Start your project by picking the right product for the job.  We'll help you get it right every time.  The folks at your local Home Building Centre have the expertise and the products to ensure that your drywalling job turns out right.

Your Total Drywall Solution!

Drywall is one of the easiest and most versatile materials you can use to finish or re-model a room. And best of all, you don't have to be a professional builder to use it.

You too can easily create beautiful walls and ceilings that can be painted, wallpapered or textured, giving you and your family years of comfort and enjoyment.

Drywall Board Products

Drywall is perfectly suited to a wide variety of interior applications. Most applications require the use of one or two of the following drywall board products.

• 3/8" (9.5 mm) Wallboard

• 1/2" (12.7 mm)  Wallboard

• 1/2" (12.7 mm)  "SR" Ceiling Board

• 5/8" (15.9 mm) Wallboard

To help you select the drywall that's right for your project, consult the sections on "Ceiling Installation" or "Wall Installation", and talk with your local Home Building Centre Dealer.

Tip:
Drywall should always be stored flat, off the ground, and in a dry location.

Tools

You'll need the following tools to install your drywall:

• Sharp Utility or Drywall Knife

• Tape Measure

• Two Saw Horses (or other level cutting surface)

• Drywall or Keyhole Saw

• Step Ladder

• Hammer

• 4-ft. (1.22 m) Straightedge or T-Square

• Pencil (ink from pens or markers may bleed through panel finish)

• Screw Gun or Variable-Speed Drill with #2 Phillips Bit

• Drywall Adhesive (optional)

• Tin Snips (for cutting any metal framing)

• Open-Grit Sandpaper

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Calculating Your Needs

An easy way to determine the approximate number of drywall sheets you'll require is to calculate the total area (in sq. ft.) of your walls and ceilings. Divide that number by 32 if you’re planning to use 4' x 8' (1.22 m x 2.44 m) sheets, then add 5%. The easiest way is to simply take your room measurements to your Home Building Centre and have them calculate your needs for you. They will see that you get everything necessary to complete the job - from sheets and fasteners to joint tape and compound - all in one convenient visit.

For your nail or screw requirements, see the section on "Fastening Drywall".

Working With Drywall

Cutting is a snap

After double-checking your measurements…

1. Cut the board from the face side by scoring through the face paper and part way into the gypsum core using a sharp utility knife and a straightedge.

2. Snap the board back, away from the scored side, then cut the backing paper along the crease.

3. Smooth the cut edges with sandpaper wrapped around a wood block and you're on your way.

Getting the perfect fit

Drywall should be cut to provide a snug, yet easy fit. Don't force it into place. Remember, any small gaps will be covered with joint tape and compound. Another word of advice is to always match similar edges - tapered edge to tapered edge, or end to end. It will make finishing the joints a lot easier.

Tip:
Try to avoid using small pieces. Fewer joints mean less joint finishing work.

Cutouts

A common technique for making cutouts for wall outlets and switch boxes is to place the panel in position, making sure the wallboard is snug against the ceiling board and has been squared off (see wall installation). To mark the position of the box on the back of the board, just give it a sharp tap against the box with your hand.

Tip:
Put some chalk on the outlet box to make a clear mark.

Now drill a 1/4" (6.4 mm) hole at each corner of the rectangle, and cut the drywall from hole to hole using a drywall or keyhole saw.

Framing Your Room

When framing your room, be sure to add any necessary blocking between ceiling joists and wall studs to support future attachments such as cup-sheets, shelves, heavy fixtures, etc. Electrical outlet boxes should be installed out from the framing to allow for the thickness of the board.

Tip:
All board edges, including inside corners, must be over framing - except for the edges of sheets that will be applied perpendicular to the framing.

Fastening Drywall

Fastening a board is really very simple. You can use either drywall nails or drywall screws. Whichever you choose, here are a few important things to remember:

• Nails or screws should be long enough to penetrate wood framing at least 3/4" (19mm). Nails that are longer than necessary are more likely to "pop" through the surface finish if wood shrinkage occurs.

• Screws for metal framing should penetrate the framing at least 3/8" (9.5mm).

• If purchased by weight, you'll need approximately 1/2 lb. of nails or screws for every 100 sq. ft. (0.25 kg /10m2) of drywall.

• Start fastening in the middle of the board and work to the edges.

• The head of each nail or screw should be dimpled slightly below the surface of the board without breaking the paper.

• Fasteners should be no less than 3/8"(10 mm ) from the edges and ends of the board.

Ceiling And Wall Furring

In order to achieve the recommended support spans for proper fastening of the ceiling sheets, it may be necessary to install wood or metal furring channels perpendicular (90⁰) to your existing joists. Furring can also be used to smooth out warped or uneven framing to make a flat surface. This furring would then serve as your support for fastening the sheets.

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Ceiling Installation

NOTE:
Drywall is always applied to the ceiling first, then the walls.

Before You Buy Your Ceiling Board

You must consider 3 factors when choosing the appropriate ceiling board for your application.

1. The spacing of your ceiling supports.

2. Whether installation will be parallel or perpendicular to supports (see heading "Ceilings - Perpendicular and Parallel Installation").

3. The type of finish you will be applying (Paint Finish or Water-Based Texture Finish).

According to the table below, select one of the following ceiling board products.

A. 1/2" (12.7 mm) Wallboard

B. 5/8" (15.9 mm) Fire board

C. 1/2" (12.7 mm) SR Ceiling Board

Click here to see parallel and perpendicular illustrations section.

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We're making it easy for you to have that professional finish, every step of the way.

Pick up one these helpful brochures, they're free.

Installing Drywall

• Drywall is the easiest and most versatile material to use to finish or re-model a room

• Create beautiful walls and ceilings that can be painted, wallpapered or textured

Gypsum Cove Installation
& Gypsum Cornice Installation

• A perfect way to add a touch of elegance to any room

• Cove or Cornice can eliminate the need to finish the joint where a wall and ceiling meet

Joint Finishing and Repair

• easy to follow directions for finishing drywall joints and corners

• easy steps to repair damaged wallboard only

Your Total Drywall Solution

BPB is committed to providing a complete range of high quality, gypsum-related products that are easy-to-use and produce long-lasting, professional results.

• BPB Drywall Board Products are manufactured in Standard Wallboard, Aqua-guard™, BPB Fireboard™ and SR Ceiling Board sheets, 1/2" (12.7 mm) and 5/8" (15.9 mm) thick, 4' (1.22 m) wide and a variety of lengths from 8' (2.44 m) to 12' (3.66 m).

• BPB Drywall Joint Compound is available in ready-mixed and powder forms in a wide range of sizes.

• BPB Super Bead™ and Trims ensure strong and attractive corners. Available in a wide choice of profiles.

• BPB Super Tape™ is a high quality, perforated joint tape. Available in 75' (22.9 m), 250' (76.2 m) and 500' (152.4 m) rolls.

• BPB Drywall Tools are designed to make your job easy: a variety of finishing knife sizes range from 1 1/2" to 10".

Corner Tool

Hand Sander

Pole Sander

Coarse & Fine Sandpaper Kit

Compound Tray

Sanding Screen

• BPB Wall and Ceiling Textures add an attractive finish to any decor.

• BPB Cove, Cornice and Cove Steps add an elegant feeling to any room in the home.

• BPB PanaRoc™ Cement Board, a strong, long-lasting base for tiling walls, floors, and counter-tops in high-moisture areas.

BPB INDUSTRIES LIMITED

2424 Lakeshore Road West, Mississauga, Ontario L5J 1K4
Telephone (905) 823-9881 Fax (905) 823-4860
McAdam • Montreal • Toronto • Winnipeg • Calgary • Vancouver

PanaRoc™, Aquaguard™, BPB Fireboard™, Super Bead™ and Super Tape™ are trademarks of BPB Industries Limited.

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Ceilings - Perpendicular and Parallel Installation

It is recommended that ceiling sheets be installed perpendicular to the support framing whenever possible.

Ceilings - Perpendicular Installation (Recommended)

Ceilings - Parallel Installation

If you have any questions regarding the selection of the appropriate ceiling sheets, ask the staff at your Home Building Centre for advice.

Get the first board square

When you install the first ceiling board, it has to be square with the adjoining wall and the ceiling supports.

Tip: If the length of your ceiling board is not sufficient to span the room, stagger [offset 4' (1.22 m)] the end (butt) joints to avoid the presence of long joints.

To fasten your ceiling board, nails should be no more than 7" (175 mm) apart. Screws, no more than 12" (300 mm) apart.

Tip: While installing ceiling sheets is usually a two-person job, a pair of homemade T-braces can be a great help in holding the ceiling sheets in place while you fasten them. Make the height of the T-Brace 1/2" (12.7 mm) longer than the floor to ceiling height.

Wall Installation

Selecting your BPB Drywall for walls 3/8" (9.5mm) Wallboard - can only be applied perpendicular to framing spaced not more than 16" (400 mm) o.c. (on centre).

Any 1/2" (12.7mm) and 5/8" (15.9mm) Wallboard - can be applied parallel or perpendicular to framing spaced not more than 24" (600 mm) o.c.

Walls - Parallel or Perpendicular?

When deciding whether to install the wallboard parallel or perpendicular to the framing, choose the method which will produce the least number of joints.

Walls - Parallel Installation

Walls - Perpendicular Installation

If you choose parallel installation, you may be able to avoid butt joints, which are a little more difficult to finish than tapered edge joints.

Tip: Work from the ceiling down when installing wallboard perpendicular to the framing. This provides better ceiling board support and a cleaner look.

Again, get the first board square

Whichever method of installation you choose, be sure to fit the first board snugly against the ceiling and square it with the wall framing. And don't forget to make any necessary cutouts before fastening your wallboards! Nails should be no more than 8"(200 mm ) apart. Screws should be no more than 12" (300 mm) apart.

Tip: To reduce cracking due to settling of the foundation, offset wallboard joints from door and window framing joints.

Installing BPB Drywall On Masonry Walls

Since drywall cannot be applied directly to masonry walls, you need to install furring or stud framing to the masonry wall before applying the drywall.

For insulated exterior walls, such as basements, build stud framing to allow for whatever depth of insulation you'll be using. For advice on insulation thickness and vapour barrier requirements for exterior walls and ceilings, talk with the staff at your local Home Building Centre.

For non-insulated interior walls, use masonry fasteners to install vertical wood furring strips 16" (400 mm) o.c. After the furring or stud framing is completed, install the drywall as described in the Wall Installation Section.

Keeping The Noise Down

If soundproofing your room is an important consideration, we recommend adding insulation to the interior ceiling and wall cavities, then use two layers of the appropriate board. When applying the second layer, remember to increase the length of your fasteners by the thickness of the additional board.

Tip: Use 5/8" (15.9 mm) BPB Fireboard™ instead of 1/2" (12.7 mm) drywall. It will more effectively reduce noise from adjacent rooms.

Applying The Finishing Touches

BPB offers a complete line of finishing and decorative products to give your project that professional look. For details on how to finish your projects, pick up one of the following leaflets at your local Home Building Centre.

• "Drywall Joint Finishing and Repair"

• "Gypsum Cove Installation"

• "Gypsum Cornice Installation"

High-Humidity and Wet Applications

BPB PanaRoc™ Cement Board is ideal for humid and wet environments, such as bathrooms and laundry rooms. For product information and installation techniques, pick up the "Installing PanaRoc™ Cement Board" leaflet at your local Home Building Centre.

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