In the UK hundreds of thousands of people are insulating their homes each year to cut their energy use. One of the most important parts of the house to insulate is the loft, where the average home can lose up to 25% of its heat.

If you insulate your loft well, you can save over a tonne of CO2 each year, and around 110 a year off your heating bill, according to the energy saving trust. With such savings, insulating your loft can pay back the investment required in under 2 years. There are many different materials to choose from when thinking about insulating your loft. The most popular type of material is mineral wool, which as the name suggests is derived from naturally occurring minerals. Popular brands include ‘Rockwool’. A similar option is glass wool, which is made from recycled glass and sand that are heated and spun into fibres. Popular brands include ‘Knauf’ and ‘Space Blanket’. You can also use organically derived materials to insulate your loft.

An increasingly popular choice is sheep’s wool, which comes in slabs made of fleece offcuts which are treated to make them fire resistant and insect-proof. ‘Thermafleece’ is an established brand. Other options include board from compressed wood waste, material made from recycled and scrap cotton, flax (brands include ‘Isovlas’), rolls or slabs of hemp (brands include ‘Thermo hemp’), and finally cellulose / paper (brands include ‘Excel Warmcel’ and ‘Homatherm’). With so many options, how should you choose? There are a number of different things you may want to take into consideration: -Insulation performance: this is measured by the material’s ‘U value’, which is a measurement of how fast the material conducts heat (or cold) -Cost: in s per square metre and -Qualification for government subsidies: in the UK, most people can get large government grants that cover much of the cost of insulating their home, but only when using certain materials -Renewable source material: is it made from material that will grow back? -Embodied energy: how much energy has been used to produce and transport the material? -Ease of disposal: is it biodegradable or recyclable? -Other considerations, such as its ability to deal with moisture, and also how easy and safe it is to install

All the materials listed above have similar insulation performance, with materials like paper and wood performing slightly better than mineral wool. Sheep’s wool is supposed to be particularly effective at keeping buildings cool in summer, because it releases moisture to keep cool. This can reduce peak temperatures by up to 7 degrees centigrade when compared to other materials. The prices of these materials are also very similar, with the exception of wood, which can be double the price of the others. Therefore in terms of straight performance and cost, there is not much to distinguish the different materials. However, in the UK, mineral or glass wool is the only material offered under the various different government grant and discount schemes. Under these schemes you can get your loft insulated by a professional contractor at a heavily discounted price, which often actually makes it cheaper than DIY. Provided your building is suitable, everyone can qualify for these discount schemes in the UK, and so for most people their choice of material is bound up with accessing these grants and using a professional contractor. For those determined to go the DIY route, there are some other considerations that can help you decide on one material versus another. For example you may be concerned about what happens to the material at the end of its life. Glass wool is the hardest to dispose of, being neither recyclable or biodegradable. Mineral wool is recyclable but not biodegradable. All the organic materials mentioned above are the easiest to get rid of, being both recyclable and biodegradable. Another consideration is the amount of energy used in the material’s manufacture. Glass wool is again the worst performer here, compared to all the other materials. You might also be concerned whether the material is made from renewable resources: all the organically derived materials are, but mineral wool and glass wool are not. Finally you may also want to think about other considerations, such as ease of installation, what happens if it is burnt, and ability to deal with moisture. For example, glass wool causes irritation when it comes into contact with skin (as does mineral wool), releases toxic smoke if burned, and does not perform well when wet. By contrast sheep’s wool insulation can be installed without gloves or protective clothing, is not irritating to the skin, and will naturally help prevent condensation. To sum up, the option that most people will find attractive is to install mineral or glass wool using a professional contractor, so that they are able to access government grants, and make sure the job is done properly. However, those going the DIY route should consider the benefits of one of the organically derived options, such as sheep’s wool. Author: Alex Perry Alex Perry is a founder of http://www.DownwithCO2.co.uk, which helps people cut their personal contribution to climate change through providing information and contacts. Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Alex_Perry

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 Suspended ceiling are a cheap and effective route to go if you are looking to purchase ceilings for any type of building from homes to offices.

The good thing about them is that you can get them in practically any size or shape, you also have so much control over how they are implemented as there

are so many factors for you to change and consider to best meet your needs.

These types of ceiling have come a long way since they first started being produced, they now offer completely enhanced sound attenuation and absorption. Suspended ceilings also offer complete fire resistance and can be specifically tailored to meet the fire safety regulations of practically any building. Also they can face a lot of humidity problems, that is why it is important when choosing one to check that they can provide complete structure even when in very humid conditions.

If the building that you are installing suspended ceilings in, is a very hot or humid place you will need to know whether and make sure that they can resist the humid climate and that they will not weaken in these conditions.

Also when purchasing suspended ceilings you need to consider whether or not the ceiling is likely to be receiving any damage or impact. It is highly likely that in certain areas your ceiling is going to receive some sort of impact at times and result in tiles falling off etc, you need to consider this when you are choosing your ceilings as you want it to last as long as possible.

If you have any doubts about this then you need to speak with your supplier and make sure the ceiling is going to make it through certain impacts that you believe are possible, if they are not going to then you need to make sure that your supplier works on this and makes your ceiling up to the impact standards that you require. If you are installing these suspended ceilings in a area where your ceiling may fall under the health and safety requirements, this includes areas where food is prepared or fibre optics are used and computer industry related work takes place then you need to make sure that your ceiling is going to have a environmentally controlled installation. You will need to check this with your supplier in case you require this as there are many places that suspended ceilings can be installed where this is a major factor and could fall under the health and safety rules. When looking for suspended ceilings for your place of work or anywhere else you may need to consider how much light the ceiling is going to reflect, you do not want the ceiling to reflect too much light as this can be a distraction or just be generally annoying. When you are buying make sure that you check this in advance to installing the system as it can be a major problem once installed. All of your suspended ceilings tiles will need to be monitored and cleaned regularly otherwise you could end up receiving unnecessary damage, you can clean your ceilings tiles with sponges dipped in water and detergent. Author: James Baxer Find more about suspended ceilings at Knauf AMF Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=James_Baxer

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 India ranks second on the basis of population in the world.

Agricultural land utilised by the burgeoning population, the cultivable land resource is shrinking day by day. To meet the food, fibre, fuel, fodder, and other needs of the growing population, the productivity of agricultural land has to be increased rationally. This requires the use of all resources judiciously. In India, the mineral gypsum is mostly used in the manufacture of cement, fertiliser, plaster of Paris, ceramics and distemper. Smaller quantity is used as soil conditioner, for carving and statuary purposes.

India has huge resources of natural gypsum of the order of 1120 million tonnes, of which recoverable reserves are estimated at 237 million tonnes. Over 95 per cent of the natural gypsum come from Rajasthan. Gypsum is chemically calcium sulfate dihydrate (CaSO4.2H2O). When dissolved in water, it yields calcium ions (Ca2+) and sulfate-sulfur ions (SO42-). Both of these ions are essential major nutrients for growing plants. In addition to this, calcium also plays a vital role in establishing and maintaining good chemical balance in soil, water and plants. Gypsum is one of those rare materials that perform in all three categories of soil treatment: an amendment, conditioner, and fertilizer. The usage of gypsum in agriculture can be grouped into following heads: Reclaims soil sodicity:

The sodic soils have exchangeable sodium percentage (ESP) more than 15, it must be lowered for soil improvement as well as better crop growth. The calcium supplied by gypsum replaces the sodium held at the clay-exchange sites. The replaced sodium can be leached from the soil as sodium sulfate to an appropriate sink. Decreases the toxic effect of NaCl salinity: Calcium from gypsum has a physiological role in inhibiting the uptake of sodium by plants. Thus plant are mitigate the sodium toxicity, which is more pronounced in the salt affected soils. Decreases pH of sodic soils: The sodic soils are characterised by the high soil pH (>8.5). Gypsum lowers the high pH of sodic soils or near sodic soils to 7.5 to 7.8. These values are in the range of acceptability for growth of most crop plants. Increased calcium uptake by roots when gypsum is applied can decrease the pH of the rhizosphere. Creates favorable soil EC: The more EC value of the soil is undesired for the crop growth. The high EC of soil are due to fertilizer application as well as by the weathering of soil minerals. Gypsum, being readily soluble, results in proper buffered solute concentration (EC) in soil to maintain soil in a flocculated state. Makes excess Magnesium non-toxic: Calcium is essential to the biochemical mechanisms by which most plants nutrients are absorbed by roots. Without adequate calcium, uptake mechanisms would fail. In soils having unfavorable calcium magnesium ratios, such as serpentine soils, gypsum can create a more favorable ratio. Thus render Magnesium non-toxic. Decreases heavy-metal toxicity: Calcium plays a role of regulator for balance of micro-nutrients, such as iron, zinc, manganese and copper, in plants. Calcium prevents excess uptake of many of them; and once they are in the plant, calcium keeps them from having adverse effects when their levels get high. Calcium in liberal quantities helps to maintain a healthy balance of nutrients and non-nutrients within plants. Gypsum also removes excess of Boron from sodic soil. It also regulates non-essential trace elements. Improves soil structure: Gypsum provides calcium, which, flocculate clays in acid and alkaline soil. A flocculated clays form friable soil with improved soil structure and tilth. It also allows for deeper, healthier root development and water penetration. Prevents crusting of soil: Gypsum application can decrease and prevent the crust formation on soil surfaces which result from rain drops or from sprinkler irrigation on unstable soil. It can prevent crusting that result when acid soils are limed and the gypsum is coapplied with the lime. Improves compacted soil: Gypsum can break up compacted soil and decrease penetrometer resistance. Combination with organic amendments also helps, especially in preventing return of the compaction. The soils applied with gypsum have low bulk density. Makes slightly wet soils easier to till: Soils that have been treated with gypsum have a wider range of soil moisture levels where it is safe to till without danger of compaction or deflocculation. Even a liberal application of gypsum is a good procedure for starting a piece of land into no-till soil management or pasture. Gypsum also improves the ability of soil to drain and not become waterlogged due to a combination of high sodium, swelling clay, and excess water. Stops water runoff and erosion: Gypsum improves water infiltration rates into soils and also the hydraulic conductivity of the soil. The use of gypsum can decrease wind and water erosion of soil. Improves swelling clays: Gypsum can decrease the swelling and cracking associated with high levels of exchangeable sodium on the montmorillonite-type clays. As sodium is replaced by calcium on these clays, they swell less and therefore do not easily clog the pore spaces through which air, water and roots move. Increases water retention in soil: Gypsum when applied to sodic soil reduced the levels of exchangeable sodium resulted in increase in water retention. The improved soil structure help in the more retention of water. Increases the stability of soil organic matter: Gypsum is a source of calcium responsible for the binding of soil organic matter to clay and gives stability to soil aggregates. Improves low-solute irrigation water: Gypsum is used to increase the solute concentration of low-solute water used for irrigation. Irrigation water from rivers that no longer have sources of leachable salts either penetrates poorly into soil or causes soil particles to degrade which results in low-water penetration. The problem can be corrected with surface-applied gypsum or application to the irrigation water. Improves water-use efficiency: Gypsum application increases water-use efficiency of crops. Improved water infiltration rates, improved hydraulic conductivity of soil, better water storage in the soil all lead to deeper rooting and better water-use efficiency. Efficiently use low quality irrigation water: Use of reclaimed municipal wastewater is important for conservation of natural resources. Reclaimed water can be satisfactorily used if amended with gypsum and water-soluble polymers. Improves fruit quality and prevents some plant diseases: The quality of fruit depends on the amount of calcium. Calcium is nearly always only marginally sufficient and often deficient in developing fruits. Calcium moves very slowly, if at all, from one plant part to another and fruits at the end of the transport system get too little. Calcium must be constantly available to the roots. In very high pH soils, calcium is not available enough; therefore, gypsum 1ff8 helps. Gypsum is used for peanuts, which develop below ground, to keep them disease free. Gypsum helps prevent blossom-end rot of watermelon and tomatoes and bitter pit in apples. Gypsum is preferred over lime for potatoes grown in acid soils so that scab may be controlled. Decreases loss of fertilizer nitrogen to the air: Calcium from gypsum can help decrease volatilization loss of ammonium nitrogen from applications of ammonia, ammonium nitrate, urea, ammonium sulfate, or any of the ammonium phosphates. Keeps clay off tuber and root crops: Gypsum can help keep clay particles from adhering to roots, bulbs and tubers of crops like potato, carrots, garlic and beets. Helps Earthworms to Flourish: A continuous supply of calcium with organics is necessary for the habitat of earthworms that improve soil aeration, improve soil aggregation and churn the organic matter with inorganic fraction of soil. Author: Sarvesh Shah Dr Sarvesh Kumar Shah Department of Agricultural Sciences, The Fertiliser Association of India, New Delhi Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Sarvesh_Shah

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Drywall, wallboard or gypsum are just a few of the many names this common building material is referred to.

The big question surrounding this material is the reason why there is a need for it to be diverted from the landfill. First, to understand why drywall is banned from the landfill, a look into what drywall is composed of is required. Gypsum is a naturally occurring mineral; it is composed of calcium sulphate (CaSO4) and water (H2O). Gypsum is mined from deposits formed by ancient seabeds.

If gypsum is a naturally occurring mineral then why can it not be sent to the landfill? The problem lies not with the calcium or hydrogen elements but primarily with the sulphur component. Within a landfill or other construction and demolition dumping sites with drywall, rainwater will begin to dissolve the gypsum and concentrated areas of sulphate will occur that may contaminate groundwater. High concentrations of sulphate in ground water pose a significant risk to the environment. Another serious problem that may occur is the result from the biological conversion of dissolved sulphate to hydrogen sulphide (H2S). H2S is a foul-smelling gas (rotten eggs).

It is produced under wet, anaerobic conditions, such as those that often occur in landfills. The presence of high concentration pockets of hydrogen sulphide gas may be released by landfill workers and can be lethal if inhaled. A remarkable characteristic of gypsum is its ability to be recycled again and again into usable products. Some examples include the production of new drywall, an ingredient for Portland cement, and as an additive for agricultural and composting operations. The Drywall collected within the RDN is transported to New Westminster and recycled back into usable wallboard products. Even the paper is re-used in the process and converted to the brown backing on new gypsum products.

Author: Mike Guy Mike, The Recycle Guy, is a leading advocate for the implementation of responsible waste management practices within the work place. To find out more about how to reduce, reuse and recycle take a look at http://www.earthtalker.com/. Be green, save the planet! Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Mike_Guy

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Plastering dates back as being one of the oldest handicrafts within the construction industry

sector but if it is done wrong it could leave the walls of your property in terrible condition. Plastering can dramatically change the appearance of your walls. It will get rid of any dents or bumps that you have experienced whilst decorating in the past. By deciding to plaster your walls you will be giving yourself a smooth, even surface to carry out any decorating. It allows you to paint the interior of your home to look its best.

If you have never done any plastering before it is advised that you enlist the help of a professional to undertake the plastering work that needs to be done. By using a professional contractor you will be getting professional results. If you want to improve the appearance of your walls then it is advised that you take on the help of a plastering contractor. They will be able to do the job in a timely manner with minimal mess; they will also be equipped with all the tools needed to make sure the job is finished to the best it can be. These tools include: Steel float Hawk String line Plasterers trowel Straight edge Spot (something to stand it on) Claw hammer Plumb level Buckets Splash brush Old saw Trimming knife There are many different types of plaster, the two main ones being gypsum based and cement based. Gypsum plaster is mainly for use indoors as damp will attack it and make it crumble. The most common types of gypsum plaster are browning, bonding and metal lathing. Cement based plaster however is primarily used for outdoors, with its general use being rendering. This type of plaster can also be used indoors for areas that are susceptible to damp and require a greater thickness of plaster to cover it. As with painting, plastering needs a base coat. This base/undercoat may need building up in 2 layers depending on the condition of the walls and the thickness of plaster needed to improve them. The second layer of plaster should be applied whilst the first layer is still slightly damp but firm.

To achieve the best results from your plaster you should add plaster and water in equal measurements this should be done in a clean bucket using clean water and should be mixed until the plaster is a creamy constituency. When plastering materials with differing absorption, it is a good idea to key the surfaces to be plastered with a PVA bonding sealer. This prevents the plaster ‘going off’ (setting) at different speeds then when you come to applying the plaster you should push it firmly against the wall and move it upwards; keeping the blade of the trowel at an angle then moving it to be flat at the end of a sweep. Plastering within your home or property can make a real difference to the look and feel of it. It is something that is worth investing time and money into. It is however important that you use a professional contractor to carry out the work for you in order to achieve the best results. Author: Helen Cox Helen is the web master of ARCH Building Solutions; specialists in all aspects of Property Plastering. Please feel free to republish this article provided a working hyperlink remains to our site Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Helen_Cox

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Replacing Steel Casement Windows With Vinyl Retrofit Windows learn how to replace your old steel casement windows with new, energy efficient vinyl replacement windows and retrofit windows.

I have been getting quite a few emails from homeowners wanting to know how to replace their old steel casement windows with new vinyl replacement windows or retrofit windows. Those are the type with the handle that you crank and the window opens outward. My instructional video didn’t cover these windows, so I am going to dedicate two articles to this subject. This first article will cover the removal procedure and measuring for your vinyl windows. Next week I will go over the installation procedure.

The first thing you need to do is order your vinyl replacement windows. You can’t remove the old windows until you have the new windows. So, let’s start with a single casement window, no fixed panels. Crank the window open from inside and you will see a metal lip approximately 1/2" wide extending from your drywall on all four sides. This part of the frame stays in place, so the new window is going to fit inside those lips. So, to get your width dimension, measure left to right from lip to lip, then subtract 1/4" to get in.

Do the same for the height. Let’s say you measure 35 3/8" width and 38 3/8" on the height lip to lip. You would order your new window 35 1/8" X 38 1/8". If you live out west, where retrofit frames are available, you want to order the retrofit style frame. In parts of the country where only replacement style frames are available, you will have to add trim to the outside after you have installed the window.

After your windows arrive, it’s time to remove the old window. Single casements with no fixed panels are the easiest of the casements to remove. When you crank the window open, you will notice two pivot assemblies. There is one on top and one on bottom. Cut off the metal piece where the pivot pin is attached. Just like that, the entire window frame and glass are removed. Now, remove the crank assembly by removing the screws holding it in place inside the house. The last step is to remove the protruding metal studs that you cut at the pivot to remove the window. The easiest way to do it is to clamp a pair of channel lock pliers or vice grips as close to the frame as possible, then raise and lower the vice grips to break the metal off. That’s it. If you have a combination of casement and fixed panels, you remove the casements as I described. Then, you have to remove the fixed glass. I used to put duct tape all over the outside of the glass. Then, I used one of those 2 dollar glass cutters that you can buy at the hardware store. Put a drop of household oil on the cutter tip before each cut. From outside, score the glass across the very top of the glass, the very bottom, and along each side. Then go inside, and using the tip of a screwdriver, tap the score all the way around the glass. Put a tarp or old sheet down outside the window, take the handle end of a hammer, and knock out the glass at the score. You will have a vertical metal bar in the center where the casement window locked. Using a reciprocating saw or a hacksaw, cut the bar where it meets the frame coming from the drywall. There will be bits of glass protruding beyond the metal lips. You need to knock those out, so they aren’t in the way when installing the new window. You can leave the glazing putty in place, since it will be hidden after you have installed the new window. PLEASE WEAR GLOVES AND SAFETY GLASSES DURING THIS ENTIRE REMOVAL PROCEDURE!! John Rocco has been installing replacement windows since 1978. To learn more, visit How To Install Windows

Wood Fiber Reinforced Gypsum Board – Cheap Gypsum Board from China … (2) walled panels: Tianbang wood-fiber reinforced gypsum board thickness 10mm, 12mm mm. (3) the cover, cabinets, blinds flanges. (4) the ledge back plate, facades, parapet walls or food Purpose Calcifies (Gypsum) Board for Room Walls and Partition Characters lightweight gypsum and software, makes gypsum can be processed into various forms of processed wall. Averagely gypsum used for walls and in-finishing cove. Wall Materials – Furniture & Furnishings – maozedongwenxue is enhanced when wet.5) Impact resistant: 6mm mgo boards are at the same level with 9-12mm gypsum boards 6) Thicker MGO boards 8-12mm are much stronger Specifications:1) If one sheet of gypsum board on a wall… When it comes to fixing sound problems you have to look at either designing a wall that is mechanically broken up, or you have to use products that will absorb and stop sound from bouncing arou…

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A How-to-guide To Installing Drywall Do you sometimes watch those home improvement shows and think to yourself,

‘Geez that looks easy? Why should I pay someone to do it for me when I can do it myself’? Well, here’s your chance to put your money where your mouth is. The answer to your first question is, ‘Yes. Home renovations are easy’. Actually, it is easy once you have a basic idea of what you plan on doing and how you are going to do it. Every good job always starts off as a good plan.

Now to answer your second question from earlier, ‘No. You don’t have to pay someone to do all the work for you now that you put a plan together and seen how easy it will be.’ You will only to need to come up with the cost of the supplies and maybe buy lunch for your brother-in-law who is giving his Saturday afternoon to help you out. Before You Begin -

Remove all unwanted molding, baseboards, batten strips, outlet covers and wall switches. Measure & Cut – With a chalk line or straightedge, start to mark a cut line. Make sure you cut deeply with a utility knife. Then, stand the sheet on edge and snap the cut segment back. Slice the backing with a knife. Hang Panel – Start at the corner, and place the first wall panel tightly against the ceiling. If the panel edge doesn’t center on a wall stud, trim it back until it does. Fasten Panel – Use around 1-5/8 inch sized screws to secure to stud. Then, drive the screws a 3/8 inch minimum from edge of the panel. You will need to place the screws a minimum of 12 inches apart all along the stud. Set the screws just below the surface of the drywall, but try not to break the paper facing. Fit Upper Panels – Keep the joints snug and avoid making joints at doors and windows. Place a sheet across the opening and cut out with a saw. Cut Around Outlets -

Measure from the edge of the box to the edge of the last panel. Measure from the floor to the top and bottom of the box and cut out with saw. Fit Lower Panels – Place the panel in position. For a tighter fit, use a wooden wedge to lift lower panel firmly against the upper ones. Finishing the Drywall – To smooth the surface for painting or wallpapering, the joints and fasteners will need to be hidden and it all depends on the type of joint you will covering. This is called taping. Use a drywall taping knife to spread joint compound into the recess created by the tapered edges of the drywall sheets. Smooth the compound until it is even with the rest of the board surface. Center the drywall tape over the joint and press it firmly into the compound. When you get the tape embedded into the compound all along the joint, smooth it with the taping knife. At the same time, fill all the nail dimples with compound.

Hey, relax! It’s not as difficult as it sounds. As long as you take your time and pay attention to what you are doing, you’ll be fine. If you feel as though that maybe this project is a little too much for you to handle on your own, call a professional. That’s what they are there for. Many of them do a great job at a reasonable cost. The key to a successful and well executed project is a great design. It is up to you to make the initial decision about the way you want your walkway to look and feel. By: Bill Healey Article Directory: http://www.articledashboard.com Making your personal preferences work within your budget is our team’s expertise. MyHomeUS is a full service design, remodeling, and construction firm specializing in local home improvement for New York City, New Jersey and Westchester. We can help you with every phase of your remodeling project by offering the best in home improvement solutions. Mudding the sheetrock. on Flickr – Photo Sharing! Daniel is in the far background of the photo with the black ball cap. He and his wife Heidi run the Daycare. Ben our youth pastor is in the red cap, and Joey one of our volunteers is in the Investigation into Toxic Chinese Sheetrock Drywall Goes National Investigation into Toxic Chinese Sheetrock Drywall Goes National. Swistle: Sheetrock and Flooring—What Could Be More Interesting? I DID off fef er the sheetrock guy some brownies. I put them on a plate and went out with them, and he said no thank you. But I liked what Denise said about how just because you don’t. Bill + nina’s dutchess digs: Stone, Sheetrock, Cabinets, Hex Tile The sheetrock has started going up, which has had two major impacts. First, it’s much easier to see the actual size of the rooms when you can’t see through the walls. Second, the house … Read more…

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Soundproofing Your Garage For Band Practice Soundproofing a garage involves a little more than you might think. In most garages you have certain thing that are working against you as you attemp to do an effective soundproofing job.

One negative is the garage door, even the insulated metal doors are not soundproof enough to hold in the sound of a garage rock ‘n’ roll band, especially if they have acoustic drums and a large bass amp system.

The best and most effective way to soundproof your garage is to actually construct a "room within a room". This would require framing and a bit of construction know how, but as I have said time and again, "It is NOT Rocket Science." Framing out the new room should be done with 2 X 6’s (if possible) as opposed to 2 X 4’s, though a 2 X 4′ frame will work effectively.

The reason I recommend the 2 X 6′ frame out, is because it will allow for more sealed dead air space once the room is completed. After the framing is completed, including a newly joisted out ceiling, then it’s time for some good old 5/8" fire code drywall to be installed on the outer studs and joists. We will be doing the actual soundproofing from within the new room. Once the outside walls and ceiling are dry walled, it is time to go inside of the room and begin soundproofing. The first order of business is to adhere a layer of " closed cell foam to the inside joist and stud cavities. Now remember, we are not filling the cavities, only lining them.

The closed cell foam mat can be adhered with a good spray adhesive (such as 3M-77 or 3M-80). There are two different sides to the foam mat, one is smooth and the other is pebbly, you want to glue the smooth side down and have the rough side facing the inside of the cavity. The closed cell foam has a 3-fold purpose. First, it will block and absorb sound, secondly it will block and absorb vibration, but third and most importantly, it will seal off the dead air spaces between the studs and joists. Dead air space is nature’s soundproofer, provided it is well sealed.

Now we come to a crossroads, if you feel that the sound generated from your band are extremely bassey or there is a lot of vibration from the acoustic drums or the bass guitar, you might opt to float the walls and ceiling using sound clips and furring channels. To learn more about floating walls and ceilings, please click onto the links below: Soundproofing against a noisy neighbor Soundproofing a Party Wall If you have determined that a float is not necessary, then the next step would be to staple up a layer of mass loaded vinyl directly to the studs and the ceiling joists. I would recommend using the 1lb per sq ft mass loaded vinyl, or our American Mass Loaded Vinyl for this application. I believe that MLV works best when it is able to resonate or move with the sound. Therefore it is always best to staple the MLV directly to the studs and joist of your walls and ceilings. It is best to over lap the seams in this case unless by some chance, your seams all land on studs and joists. If your seams land directly in the studs, but the seams together and caulk them. Once the MLV is up, you will need to caulk all of the seams as well as the perimeter of the vinyl. The OSI-175 caulk is an excellent choice for this application. After you have liberally caulked these areas it will be necessary to tape the seams of the butted MLV with either a lead foil tape or a quality seam tape. Hey, we’re almost finished folks! Now that all the soundproofing is up and sealed it is time for the final layer of 5/8" fire code drywall. This will sandwich in the MLV and will add greatly to the over all soundproofing system. After the drywall is up, you simply tape, mud, and paint as usual. This method of soundproofing a garage works well in a basement also. You should experience some remarkable soundproofing results from the room within a room concept. You have now tamed the soundproofing enemies in your garage and have a place to play or practice at 2:30 AM, which is usually when most musicians get inspired. I know that’s when I do. I hope this has helped you in your quest for the perfect garage studio. It has worked remarkably well for countless musicians throughout the United States and Canada. Thanks for learning about building and soundproofing a garage studio. Until next time, this is Dr. Bob…Out! By: Dr.Bob Article Directory: http://www.articledashboard.com Dr. Bob Orther Soundproofing America, Inc. Senior Technical Director Soundproofing Expert to The New York Times, The San Francisco Herald Examiner, The San Diego Union Tribune, and the Charlotte Observer Ph (877) 530-0139 Toll free Fax (760) 571-5007 E-mail: Dr.bob@soundproofingamerica.com www.soundproofingamerica.com www.yahoosoundproofing.com Curbed: Construction Watch: One More to Cement the Stadium Fatigue Curbed : The New York City neighborhoods and real estate blog. Construction Site Accident Lawyers According to OSHA, there will be 1000 construction workers who will suffer a work-related fatality or a substantial physical injury that could have been. Super Woman — Pierriette Hopkins, Construction Worker – Lemondrop The Newark, N.J., construction worker proves herself every day in a field dominated by men. Why We Love Her: Hopkins got into the business — only 8 percent of which is made up of women. NC guard headquarters construction to start | CharlotteObserver.com North Carolina will soon begin building a new headquarters for the state’s National Guard.

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Soundproofing Solutions For Your Home Or Business We live in a noisy world. Noise seems to be everywhere – traffic, construction, loud music, crowded buildings.

Noise can even be a problem in labs and offices. The problem has become so wide-spread we have even created a term for it: noise pollution. It may not be possible to stop all that noise, but thanks to advances in technology, there are ways to isolate ourselves from it. To understand how we can begin to isolate ourselves from all that noise, we need a basic understanding of how sound travels – not just through the air, but through walls, floors and ceilings.

Sound travels through the air in waves, and those waves cause the objects they come into contact with to vibrate. When a sound is loud enough, those vibrations can travel through walls, floors and ceilings transferring sound into our buildings from the outside or from room to room and floor to floor on the inside. The key to effectively stopping unwanted noise from invading our space is to stop the vibration. In most homes and commercial buildings, walls and floors have an interior support structure of wood or steel studs or joists and are covered with some form of rigid sheeting like drywall or particle board flooring, leaving an air space between the walls, floors and ceilings.

That air space allows for the easy transfer of sound waves with very little solid mass for the sound to vibrate through or slow its transfer. One of the most common methods used to reduce the transfer of that sound has been to insulate the wall, floor or ceiling with one of several types of insulation. This may reduce the transfer of sound vibrations through the air space, but does nothing to stop the sound transferred through studs, drywall, joists or flooring.

It’s also important to understand that not all sound frequencies are not the same when it comes to insulation. Lab tests show that low frequency sounds aren’t stopped by insulation, and high frequency sounds aren’t reduced significantly. Insulating the air space is only effective in deadening mid-range frequency sound. Then how is sound transferred in an insulated wall? When drywall is nailed directly to wall studs, sound waves vibrate the drywall, that vibration is transferred to the stud, and is finally transferred to the drywall on the other side of the wall. That vibrates the air in the room and the vibrations become sound waves again. The industry calls this coupling. One method to reduce this transfer of vibration is called de-coupling.

De-coupling is nothing more than creating a space between the drywall and studs. This dampens the sound. That is, the vibration and resulting transfer of sound is greatly reduced. This can easily be done during construction by placing a resilient cushion between the drywall and stud to absorb the vibration. There are clips and channels available for that purpose. Another even more effective method is to install a cushioning sheet over the stud wall and under the drywall, or over floor joists and under sub-flooring, When combined with insulating the air space between walls and floors, there is a significant reduction in the transfer of high, low and mid-range sound frequencies. It is also important to seal around all outside door and window openings with a good quality caulk. To reduce the transfer of sound from room to room, don’t forget to seal outlets and install duct liners in furnace and air exchange duct work. When used together, each of these methods will go a long way in controlling the transfer of unwanted sound. So far we have considered reducing sound in a home, a commercial building or a single room or area. And these methods are really only practical for new construction. They also can’t completely eliminate sound – only reduce it to acceptable levels. What can be done when retro-fitting a room isn’t cost effective and sound isolation is needed? The answer may be as small as a portable ‘mini’ sound shelter or as large as a sound isolation room. There are any number of applications where sound isolation is required. Hearing testing, speech therapy, psychological testing and data recording and industrial applications are just a few. To meet those needs audiometric booths, sound isolation rooms and noise reduction rooms are available. By incorporating innovations like carpeted vibration isolated floors, space-saver roof mounted ventilation, recessed electrical outlets, noise-lock doors, double glazed windows and double thick modular wall panels, sound can be controlled in small spaces such as a portable booth or as large as a room within a room. Understanding a bit about sound, how it travels and what can stop it can help you decide what you need to do to control the sound around you. Whether you want to keep the noise of the outside world out, quiet a part of your home or commercial building or need an area of sound isolation, understanding the technology that is available can help you make a sound decision. Copyright Integrity Enterprises By: Thomas Heins Article Directory: http://www.articledashboard.com Integrity Acoustic Solutions builds, installs, and repairs audiometric booths, sound isolation rooms, and noise reductions rooms for medical and educational institutions. BEYOND WORDS: Animated Wall Art Animated Wall Art. I’ve been doing some work on the butterfly donation piece, which has me sitting and standing, challenging my still recovering back, so I’m headed for a nice reclined. Home Builder Guide: Adding On When adding to a very old home every wall that is opened reveals the secrets of the carpenters which has been hidden away for sometimes centuries.Those carpenters often recycled posts. London Builders: Wall Mounted Bathroom Equipment. Part One At the beginning of 80 s history of development of the bathroom equipment was marked by an appearance of suspended, or wall hung, equipment, with closet basins as pioneers. Suspended [...] Wall St fef rises as economic data fuels optimism (Reuters … Stocks rose on Wednesday as unexpected increases in home sales and orders for durable goods fueled hopes the economic downturn may have found a bottom, lifting shares of big manufacturers.

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How To Hang Drywall, Or Not?

Dry ceiling before you drywall. This is literally the top tip when talking about how to hang drywall. Using a long builders’ level, check your wall studs for any warped boards. Only straight flat studs will give you a level surface on which to hang drywall. People, especially the female of the species will quickly spot the bulges if you fail to put furring strips on to the frame around items that may stick out beyond your drywall studs.

It’s all in the eye when learning how to hang drywall. How to hang drywall sheets is horizontally and from the top, down to the bottom. Be sure to draw an outline grid of your studs on the floor. When you want to find them later for hanging pictures on you really don’t want to rely on hammer sonar. A top tip on how to hang drywall when you are working alone is to hammer four nails in a row into four adjacent studs about 50" inches from the ceiling. This enables you to lift the sheet (lift and manhandle with a straight back and use your legs only) and rest it on the nails. Hang all of the drywall upper sheets before going onto the lower sheets.

The well-dressed drywall hanger will of course have strong toe-protecting shoes. Line up the fixing screws with your floor grid marks and place screws in the dimpled area of the drywall about 2 inches apart. How not to hang drywall is with the dimpled surface facing inward! Later you will level off the dimples with joint compound. Around the edge of the drywall sheet, place the screws 3/8" in from all edges and space them 7" inches apart. Across the face of each sheet, drive screws into the studs about 12 inches apart. If you miss a stud, and try a bit further over. You can fill the hole with joint compound the drywall hanger’s best friend. The secret of how to hang drywall successfully is to have the right tools. Use a sharp rotary drill for cutting out shaped holes around light fixtures and windows etc. Loosely fasten the board over the light fixture or window, do the cutting then finish fastening the board. Over a window completely fix the drywall around the edge and then cut out the window. Try to keep cutting of the drywall to a minimum but when you need to cut a sheet down to size be sure to mark the paper surface correctly. Then cut through the paper face with a clean sharp knife. ALWAYS KEEP FINGERS BEHIND THE CUTTING EDGE! Another top tip on how to hang drywall is to lift the panel up from your working surface and snap it downward along your cut line to break through the core. When hanging the bottom sections of the drywalls, you do not line up the seams of each sheet.

Therefore, start the second row with a half sheet. This will give sturdier and stronger drywall. The tapered edges should always butt together. Cut the panels about 1/2-inch short of the floor to allow for any unevenness in the floor or ceiling. The gaps at the bottom of the wall will be covered with your baseboard. A final top tip on how to hang drywall when on your own is to raise each panel into place with a pair of foot levers. A sturdy piece of clean wood on top of a small wedge will enable you to lever the drywall sheet into position while you drive the first screws or nails. Author: Wendy Pan Wendy Pan is an accomplished niche website developer and author. To learn more about how to hang dry wall, please visit Dry Wall Repair Online for current articles and discussions. Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Wendy_Pan Office for Design or Office Design Services | In any office walls occupy a major visual attention in the form of cabin partitions. In most cases an office space is a large area with fiberglass. Jobs in Qatar : Building Electrician | Bayt.com *Place conduit (pipes or tubing) inside designated partitions, walls, or other concealed areas, and pull insulated wires or cables through the conduit to complete circuits between. Glass Shower Enclosures Made from Recycled Windshields Luxury … Other uses for the recycled windshield glass include walls, dividers, fronts, partitions, and lighting. recycled-windshield-shower-enclosure.

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Its time you folks knew the truth about steel studs. I am a passionate person by nature. My number one passion for the last three decades has been steel studs and the architectural wonders that can be achieved using them.

In this, and many future segments, we will discuss the beneficial attributes of steel studs. The Internet is a beautiful thing. With the tap of a button you can access volumes of information on whatever subject you can think of. There’s only one problem. You don’t know if the information you’re getting is correct.

Look No Further Friends, Don’t go anywhere else for your steel stud framing information. This site is written by a professional steel stud framer. Age is Just a Number I started my steel stud career back when Disco ruled the airwaves and the Cold War was in full swing. I was told about a possible job opportunity by a friend of mine who was vacating his position to begin a stint in the military. He said I could take his place if I wanted. All I had to do was show up at the jobsite.

As it was summer and I wasn’t in school I figured I would go earn a few bucks and stay busy for a couple of months. When I showed up at the appointed place and time I found myself in front of an eight story high rise apartment building on the outskirts of Miami. I climbed to the third floor, met the boss who handed me a screwgun and was told to screw off the bottoms of all the studs on that floor. This consisted of thirty-six apartments with several hundred steel studs each. I’ll let you do the math. After a week of bending over pushing screws I had finally reached the last apartment and was overcome with a sense of elation knowing that my personal Hell had come to an end. I hurried upstairs to tell the boss I was finished and to accept what I was sure would be much back slapping and congratulations only to discover another floor full of steel studs awaiting me. Meanwhile the framing crew had already moved up to the next floor and were half way done with it. Thus began my three decade love affair with steel studs. Diamonds in the Rough Just as steel is tempered in fire and diamonds are created under extreme heat and pressure so too are true craftsmen forged in the flames of experience. These were the days of piece work framing when you got paid on a production basis. Prices were by the lineal foot and if you weren’t pushing screws you weren’t getting paid. The more you could produce in an hour the more money you made. This was just the opposite of the hourly mindset of today where the less you have to do to earn your hourly wage the better.

Time was money and quality was of paramount importance because if you had to go back to fix something you did it on your dime. Now days if a guy has to go back and fix his own work he looks at it as job security. My, how times have changed. So know that this is the first of many articles explaining what can be done with steel studs. My main intention today is for you to understand that I am a steel stud framer; I don’t just play one on T.V. The world is full of many talented steel stud framers and I have had the privilege of calling many of them friend. Unfortunately for people seeking information on the Internet, none of these spectacular individuals has created a website. I extend an open invitation to all experienced steel stud framers to help us educate the general population by showing the many things that can be accomplished with steel studs. Leave your comments and recommendations on our contact page. COPYRIGHT 2009 BY EDWARD B. CLARK Author: Edward Clark "By Helping Others, We Help Ourselves" Edward B. Clark. http://free-drywall-solutions.com Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Edward_Clark

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How To Repair Drywall Holes It is very easy to learn how to repair drywall holes.

All it takes is the right materials and a little bit of time. As long as you follow all the directions carefully, your drywall will soon look as good as new. The repair techniques differ somewhat depending on the size of the hole but most are easily managed by a homeowner with some basic repair skills.

For small holes, the best approach to how to repair drywall holes is to use a pre-mixed filler or spackle compound. These are available in resealable plastic containers from any home improvement store, so you can seal the lid back on when you are finished and the material will be available the next time you need it.

When you are ready to fill the hole, take a small amount of filler and use a putty knife or even your finger to work the material into the hole.

How to Repair Drywall Holes Small holes from push pins, picture hangers and nails do not require a lot of filler material. If you are careful and you fill the holes smoothly enough then you do not have to go back and sand them. This will save you time and one more step, so try and do an accurate and careful job. Larger holes may require more than one application of fill material, while the largest holes will need to be patched with a piece of drywall. Use a scrap piece of drywall to cut a section that fits into the hole. Secure it in place and proceed with taping (if necessary) and application of spackle compound. You will probably need to apply multiple coats of spackle, so let each coat dry completely, sand off the excess, and apply another coat. Repeat this process until you can sand off the excess and achieve a smooth drywall surface. Now that you know how to repair drywall holes, set aside a couple of hours on a weekend to go around the house and take care of those little holes that have been driving you crazy. By: Gregg Hicks Article Directory: http://www.articledashboard.com This article was written by Gregg Hicks of ReliableRemodeler.com which provides Internet-based home improvement information and services. ReliableRemodeler.com offers homeowners a simple, quick, and free way to access, qualified home improvement remodeling contractors. MF for beginner I know there are many experienced MF users on RFF that’s why I ask it here. With MF gear prices lowest I ever seen, and 120 film development still available, I decided I just need to try one. wagner pics – Powered By Bloglines … toy cheap ceiling tiles why is the current discount rate considered a ceiling said california style ceiling in her room addind a bedroom with open ceiling provok. All this went out, to find Mr ‘Well, I have. ceiling curtain tracking was not harbor breeze dual motor ceiling fan that Felix perforated ceiling sheeting au have bamboo ceiling what to do. The span of each other I say, and radiant ceiling and floor cooling the attbuild an attached garage with tall ceiling who dared not agree wooden ceiling hangings ceiling lift independant

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A Simple Solution To Drywall Corner Cracks Starting with the right materials on a construction project can really pay off.

Drywall corner cracks, for example, are unsightly, can be costly to fix and often come when you least expect them. They are a nuisance for both homeowners and construction professionals. Fortunately, it’s often possible to avoid cracks by making one small, simple change during the construction process. It’s easy to understand why corner cracks appear. Traditional "bare metal" corner bead-the thin metal strip that goes over the corner of a wall before it is finished and painted-is attached to the drywall corner using nails or screws to hold it in place. These fasteners penetrate both the drywall and the framing. If the wood frame warps, shrinks or swells, the fasteners pull and stress the metal bead along with it, producing cracks. Structural movement due to foundation settling can also add stress to the corner bead.

While the process of fixing corner cracks can vary depending on the severity, crews often have to remove the metal bead, install a new piece and then renail it.

Multiple coats of joint compound are also applied throughout the process, sometimes requiring several trips to the residence. Corners then need to be repainted. In cases where walls are ornately painted or textured, the finishing alone could push the cost into the hundreds, not to mention the inconvenience and time it takes to coordinate all the repairs. The good news is that corner cracks can be quite preventable. For example, homeowners can simply request that their builder or contractor substitute a high-performance product such as Sheetrock brand paper-faced metal bead by USG for the standard, bare metal corner bead typically used. Made with a strong paper tape laminated to a sturdy, rust-resistant metal form, Sheetrock paper-faced metal bead is adhesively applied to the drywall corner and, as a result, resists edge cracking, paint chipping and everyday wear and tear. This is a classic example of how requesting one small, simple change during the construction process can really pay off.

Builders and contractors can appreciate how it installs faster and requires less joint compound to finish. Homeowners can appreciate that it comes with a limited 30-year no-edge-crack warranty. By: Wendy Mitchell Article Directory: http://www.articledashboard.com For additional information on this innovative solution, please call (800) USG-4YOU (800.874.4968) or visit usg.com/pfbead. Using the right product during construction can reduce the chance that drywall corner cracks will appear later on. That means saving time and money. Drywall plus Thickness of Tile – Fix-it Forum: Home Improvement … You mount the box to accomodate the drywall plus the thickness of the tile. Toolmonger Blog Archive The Pocket Kicker II The Pocket Kicker II will lift up to twelve-foot sheets of drywall with ease. Measuring just 6-1/2 long, it ll fit in almost any toolbox, tool pouch, or even your back pocket. Advocate: Drywall woes may affect several hundred thousand homes … MANATEE The leader of a national consumer advocacy protection group believes the problem of tainted drywall could plague a couple hundred thousand homes nationwide. By the Numbers: Chinese-drywall problems spread beyond Florida … Chinese Drywall Problems South Florida Pounds of of drywall made in China that have been offloaded at U.S. ports since 2006, enough to build 60000 homes, according to a HeraldTribune.com.

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Using The Right Drywall Equipment Makes A Difference If you want to do a good drywall job, you have to make sure you have the right tools.

The right tools and supplies can make the difference between a job that looks amateurish and one that looks like it was done by a professional. If you want to learn to hang drywall like the professionals, try an on line tutorial, or visit one of the large home improvement centers. They frequently give classes on things like this.

Make sure you gather the right tools before you get started on the job. You don’t want to start the job and then have to stop because you are missing something. You need two good trowels, a regular plaster trowel and one for corners. You need a hand sander or a block sander and a supply of sandpaper. For high parts of the wall, or for a ceiling, you will need a sanding pole. A cordless drill will be needed oft the drywall screws. If you are doing an entire house, get a larger drill that will work for heavy duty like this. Have a tape measure and a utility knife on hand; you probably don’t have to buy those.

Get a T square that is large enough for the job, such as a four foot square that can reach across a full sheet. You will not get accurate measures if you do not use a T square. A corner tool, either of plastic or metal is needed for squaring as well. You will need a 4 1/2 inch steel knife and a 10 inch steel knife, a stainless steel mud pan for mixing the compound, a keyhole saw, and a steel ruler. Once you have all of your tools gathered, put together all of the supplies: Paper drywall tape Sandpaper, 100 grit and 200 grit Drywall compound Drywall sheets Screws Nails Drop cloths The most important thing is not to rush the job. If you go slowly, the job will look a lot better than if you rush. The fist thing you should do is sketch the job out. Measure the room or rooms you are doing so you know exactly how large the area is and how many sheets you will need. You should always order more, for some will be wasted. There are different kinds of drywall; if you are doing a bathroom you should use green board, which is resistant to moisture.

The rule of thumb is to start Wit the ceiling and then do the walls. After the ceiling, start at the top of a wall and go down. Keep your boards as close as possible to eliminate seams and keep your sanding to a minimum. Use the T square to keep each square, also to cut pieces. Score along the square with the utility knife and then break the sheet. After you have hung all of the drywall, you will tape over the seams. Tape very firmly, using a finishing knife and then smooth out the compound the the knife, and use the corner tool around the corners. This should be left to dry for at least 24 hours. Remember that rushing things will lead to a messy job. After the first coat is dry, sand it down and apply another coat. Let dry a full day, sand and do a third coat. Let this final coat dry thoroughly before it is sanded. Taking your time and waiting between coats will give you the smoothest finish to your wall. By: Linden J. Walhard - Article Directory: http://www.articledashboard.com Linden Walhard regularly produces papers on topics like drywall equipment and air tools. You can see his articles on drywall tools over at www.insidewoodworking.com . Paint peeling off walls that are not drywall? – Home Gardening Forum Painting Forum Drywall and house wall Painting Forum. Paint selection, surface preparations for painting drywall, tools, applications, techniques, problems & cleaning up. Remodeling for geeks: Drywall ‘Kicker’ One of the lesser known drywall tools is the ‘kicker’, or floor drywall lifter. Remember the 48” tall drywall? Two sheets are 96”. HowStuffWorks Videos "Gimme Shelter: Drywall Tools" In this clip from Discovery Channel’s "Gimme Shelter," learn about the tools that professional drywallers use to apply mud and tape to drywall. All Your Drywall Tools You can pretty much knock off your drywall tool list for under $125. I’m fudging a little here, because I am going to assume that you already have a cordless drill in some shape or form.

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Hanging Drywall If you have ever taken the time to watch a skilled tradesman hang drywall, you marvel at how fast and easy it seems to be for them. I have seen friends in the trade use nothing more than a tape measure and a utility knife to make all the necessary cuts and cut-outs.

For the average homeowner who may want to save a few bucks on a home construction project by doing it himself or with a helper, hanging drywall can be very intimidating, especially if you have never done it before. There is real physical labor involved here, especially if you are by yourself.

I just remodeled my own bathroom recently which wasn’t bad since it was only 8 feet x 8 feet. What about a larger room such as a new family room in the basement? I have good news for you. It can be done by yourself or with a helper with a little patience and instruction. The goal of this article is to help those who may be just starting out or who are a novice. It will cover the basics of drywalling. The experienced veterans and tradesman have their own way of doing things and have developed their own techniques, shortcuts and trade secrets.

If you are just starting out, I would suggest buying an extra sheet or two of drywall when estimating your job. You will make mistakes and there is no better teacher than experience. If you have a friend who is skilled at drywall, I suggest you by him a case of his favorite beer and have him come over and give you some pointers as you work. Lets start out by looking at what tools and supplies you will need to complete your job. First thing on the list is the drywall. we need to understand that with drywalling, there is a certain amount of waist involved. We always want to use the largest pieces possible to create the least amount of seams. The less seams there are to tape and spackle the better off you will be and the smoother your walls will look. For instance, if I am building a 10 feet x 10 foott room in my basement, if at all possible I want to purchase 12 foot drywall boards. Sure you lose two feet to waist but imagine how many more seams there would be if you used 8 foot boards. Next we need a good cordless drill/driver along with at least 2 or 3 batteries. I also like to have two chargers so I always have one battery charging and one battery at full charge. My personal preference is an 18 volt cordless drill. Some people prefer 14.4 volt for this project. I have found that a good 18 volt variable speed cordless drill can take care of just about any job around the house, big or small. You can find anything you need in regards to a cordless drill at justcordlessdrills.com. A good supply of magnetic screw gun bits are needed also. With 1/2 sheetrock, I like to use 1 1/2 or 1 5/8 sheetrock screws. I also like to glue my boards to the studs, especially the ceiling so a couple of tubes of adhesive such as Liquid Nails and a caulking gun is needed. For the beginner, invest in a 4 foot sheetrock square. This tool will prove invaluable in making your cut-outs for electrical boxes, exhaust fans, etc. Other items that you will need are a tape measure, a utility knife, some carpenter’s pencils, a hand held drywall saw, a ladder that will be long enough to get you to the ceiling and if you can get one, rent one, or borrow one: a sheetrock lift or jack. This tool is not necessary but will make your job so much easier when doing ceilings. It is especially useful and almost essential if you are alone and have a high ceiling. The last thing that you need to make you job easier is a good set of saw horses to lay you drywall boards on when measuring and making cuts. Lets assume that your room is studded and all the rough electrical, plumbling and duct work is in place. Your room is ready for drywall. When installing drywall, always start with the ceiling first. This allows the drywall used for your walls to butt up against the perimeter of the ceiling drywall to help support it. Make sure that the perimeter of your ceiling area has enough stud showing to secure drywall all around. If not, you need to install what are called ‘nailers’ around the ceiling perimeter to allow the edges of your ceiling drywall to be secured with drywall screws. A nailer is a board that allows you to attach the drywall board edges when a stud or choice is not present. When doing the ceiling, we need to go perpendicular to the ceiling joists and make sure the ends of the drywall around the ceiling perimeter always land on a ceiling joist or nailer. Also we need to stagger our ceiling joints as much as possible. If you have a 14 foot x 14 foot ceiling and are using 12 foot drywall boards, you are going to need one 12 foot board and a 2 foot piece to cover the 14 foot span. A drywall board is 4 foot wide so when you install the next 14 foot span of drywall, install the 2 foot board first and then the 12 foot board so that the 2 foot boards are on the opposite end from each other. Always make sure that the end of a drywall board that is going to be continued ends in the middle of a joist, stud or nailer. The first thing that we need to do is take a look at the ceiling and see where any cut-outs need to be made for the lights, exhaust fans, etc. Lets say our first ceiling board has two recessed lights. We need to make two measurements: from the wall on a straight line to the center of the light on the length side of the drywall and from the wall on a straight line to the center of the light on the width side of the drywall. Transfer these measurements on to your drywall board by using your sheet rock square and carpenter’s pencil. Where the two measurements intersect will be the center of your recessed light. Now measure the diameter of the recessed light. The diameter is length across the light. Divide the diameter by 2 and use this measurement to draw a circle equal distance from your centerpoint. Use your drywall saw to caught out the circle on the drywall board so when you install the board the cut-out will line up with the recessed light. On both length-wise sides of the drywall board, you will see a slight bevel. Make sure you butt your next drywall boards bevel to bevel whenever possible. Now that you have the cut-outs for your drywall board in place, it is time to hang the drywall board. Use your caulking gun to line all the ceiling joists with adhesive where the board will be plalced. If you have a drywall lift, place the board on it and lift it into place.The lift will hold it there so you can start securing it with drywall screws. If you don’t have a lift, I recommend having a helper to do the ceiling. A nifty little device that you can 1ff8 make is a ‘T’ out of 24’s. Make the top part of the ‘T’ about 4 feet long, the width of the drywall board. The length should long enough for someone to stand the ‘T’ upright from the floor to the drywall board at the ceiling You can make two or three ‘T’’s’ to help support the drywall board while you start fastening it with drywall screws. Fasten the board on all ceiling joists with drywall screws using your cordless drill. Make sure you fasten the drywall board around the perimeter of the ceiling either to the ceiling joists or nailers that you installed. I usually install my drywall screws about 6 inches apart on the length of the joist. Repeat this process until you have the whole ceiling done. Before we start the walls, let’s talk about cutting a piece of drywall to length. Suppose that you need to cut your 8 foot drywall to 7 feet. Mark the front of the board at 7 feet.Use your drywall square to draw a straight line.Now take your utility knife and score the line that was drawn. I like to get about halfway through the board with my score. Next bend the board away from the score. This will leave the paper on the back of the drywall board to cut through. Go to the back of the board and cut through the paper. Your cut is complete. When hanging the walls, you want to start at the ceiling and work your way down. You also want to hang the drywall horizontally. This will give you a beveled edge that butts up against the ceiling and the next piece of drywall that is placed under it. Remember to use the longest piece that you can to create the least amount of seams.

Also make sure that you butt the drywall as tight as you can to the drywall on the ceiling. Use your caulking gun to place some adhesive on the studs. This is not necessary but it helps hold the board in place. If your board is not long enough to cover the enitre length of the wall, make sure the end of the drywall board on the continuation side ends in the middle of a stud. Secure the ends of the board while your helper holds it in place. Once the board is secure and won’t move, insert drywall screws about six inches apart over all the studs that are covered. Cut-outs for electrical boxes are done similiar to the ceiling. For example, lets take a 24 receptacle box. We need to measure the height of the box (top and bottom)from the floor and the width (both sides) from the corner where the board will start. Mark the measurements on the drywall board. Use your drywall square to draw straight lines until they intersect and make the outline of the box. Use your drywall saw and cut out the box so when you hang the board it will line up with the receptacle box. Repeat this process untill all the walls are covered. You ae now ready for spackle and tape but that’s another lesson and this is about cordless drill projects. I hope that this article gives you some insight and helpful hints to help you hang drywall and effectively make use of your cordless drill. For a large selection of brand name cordless drills, please visit http://www.justcordlessdrills.com. justcordlessdrills.com: ‘Quality Cordless Drills For Hard Working People’ Author: James Gzemski My name is Jim and I have been around tools all my life. I have been involved in electronics, the electrical trade, and industrial maintenance during my entire working career. I spent four years in the United States Marine Corps as a Test Equipment and Calibration Technician. I also went to Luzerne County Community College where I studied Electronic Technology. I have worked as an industrial electrician, on the road as a service technician, and as an industrial maintenance mechanic for the past twenty years. I have worked for such companies as T.J. Lipton (the Soup and Tea People), Cargill, and I am currently employed by Pepsico in their Gatorade Division. I also have my own website called http://www.justcordlessdrills.com, where you can get useful information on cordless drills and also find great deals if you have need of purchasing a quality brand name cordless drill. Also visit my blog http://www.tooltalkwithjim.com A site dedicated to hand and power tool information of all kinds. Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=James_Gzemski Pithless Thoughts: Drywall Helpers to the Rescue! The drywall hanging began in earnest today. About 10 people came today and helped put up about 50 sheets of drywall on the ceilings and walls in the lower parts of the nave while Javier Expanded probe of drywall problems urged – Business – Bradenton.com MANATEE Another federal lawmaker has added his voice to the call for investigation into defective drywall found in Florida homes. Neighbour problem. Need a bass reduction solution. – AVForums.com This insulation will also give enhanced results if used as the acoustic infill when soundproofing stud partitions. " Web site containing Video on ‘Acoustic Quilt. Kitchens and Bathrooms AJ Dry lining and general builders: This company offers various building services including plastering, bricklaying, kitchens, bedrooms, bathrooms, and metal stud partitions.

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