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Use a Lift
If you have to drywall a ceiling, don’t hesitate to rent a lift. It’s well worth the $30 to $40 daily rental fee and is by far the best way to get a ceiling up without back strain.
Rent a Drywall Lift for Ceiling Work
Click image to enlarge.
Drywall lifts break down into three parts and fit easily into a midsize car. After you reassemble it, release the catch on the wheel and crank it up and down a few times to make sure it’s working smoothly. Then lock the lift and hoist one end of the drywall sheet up to the support hook—finish side down. Now lift the other end of the sheet up and slide it onto the second hook as shown. Lift slowly and smoothly—abrupt or jerky handling can pop the front edge of the drywall off the hook.
Tip the sheet so it’s horizontal and lock it down. Then wheel the lift into approximate position. Lifts are stable and maneuverable, so you can fine-tune the placement when you raise the drywall. Then crank it tight. You may need to get up on a ladder to nudge the sheet into place. Put in at least eight screws before lowering the lift.
Make Cutouts In Place
Cutouts for lights and outlets are much faster and easier to make with the drywall in place, saving the trouble of taking the sheet down and recutting it if a precut hole doesn’t quite fit. Use a special cutout tool with a drywall bit, available for $60 to $80 at hardware and home centers. First, make sure to push electrical wires at least an inch back into the boxes, out of the way of the cutout bit. Next, measure and mark the approximate center points of the electrical boxes on the drywall, before you put it up. Crank the sheet up, and put in just enough screws to hold it in place, keeping the screws at least 12 in. from the cutout. Then punch the drywall cutout tool through the center mark and run it out to the edge until the bit hits the side of the fixture. Ease the bit up and over the edge to the outside of the can or box and slowly cut counterclockwise around it as shown. Drive nearby screws after the cutout is finished.
Lifts Work for Walls, Too
A lift works on upper wall sheets just as well as it does on ceilings. After loading the drywall, push the lift to the wall, position the sheet, tip the top edge against the wall and crank it snugly against the ceiling.
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