Expert Drywall Installation in Charleston, SC

How Our Team Handles Charleston Drywall Installation

If you've never attempted a task like drywall installation yourself, it may seem like a simple process to transform a pile of drywall sheets into a perfectly smooth wall or ceiling surface. But once you get started, you quickly realize that while the steps may be relatively straightforward, it actually takes a surprising amount of skill and experience to actually make it look good in the end. That's why our team is often called to finish a drywall installation after a homeowner gets started and then reaches the mudding and sanding phases and realizes they're way over their head. When our team tackles drywall installation, in Charleston, SC homeowners can count on us to handle the entire process from start to finish. Here's what to expect from our reputable local pros.

Preparation

Before our initial work begins, we'll take some time to evaluate your project and let you know about potential challenges we may come across or suggestions on the best course of action for drywall installation. Charleston, SC property owners can leave it to us to gather the necessary materials and equipment to get the job finished. We'll also lay out drop cloths or plastic sheeting to help contain any mess and make tidying up easier.

Drywall Installation

Charleston drywall installation is more complicated than many property owners suspect because it's not just a simple matter of attaching a sheet of drywall to wall studs. Once panels are hung, they need to be finished to an appropriate level, depending on what your intentions are for the final finishing and drywall finisher you choose. For example, if your wall will be covered in tile there's no need to make the drywall look perfect. But if it's in a highly visible area like a ceiling, additional finishing may be required. The basic steps involved in drywall installation are:

• Hang panels by securing them onto wall studs of house framing
• Cover joints between panels with joint tape
• Plaster over the tape, screw heads, corners, and other areas of imperfection with joint compound
• Sand-dried compound down to a smooth, level surface
• Applying texture spray if necessary
• In some installations, such as a ceiling in an important room, it may be necessary to apply a skim coat over the entire installation

Painting

You may be planning to install wallpaper or paint yourself, and if that's the case, we'll leave the surface as-is with a level four finish, ready for you to decorate as you see fit. But if you don't want to take care of the painting yourself or you don't have the free time to do it justice, count on your Charleston handyman to take care of painting for you so you can cross that chore off your to-do list quickly and easily.

Interior Trim Installation

Most homes include interior wall trim, and one room that doesn't have the correct trim installed will stick out like a sore thumb. When your local professionals at Mr. Handyman tackle drywall installation, we follow it up by making sure everything looks just right, and that includes interior trim installation for components such as baseboards, crown molding, chair rails, window frames and sills, door jambs, and more.

Clean Up

Drywall installation tends to be pretty messy because it involves cutting into panels that are essentially a gypsum core encased in thick paper. Gypsum is a soft, crumbly sulfate mineral, so it turns into dust and gets everywhere when it is sawed. Of course, someone will need to clean up all that mess, and that task shouldn't fall to the homeowner. Our friendly professionals always tidy up after themselves to make sure that you are completely satisfied with the results of our work.

Why Mr. Handyman Is Your Best Choice for Drywall Installation in Charleston SC

For both residential or commercial drywall repair and drywall installation, in Charleston, SC property owners can rely on our team of experienced professionals at Mr. Handyman of Charleston and Summerville. We pride ourselves on accurate assessments, friendly customer service, and top-quality craftsmanship in everything we do. From our initial visit to the final reveal of your installation, we strive to go the extra mile to ensure you are more than happy with our services. Get in touch with us today by calling to find out more about our services or schedule a convenient appointment time.

Frequently Asked Questions About Drywall Installation

What Are the Finishing Levels for Drywall Installation?

After sheetrock panels are hung on wall studs, it's necessary to finish them to an appropriate finishing level. The levels are basically a set of industry standards designed to ensure your walls have the best look and texture once your handyman has completed the drywall installation. These standards were created partly because some surfaces don't need every step, depending on what the next steps are following drywall installation. Charleston, SC professionals on our team have the skills to complete all necessary finishing levels.

Here are the finishing levels for drywall installation:

• Level 0: Panels of gypsum board are secured in place and screwed to the wall studs.
• Level 1: The first level is when all angles and joints are covered in drywall tape that has been embedded in drywall mud. Level one finishes are only occasionally used in areas of a house that aren't habitable like a crawl space or attic.
• Level 2: Joint tape is concealed with a coat of compound, along with screw and nail holes, metal corner beads, and other imperfections. If the surface will be covered with tile in an area like a kitchen backsplash, finishing can stop here since the surface will be hidden behind the tile.
• Level 3: An additional coat of joint compound is applied to the tape on angles and joints between panels, along with screws and corners. This is an acceptable stopping point if the surface will be covered with a texture application like an acoustic or popcorn ceiling texture.
• Level 4: Most people are used to seeing level four finishes in homes and commercial buildings here in Charleston, SC. Yet another layer of compound is applied to angles, joints, and screw holes. When it's completely dry, it's sanded down to smooth out any uneven patches or bumps and ready for wallpaper or paint.
• Level 5: If necessary, a finishing skim coat is applied to the whole drywall installation to make a flawless surface. The application can be done by spraying or manually with a roller or putty knife.

Is It Possible to Paint Directly On a New Drywall Installation?

Technically, yes. Once the surface has a level four finish, you may go ahead and apply paint directly to the wallboard. However, you'll get better results faster if you take the time to apply a coat or two of primer first. It helps the paint adhere to the surface better and increases coverage, so you don't need as many coats of paint to get the color to look totally opaque and smooth.

Does Joint Tape Have to Be Used for Drywall Installation?

Basically, yes. Without it, the results would look terrible and not meet basic professional standards for drywall installation. Charleston, SC professionals know that the tape is necessary because the compound shrinks a bit as it dries out. Without joint tape covering the seams and corners, the mud would dry unevenly, leaving the surface noticeably unattractive.

Can You Complete Drywall Installation in a Single Day?

No, we can't—but in all fairness, neither can anyone else, and that's because of the joint compound. Before the compound can be sanded down to an even finish, it needs to be completely dried and cured. While a thin compound coating can fully dry in a few hours, there will be places in your drywall installation that have a lot more than a thin coating. In most cases, it will need a full 24 hours to be completely dry so we’re able to move on to the sanding phase.

That being said, you can trust our team of skilled drywall installers to work efficiently and get the job done as quickly as possible while still making sure the results are up to your—and our—standards. When we know a bit more about your particular project like the size of the drywall installation in square feet, we can give you a better estimate of how much time we expect it to take overall.

Is Drywall Installation DIY Friendly?

It’s possible to try, but you will likely find yourself wishing you hadn't. This process is a lot more time-consuming and laborious than it seems on the surface. While it may sound simple, it requires a lot of experience and a practiced hand to make it look good.

In all probability, you don't have the equipment you need just sitting around in your garage, so you'll need to factor in the expense of buying or renting the necessary tools. Rather than part of the way through and realizing you're not cut out for drywall work, you can save time, stress, and money by letting your local Charleston handyman take care of drywall installation from the start.

What Are Some Typical Drywall Installation Mistakes?

When it comes to drywall installation, Charleston, SC handymen have fixed up a few typical mistakes over our years of professional experience. Some common errors that we are called in to correct often include issues such as:

• Excessive Hanging Joints: It's not always possible to get every single seam between panels lined up, so it's over a wall stud, but hanging joints that are not centered over a stud need to be kept to a minimum, or they will weaken the overall drywall installation, and the surface could crack under the strain or even collapse in certain sections.
• Seams Are Too Tight: Panels shouldn't have big gaps between them, but they can't be pressed too tightly together, either. All buildings shift somewhat over time, and there needs to be enough space between the panels to accommodate building movement and the expansion or contraction of wooden framing components. When seams are too tight, that movement forces the panels into each other and can cause cracking.
• Too Much Sanding: It's important to sand dried compound till it's even with the rest of the surface, but if you're not practiced at it, it's quite easy to go a little too far with the sanding and hit the joint tape hiding underneath. Needless to say, at that point, you have no choice but to redo several steps of the installation process.

Call Your Local Handyman for Expert Charleston Drywall Installation

Those who need repair, installation, maintenance, and improvement services in Charleston and parts of the surrounding area, such as Mount Pleasant, Johns Island, Goose Creek, and Moncks Corner, can count on our experienced team at Mr. Handyman of Charleston and Summerville—the best in South Carolina!

If you're interested in finding out what we can do to enhance your residential or commercial property, or you'd like to book an appointment for reliable handyman service that include home repair and drywall service, contact our customer care staff today at.