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Mastered in a Minute

Hang Drywall with Adhesive

Applying a bead of construction adhesive to the studs helps to eliminate the risk of popped fasteners.

By Justin Fink
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Hang Drywall with Adhesive
In this "Mastered in a Minute" episode, learn how to hang drywall with adhesive to prevent popped fasteners.
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      Hang Drywall with Adhesive

      To eliminate the risk of popped fasteners, you can back up your drywall installation with adhesive. You’ll only want to apply enough adhesive for one sheet at a time. So use a 4-ft. level to mark each stud. Choose a construction adhesive intended for drywall installation and cut the tip on a slant, leaving an opening of about 1/4 in. to 3/8 in. Apply a continuous bead of adhesive across the top plate. Then, from the top down, apply a bead to each stud, stopping at your marked line. You’ll want to keep the tip of the tube firmly pressed against the stud to help the adhesive grab onto the wood. Where two sheets will butt together over a stud, apply the adhesive in a zigzag pattern to be sure each piece of drywall is bonded. Lift each sheet up toward the ceiling, press it onto the wall, and fasten as normal.


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      Previous: Fastening Drywall Next: How Do I Get a Straight Drywall Joint?

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      View Comments

      1. user-182580 | Nov 10, 2014 12:41pm | #1

        I haven't come across this so far. What happens when it comes time to remodel? Looks like it might be time to add a new clause into my contract to protect myself. If drywall has been installed this way and I need to strip the drywall, I will have to charge more for the mess this will create: extra time, labor, and equipment abuse.

      2. Dakota1695 | Nov 10, 2014 03:14pm | #2

        where I live we have a lot of ground movement as well as huge temperature swings. Using glue only makes a bigger problem. We float all our corners both wall and ceiling so they can move and not crack. Glue stops this from happening.
        Gluing is expensive and time consuming.

      3. slipdonny | Nov 10, 2014 09:26pm | #3

        We've been using adhesive for over 10 years on remodels and new construction with no problems. It is faster and we have far less screw pops (especially with walls with uncrowned studs).
        We screw the perimeter of the sheet and no screws in the field except for one in the middle on every other stud. Where we would normally put screws, we put dabs of adhesive. If you put on as much adhesive as this article suggests you might as well plan on tearing the house down versus remodeling because you'll never get that much adhesive off.

      4. Dieter | Feb 03, 2015 05:04am | #4

        That was the most useless video of all times. The only piece of useful info here is to only apply it for one sheat at a time . Everything else is covered
        In the section on how to use a caulk gun for dummies .

        The only reason they give as a value is for poped heads , I guyes that is intended for people that don't know what they doing and don't care. Just drive screws in properly , and no poped heads .

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