self-adhesive fiberglass drywall tape to cover the joints. Apply a thick layer of drywall jointing compound over the tape using a 6-inch taping knife, applying more pressure towards the edges to feather the compound and allow to dry. Try to get the joints as flat and smooth as possible, however, any roughness can be sanded away when completely dry. Carry on applying the tape and compound to all the joints. Cover the screw heads with drywall compound to fill the depressions. Once the joints have dried, apply a second coat of compound using a 12-inch taping knife, feathering the edges as before. Any knife marks can be smoothed out by wiping over the joint with a damp sponge once the compound has begun to set.
Once all the drywall is complete, re-install all the outlet and wall switch covers. Any molding and baseboards that can’t be re-installed will need to be completely replaced.
