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Can You Use A 3/8 Drywall Ceiling?
If you’re looking for a more affordable way to increase the ceiling height in your home without making structural changes, then a 3/8 drywall ceiling may be what you need.
It’s an easy DIY project that can help make your home feel bigger and brighter.
If you doubt this option, read on for some of its benefits: it’s lightweight, has an R-value of 1.7 per inch.
(meaning it offers good insulation, is moisture resistant, offers fire resistance up to one hour, won’t sag or warp like boards on top of joists do)
Can You Use A 3/8 Drywall Ceiling?
Yes, you can use 3/8 drywall on a ceiling.3/8 drywall is the same thickness as 1/2 drywall, but it has a different aspect ratio (length to width).
In this case, 3/8 drywall is a bit shorter and broader than 1/2 drywall. This means that the seams will be less noticeable when hung horizontally using metal or plastic corner beads.
The top two-thirds of a 4×8 sheet of 3/8 looks identical to a 4×8 sheet of 1/2. However, the bottom third is narrower due to the aspect ratio difference between these two sheets.
This can result in fewer seams visible below because there are no full-width joints in this bottom third.
Is Lightweight Drywall Suitable For Ceilings?
Yes. If you are looking for an inexpensive material that you can use extensively in your home, this is a great option.
Lightweight drywall is lightweight and makes it easy to fix walls in small spaces without heavy equipment or much strength.
It also provides excellent properties for fire resistance, which means it’s very safe for homes with kids or pets.
On the other hand, if you are not familiar with this type of product, there are some things you should know about before buying lightweight drywall.
This is so you don’t get fooled by 4-siders who try to sell their products because they think you don’t know about them.
First, what is lightweight drywall?
Lightweight drywall is also known as Sheetrock®. It has the same function as ordinary drywall, but it’s not made of heavy gauge material like normal drywalls (about 1/4 inch).
They are usually 1/8″ or less than that, which provides lightness and ease in construction areas.
These types of walls interfere with other elements less than other types, such as insulation panels.
It’s very easy to handle because there’s no need for heavy tools; essential tools can do the job if you know how to work with them.
It’s a great idea to use this type of drywall around your house because it gives you less weight and easy handling.
You can do a lot by yourself without asking for help or hiring someone to fix the walls in your house.
Should I Have Sheetrock Walls Or Ceiling First?
It varies with the time and money you have available. Walls are easier to do than ceilings because they don’t need extra materials (such as drywall).
However, they will take longer and cost more due to the number of joints that need taping and mudding. On the other hand, one can do ceilings faster because there’s less work.
However, it will also cost less since there’s no need for tape or mud (unless your house requires texture).
If you’re short on cash right now and want the project done fast without sacrificing quality, go with the walls and do the ceilings later.
Start with your ceiling if you’re willing to invest a little more time and money right away.
There’s no sense in sheetrocking your whole house if you plan on painting it anyway.
Save time and money by sanding down any rough spots on your walls (after all, you don’t want sandpaper ruining the soft sheen of new drywall).
Painting right over fissures with an oil-based primer.
Once that dries overnight, slap on a coat of flat white latex paint for a nice clean finish that will look as great as drywall.
—And is also less likely to need repairs or prime coats soon, thanks to its oil-resistant, waterproof nature.
If you can’t afford a higher-quality paint designed to be on drywall or plaster, skip primer and go straight to white latex paint.
Don’t bother sanding your walls before painting because it will only add more time to an already lengthy project, not provide any benefits.
If you hire a painter familiar with oil paints (which is very expensive), they won’t even sand the wall—use a paintbrush over the cracks and fissures.
The easiest way to figure out whether you should start with walls or ceiling is by looking at the seams in your ceiling: do they meet perfectly flat, or are there noticeable waves?
If so, it might boast a good idea to hang your walls before doing your ceiling.
You don’t have to seal the joints if they meet this well; scrape them smooth and apply mud right over the top of them, then slap on a coat of primer and paint when everything dries.
If there are waves in your ceiling but flat seams between the sheets of drywall.
Then the best way to go is with a standard texture that hides imperfections by painting a wavelike pattern across the whole surface.
Be sure to use latex masking tape when hanging your sheets so that there’s no visible residue left behind from standard blue painter’s tape.
Also, ask for help when placing the tape since it can be challenging for one person to ensure a straight line.
If you want your ceiling and walls to match perfectly smooth, don’t bother with tape or mud;
Use 5/8″ drywall screws to attach your sheets of drywall directly over the seams in the existing ceiling.
Drilling into plaster takes a lot of practice and patience, not speed, so this is one job that’s best left up to the pros if you don’t have lots of time for trial and error.
Remember: when in doubt about whether it’s wisest to start with ceilings or walls, go with ceilings, even though they take more effort and money upfront.
The short amount of extra work will save you countless hours in the long run, even if it costs a little more.
If you still can’t make up your mind, sit down with a pencil and paper and sketch your house.
Whether it be a blueprint or a simple drawing, try to get an idea of how walls separate the spaces.
This will help you make the best decision when it comes time for that first sheet to go up.
When in doubt about whether it’s wisest to start with ceilings or walls, go with ceilings—even though they take more effort and money upfront.
The short amount of extra work will save you countless hours in the long run, even if it costs a little more.
If you still can’t make up your mind, sit down with a pencil and paper and sketch your house.
Whether it be a blueprint or a simple drawing, try to get an idea of how walls separate the spaces.
This will help you make the best decision when it comes time for that first sheet to go up.
Do You Need Drywall Underwood Ceiling?
Yes, if you intend to use drywall as acoustic treatment.
You should install it against ‘ceilings’ made from dropped ceilings [that you have mounted into the existing wood joists that carry the dropped ceiling].
In this case, you should install drywall over the top of your dropped ceiling tiles, which adds significantly to the screen effect and reduce sound levels within the room.
You can also place a second layer of plywood over the top of the wood joist joists if desired.
However, this is entirely unnecessary since there is no code requirement stating anything more required than one-layer of 5/8 inch plywood.
Can Your Drywall A Ceiling With 24-Inch Centers?
Yes.Start by screwing a 2 x 4 to the rafters every 4 feet. Then screw metal strapping to that, and attach drywall with screws or nails.
You can either sheet the ceiling in one section simultaneously using full sheets or do multiple smaller sections using pieces of drywall taped together.
Score and snap your last sheet just like you would on a wall.
You only have to look for ventilation: If it’s too small, you’ll get condensation, leading to water damage and mold growth.
Ensure there’s an opening somewhere through the finished ceiling so moisture can escape, for example, an open window.
Can I Use 14mm Instead Of 16mm?
Yes, but if using nails, make sure your gun can shoot a thick enough nail. You don’t want it to bend on impact with the drywall board.
Also, be aware that thicker fasteners are more difficult/impossible to remove without destroying some of the surrounding drywall material.
You might want to ensure you have enough nails for all your boards before firing the first shot.
Is Drywall Required Under Shiplap?
No, DRYWALL is not required under shiplap siding or roofing.
Shiplap is the relatively narrow gap between boards, usually about 1/8″ to 3/16″. You can use it for exterior siding applications where it has a chance of getting wet.
Shiplap often comes up over the edge of sheathing to provide a drip edge that prevents water from getting behind Shiplap.
Sometimes one uses Shiplap inside walls, although it’s not common.
If I were to use Shiplap in an interior wall, I would consider using a moisture barrier like drywall of OSB under the material.
Is this required? I don’t think so. But here are my reasons –
This is the same water issue that applies with sheathing-type products like v-groove panelling or beadboard paneling (the ‘wavy’ panels).
These all require air space on the backside to allow for any moisture that may get behind its time when installed against mortar bedding or in direct contact with wood studs.
I mentioned OSB because, in most cases, exterior sheathing is almost always OSB outside of warm, humid climates.
So in the case of Shiplap, I would go with a moisture barrier. You can even do it to be extra safe.
If you want to, use water-resistant drywall, not regular drywall, which is not moisture resistant.
Based on American National Standards Institute standards, water-resistant drywall has a water resistance rating of 4000 or higher.
Regular drywall has a rating of 5000 to 9500. Water-resistant drywall also costs more than regular drywall, but it’s usually a few bucks less per sheet.
It’s worth getting the extra protection from the higher performance material IMO especially if the Shiplap is more exposed to weather and water issues.
The higher cost of water-resistant drywall is a good reason I would use this in a bathroom as well.
Where it’s less exposed to elements but still something that can gather moisture from time to time.
In summary, Shiplap does not require any special drywall under it as long as you’re not getting it wet frequently.Some people install Shiplap directly over drywall.
although I don’t recommend doing so since there is no insulation between the sheathing and wall cavity for additional noise isolation and potential condensation issues .
With the vapor barrier behind drywall. But again, be aware of the likely water situation before installing the Shiplap directly over drywall.
Conclusion
When considering drywall installation, it is essential to know whether or not you are planning on using 3/8 inch or 5/8 inch.
If your ceiling height is less than 8 feet tall, lightweight drywall may not meet structural standards, and you should avoid them for ceilings.
Sheetrocking walls first before installing any sheetrock materials can make finishing a room quicker and easier because all seams in the wallboard need you to tape them off
This should be at one time rather than individually afterwards.
The distance between studs does not matter when deciding if you want to install wood beams as long as they do not project into headroom space that exceeds 24 inches deep.
