Drywall has been the leading material used in wall coverings since 1941. Actually, U.S. Gypsum Company (USG) first produced drywall in 1916 prior to world war II.

At first drywall consisted of multi-layers of gypsum and heavy paper compressed together. Later it evolved into one sheet of gypsum covered by layers of heavy paper.

Plaster was the primary wall covering at the time, and drywall considered cheap installation?obviously due to poor communications. Had the public become aware of its advantages at the time, drywall would have evolved into the primary covering much sooner.

Plaster required wood backing over the studs to contain the plaster requiring a great deal more wood and labor. Not only that, but plaster contained a significant amount of water which required extensive drying time?not to mention the labor required to install and level.

The war?s drain on the economy and labor force brought drywall into the spotlight as the least expensive material which installed quickly with the least amount of labor.

Once the dog was loose he began to hunt quickly and before long-- its advantages fully realized--drywall dominated the scene, not only in the U.S. but internationally as well.

Drywall?s Composition

Gypsum is a mineral mined for its properties. In its original form it contains significant amounts of water, but in a crystalline form. This is advantageous in the event of fire. The crystalline water converts to steam cooling the panel?s surface and serves as a fire break.

Raw gypsum gets mixed with emulsifiers, wood pulp and starches and compressed. This combination is then covered with thick manila paper.

The now prepared sheet is heavy with water in its purest form. A 500-degree oven finalizes the process by ridding the sheet of water. The drywall sheets are offered in the most popular 4X8, 4X10 and 4X12 sizes from 3/8-inch through ╛-inch thickness.

The story doesn?t end there, a myriad of diverse chemicals and emulsifiers can be added to create panels for a wide range of different purposes such as mold, impact resistance and additional resistance to fire.

Types of Wallboard

• Regular non-rated architectural
• Fire-rated or type (X or Perlite) fire resistant strands added
• Impact resistant for high use areas
• Moisture resistant (green board) water resistant paper added for use in bathrooms and kitchen
• Soundboard (quiet rock) viscoelastic polymers added which convert sound to heat which is not audible.
• Lead lined drywall for protection from overexposure to X-rays used in hospitals.
• Flexible drywall in ╝-inch sheets capable of bending when wetted down to form curves or arches.
• Blue board used where a top decorative coating is to be applied. It has a green adhesive on the surface for better adhesion of the decorative surface.

Advantages of Using Wallboard

All new construction will experience a certain amount of warping in the walls as the new studs cure or the home settles.

Drywall, unlike plaster has enough flex to cope where plaster will crack. Not only that, but drywall has a fantastic insulation value and is fire resistant, not to mention the fact that it is the least expensive type of wall covering.

Planning Your Wallboard Needs

This will reduce your cost and keep you in code while minimizing waste.

• Measure your walls, ceiling (length X width), divide by 32 (size of wallboard sheets), and add 20-percent for waste to arrive at the number needed. Keep in mind that the ceiling will be a thinner sheet than the walls.
• Count your outside corners in hallways, entrances to bathroom and so on. These require end caps.
• If there is more than one story inform your supplier.
• Make a note of walls or ceilings getting decorative coatings.

At the same time he will set you up with all the necessary wallboard installation materials and tools needed for a trouble-free and successful installation.

When your ready to build or remodel, give our representative a call at any of our five locations throughout New England.

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If you are a contractor or do-it-yourselfer you know you have to always stay on top with your tools. Restocking and updating important tools is part of the job. You have to constantly update yourself on brands and their products in order to deliver your best work for your clients or your home.

Simply show your check-in confirmation to the clerk and instantly receive a 15% discount on all fasteners.

Finding many fasteners isn't hard in a Wallboard Supply Store. It is important to know the company or brand that manufactures these fasteners because each company produces their products differently. When you go to your local Wallboard Supply store, look for brands like

• Grabber
• Scorpion
• Hilti
• Ramset
• Star Sales

Grabber makes fasteners for acoustical ceilings, concrete, block, brick, stone and framing arches. Their SpringShot acoustical toggle is their most popular fastener and is used most in the construction trade.

Scorpion brand specializes in acoustical and self-drilling fasteners. Their newest product called the IronWorker is a fastener designed specifically for cedar, cypress, and redwoods-known for cracking and splitting when fastened.

Ramset designs and manufactures fastening products used in concrete and steel construction. Most of their products are either gas fastening systems or powder fastening systems.

Hilti offers the widest supply of construction products. They have screws and screwdrivers for drywall or metal. Ramset and Hilti manufacture products powerful enough for heavy duty construction. The products these two brands carry would serve a contractor better than a do-it-yourselfer.

Star Sales is a distributor of general construction supplies. A do-it-yourselfer could get a lot of good products from this company from screws, fasteners, power tools, doors and frames.

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One of the key attributes differentiating a lovely room from a generic box is the interest to molding. Among the simplest methods to upgrade a room is to intensify all the moldings, including size, elevation and also depth to the trim. Much from enclosing a room, the boosted framework includes depth to the wall surfaces, specifically if it is repainted the exact same shade as the wall surfaces for a linked appearance.

Baseboards

Beginning at the flooring, walls are the aesthetic structure for a room. They are like a line attracted under whatever else that goes right into the space. If the space has wood floorings, include footwear molding for a significant information.

Neutral Cottage Kitchen and Dining-room
Casing in a Farmhouse Kitchen
Casing

Openings in wall surfaces without doors are mounted with woodwork called ?casing.? This trim, which covers from one side of the wall surface to the various other, specifies the opening and also secures the wall surface area from square one. A cased opening could recommend splitting up in between 2 spaces without disrupting circulation.

?One of my faves is 2.25 inches large and also 1.75 inches deep at the outdoors side. No matter of the account, stay clear of moldings that are as well level versus the wall surface since they look economical as well as anemic.

Crown Molding

At the top of the space, I such as a huge straightforward cove molding, 5 to 7 inches high, depending on the ceiling elevation,? states Doug. A deep crown molding could include style to a space that has little bit, and also it attracts the eye upwards in much the exact same means drapes hung at ceiling elevation do. An easy 8-foot space could end up being a lot a lot more vibrant with a solid yet basic 5-inch crown molding as well as 5-inch base molding.

Ending up Touches

Because you desire the crown moldings to look like an all-natural expansion of the wall surface, it could look disjointed when painting in a different shade. Painting moldings the exact same shade as the wall surface yet in a semigloss enamel surface, recommends Doug. This method makes a space really feel bigger (no white lays out attracting the eye occasionally) as well as presents a advanced as well as extremely streamlined touch.

In an extremely dark space, nevertheless, like a delicious chocolate brownish bed room, white crown molding includes a crisp, tasty comparison, like a present covered up in a quite bow.

One of the main features identifying an appealing area from a fundamental box is the focus to molding. Chairs rails provide a refined appearance to a space, as do photo moldings, where trim is utilized in big squares or rectangular shapes to simulate the appearance of a paneled wall surface.

At the top of the area, I such as a huge straightforward cove molding, 5 to 7 inches high, depending on the ceiling elevation,? states Doug. A deep crown molding could include style to an area that has bit, and also it attracts the eye up in much the very same means drapes hung at ceiling elevation do. An easy 8-foot area could end up being a lot a lot more vibrant with a solid however basic 5-inch crown molding and also 5-inch base molding.

Interested in hiring a professional drywall installation and repair company in Waco, TX or surrounding areas? Give us a call at (254) 203-7239 and make an appointment today!

While hanging the drywall at your project site will require strength, readying it for finishing requires a well-developed skill. Here, we will delve into a few tips used by experienced professionals to achieve a smooth, professional drywall finish every time.

Tip #1: Use The Right Tools

As with all projects (from cooking to construction and beyond), having the proper tools on hand makes the entire project much easier. For drywall, you will need to start with sanding paper (with medium grit). Broad, stainless steel knives are also necessary for when you reach the finishing phase. You'll also need paper tape and a flexible steel blade which will come in handy while you're taping.

Tip #2: Carefully Prepare Before You Begin Drywall Finishing

The drywall compound is available in two ways. One will have water sitting atop the compound as you open the bucket. This type of compound will require you to stir it slowly (using a paddle attachment with your drill is a great and convenient way to mix the compound. When no water is visible and the compound looks completely smooth to the naked eye, it's ready. The other type of compound is pre-mixed, and no effort is required on your part to begin using it.

Before you begin, take a quick assessment of the wall's surface. If you see the heads of any screws sticking out from the wall, be sure to drive those screw heads into the wall (until they appear to be very slightly recessed into the wall).

Tip #3: Use The Compound To Cover Any Screws And Joints

Using the flexible steel blade, begin to spread the compound into the wall at the joints (and between the sheets). When the joints are filled, hold the blade at a 25 degree angle, smoothing the compound completely. Be certain you fill in any holes left behind by screws, and be sure that all the recessed screw heads are also covered. (The compound should be smoothed over these sections also.

Tip #4: Apply Paper Tape To Joints

Take out the paper tape, centering it. Then, and apply it to the seam, using just your fingers to adhere the tape to the fresh compound you've just applied to the joints. Remember to be gentle as you press the tape into the compound. Continue unrolling the tape, continuing this action until the paper tape is applied to the entire length of the seam.

Here, you'll want to switch to the sharper knife, using it to cut the tape (at a 90 degree angle).

Tip #5: Smooth Out The Tape (Using Your Knife)

Although you began by using your fingers to hold the tape in place, over the seams, it is now time to use the flexible blade you've used earlier to create that super smooth, super professional surface.

A note here -- this process takes a great deal of skill. Be sure to take your time and really focus on creating an exceptional end result.

You will begin at the midway point, with your flexible blade positioned at a 25 degree angle against the wall. Then, you'll run that flexible blade across the tape in one long, smooth stroke, from one end to the other. You'll begin to see those coveted smooth kines, but again, be sure to go slow, take your time and use one long single stroke across the joint. Scrape away any excess compound, then repeat this action, starting at the middle of the joint and doing the exact same thing for the opposite side of the joint.

Repeat this action, again and again, until each joint is completely smooth.

Tip #6: Tape Down Those Inside Corners

Cut a piece of tape which is about the length of one of the corners in the room. Then, using the flexible blade and a similar motion, smooth the paper tape into the corners of each wall. (Again, start from the midway point and smooth down one end, then the other.

Once these steps are complete, you're ready to apply paint or wallpaper to finish.

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Sources: Popular Mechanics

Room acoustics play an important part in the overall comfort and usefulness of any room or space. Often times the acoustics of a room can make it uncomfortable for the person occupying it. However, many people fail to understand the basics of what makes the sound in a room natural and pleasing to the ear. Bad acoustics in a room are not inescapable, with the proper knowledge and materials, any room can be acoustically pleasing.

Direct Sound vs Reflective Sound

Sound travels in waves at the very fast speed of over 1100 feet per second. When we hear sound we are hearing both direct and reflective sound. Direct sound is the sound we hear first because it is made up of the sound waves that travel the shortest distance directly to us. Reflective sound is the sound we here later, in an echo, because it is the sound waves bouncing off objects, often multiple times, and being sent back to us. Because the reflective sound travels further we hear it in reverberations as an echo. However, because sound travels does travel so fast the waves overlap and become distorted rather than distinct echoes.

Acoustic Materials to change Reflective Sound Distortion

When considering the acoustics in a room the most important thing to remember is that the more hard flat walls, ceilings and floor space you have the more surfaces there are for sounds to be reflected off. Also consider the amount of angles these flat surfaces create. Between just two flat surfaces a sound wave can be bounced at least 60 times a second.

When you factor in the amount of space and angles found in a normal room with six flat surfaces (four walls, ceiling, and floor) the number of times that a sound wave can be reflected enters into the thousands, all at full strength if left unhindered. Altering these surfaces with proper acoustics material will provide drastic changes to reflective sound and the acoustics of the room.

Absorbers and Diffusers

Acoustic absorbers are products made from special materials, often made of foam or cloth, that absorb the energy of the sound waves reducing the amount of sound that is reflected. Diffusers are shaped materials that alter a flat surface in order to scatter the sound waves around the room, much like a wave of light through a prism. Most modern acoustics material combines both principles of absorption and diffusion in to a single piece. The combination of both reduces both the amount and intensity of reflective sound that reaches the ear and reduces the distortion reflective sound causes.

Acoustical Barriers

Often called noise or sound barriers, acoustical barriers help to not only block sound from leaving the room, they also help block outside sounds from interfering with the sound in the room. Although absorbers and diffusers dampen the sounds that leave and enter the room, sound barriers are denser materials. This denseness leaves little room for sound to enter or escape reducing the sound distractions created outside and the sound distraction for neighboring rooms.

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