USG Sheetrock® Brand Installation and Finishing Guide (English)

USG SHEETROCK

BRAND

INSTALLATION

AND FINISHING GUIDE

usg.com

USG

Interior

Panel &

Finishing

Solutions

Achieving a smooth

interior ﬁ nish with

USG Sheetrock

Brand

Gypsum Panels is easy

with proper planning

from the start.

To get your project

moving in the right

direction, determine

the materials and your

application method,

measure surfaces,

estimate quantities and

obtain the necessary

tools to ensure a job

well done.

PLANNING THE JOB

Selecting Materials

1 USG Sheetrock® Brand UltraLight Panels are

innovative lightweight gypsum wallboard panels for

use on walls and ceilings. Their high strength-to-

weight ratio and superior sag resistance eliminate the

need for traditional 1/2" sag-resistant ceiling panels.

2 USG Sheetrock® Brand UltraLight Panels Mold

Tough® are the lightest moisture- and mold-resistant

panels available. The panel’s core is noncombustible,

moisture-resistant and encased in 100% recycled

moisture– and mold-resistant face and back papers.

3 USG Sheetrock® Brand Gypsum Panels have long

edges tapered on the face side to form a shallow

recess to receive joint compound and tape. Made in

four thicknesses: 5/8", 1/2", 3/8" and 1/4". (The 1/4"

thick panel should not be applied as a single layer but

only to cover existing wall and ceiling surfaces.)

4 USG Sheetrock® Brand Firecode® X Gypsum Panels

combine all the advantages of regular panels with

additional resistance to ﬁ re exposure. Consult local

building codes for ﬁ re-resistance requirements.

5 USG Sheetrock® Brand UltraLight Panels Firecode 30®

are ideal for interior applications where 5/8" Type X

panels are not required.

6 USG Sheetrock® Brand UltraLight Panels Firecode® X

is available in one of two UL Type Designations (Type

ULX and Type ULIX), depending on the market. Both

panels have been formulated to achieve all of the

strength and performance characteristics as standard

5/8" USG Sheetrock® Brand Firecode® X Gypsum

Panels at a signiﬁ cantly reduced weight.

2 3

UltraLightweight

Gypsum Panel / Tapered Edge

UltraLightweight

Gypsum Panel / Tapered Edge

IRECODE

ORE

Type X

Gypsum Panel

Tapered Edge

Gypsum Panel

Tapered Edge

PLANNING THE JOB

4 5

Application Products

Type W Bugle Head

Screws attach single-

layer gypsum panels to

wood framing. Screws

provide greater holding

power than wallboard

nails, minimize popping and help

prevent damage to the panels.

1 USG Sheetrock® Brand

Dur-A-Bead® Corner

Bead is a galvanized steel

reinforcement for protecting

external corners.

2 USG Sheetrock® Brand

No. 200-B Metal Trim is

an L-shaped casing that

provides protection and a

neat ﬁ nished appearance

around window and door

openings. Available for 1/2"

and 5/8" gypsum panels.

3 USG Sheetrock® Brand

Paper-Faced Metal Bead

and Trim provides superior

resistance to edge cracking

and nail pops. Available in

numerous styles and sizes,

including 90° and bullnose

p r o ﬁ l e s .

Horizontal or Vertical

Application

Panels may be applied

horizontally (long dimension

across studs or joists) or vertically

(long dimension parallel to studs

or joists). Horizontal application

using 12' panel lengths is ideal

for walls because linear footage

of joints is minimized. If possible,

span the entire wall or ceiling

from corner to corner. To

minimize joints, use the longest

length panels available and o set

all end joints in adjacent rows.

Finishing Products

4 USG Sheetrock® Brand Paper

Joint Tape is a high-strength

paper tape that is lightly

precreased for inside corner

application and designed

speciﬁ cally for use with

USG Sheetrock® Brand joint

compounds to provide

optimum performance.

5 USG Sheetrock® Brand All

Purpose Joint Compound is

used for embedding tape,

ﬁ nishing coats and ﬁ lling

coats over metal corner bead,

trim and fasteners.

6 USG Sheetrock® Brand Plus

3® Lightweight All Purpose

Joint Compound o ers all the

beneﬁ ts of USG Sheetrock®

Brand All Purpose Joint

Compound with these

exclusive advantages: up

to 25% less weight than

conventional-weight ready-

mixed compounds, less

shrinkage and easier sanding.

Requires only two coats over

metal corner bead and trim.

7 USG Sheetrock® Brand Easy

Sand™ Lightweight Setting-

Type Joint Compound

(available in 5, 20, 45, 90 or

210 minute working times)

is an easy-mixing, smooth-

applying, quick-hardening,

easy-sanding joint compound

with low shrinkage and

superior bonding. Ideal for

patching projects.

8 USG Sheetrock® Brand

UltraLightweight All

Purpose Joint Compound

is up to 40% lighter than

conventional-weight

compounds and provides

overall high performance,

as well as superior working

qualities and good open

time. It o ers excellent bond

over bead, trim and fastener

concealments.

Decorating Products

9 USG Sheetrock® Brand First

Coat™ Primer is a ﬂ at latex

paint specially formulated

to provide an excellent ﬁ rst

(prime) coat over gypsum

panels. It also equalizes

surface porosity and texture

di erences, and minimizes

decorating problems. It is not

intended as a ﬁ nish coat.

USG Sheetrock® Brand Wall

and Ceiling Texture Paint

applies easily and provides

custom designs and patterns

for interior surfaces. Note

that this product is available

in select markets. Check

with your local USG sales

representative for availability.

PANEL 00

WALLS

CEILINGS

PLANNING THE JOB

6 7

Tools Needed

• Fasteners

• Wallboard nails (per ASTM

C514) for 1/4", 3/8" and 1/2"

thick panels: 1-3/8" nails

• 1-1/4" Type W bugle head

screws; screw gun or

electric drill with special bit

• Panel adhesive (per ASTM

C557 for wood framing).

Adhesives for attaching

gypsum panel products to

steel framing members shall

be as speciﬁ ed by the adhesive

manufacturer.

• Caulk gun

• 4' straightedge or wallboard

T-square

• Utility knife and extra blades

• Metal tape measure

• Marking pencil

• Portable work light,

extension cord

• Drop cloths

• Keyhole saw or jab saw

• Tin snips

• 5", 8" and 10" wide joint-

ﬁ nishing knives

• Wallboard hammer

• Sanding block or piece

of 2" x 4"

• Mud pan

• Mud mixer

• 150- or 220-grit sandpaper or

sanding sponge

• Dust mask

• Safety gloves for cut protection

• Safety glasses

• Sponge (small-celled

polyurethane)

• Stepladder

• Panel lifter

• Sca olding

• Pole or power sander with dust

collection

Measuring and

Estimating Quantities

To ﬁ nd out how many panels

you will need, measure the

length and height then multiply

to determine square footage

for each wall. Subtract the square

footage of all large openings

such as doorways and picture

windows; don’t bother with small

openings such as electrical boxes

and pipe ﬁ ttings. Do the same

for the ceiling. Total the ﬁ gures

and use the table on page seven

to calculate the number of

panels needed.

Read all instructions

before installing

gypsum panels so you

know what you have to

do and how much time

you will need.

Gypsum Panel Coverage Calculator

No. of Panels

Size of Panels (sq. ft.)

4'x8' 4'x10' 4'x12'

10 320 400 480

11 352 440 528

12 384 480 576

13 416 520 624

14 448 560 672

15 480 600 720

16 512 640 768

17 544 680 816

18 576 720 864

19 608 760 912

20 640 800 960

21 672 840 1008

22 704 880 1056

23 736 920 1104

24 768 960 1152

25 800 1000 1200

26 832 1040 1248

27 864 1080 1296

28 896 1120 1440

29 928 1160 1392

30 960 1200 1440

31 992 1240 1488

Use the following table to determine the maximum frame spacing

for direct application of gypsum panels to wood framing.

Frame Spacing for Single-Layer Application

Board

Thickness

Location Application Method

(1)

Max. Frame

Spacing o.c. in.

3/8" ceiling

(2, 3)

perpendicular

(3)

— sidewall parallel or perpendicular 16

1/2" ceiling

(4)

parallel

(3)

— — perpendicular 24

(5)

— sidewall parallel or perpendicular 24

5/8" ceiling

(4)

parallel

(3)

— — perpendicular 24

— sidewall parallel or perpendicular 24

For USG Sheetrock® Brand UltraLight Panels

Board

Thickness

Location Application Method

(1)

Max. Frame

Spacing o.c. in.

1/2" ceilings parallel or perpendicular

(1) Long edge position relative to framing.

(2) Not recommended below unheated spaces.

(3) Not recommended if water-based texturing material is to be applied.

(4) USG Sheetrock® Brand Mold Tough® Panels are not recommended for

ceiling where framing is greater than 12" o.c. for single-layer resilient

application where tile is to be applied.

(5) Max. spacing 16" o.c. if water-based texturing material to be applied.

PANEL 1 PG.6

PLANNING THE JOB

8 9

1 MARKING

Place panel with light-colored

face paper side up. Measure

and mark panel size desired.

2 CUTTING

Line up straightedge or

T-square with the marks and

hold ﬁ rmly against the panel.

Draw pencil line as guide for

scoring. Score through paper

and lightly into the core. Wear

a glove on your holding hand

to protect you from cutting

your hand.

To break the panel core,

securely grasp the board

edges on both sides of the

score line and snap board

with a quick, ﬁ rm movement.

Use utility knife with sharp

blade for scoring. Complete

cutting by running knife

through back paper for the

length of the panel and

snapping back to face.

After cutting the panel,

smooth the cut edge with

a drywall rasp or sandpaper

wrapped around a block

of wood such as a piece of

2" x 4" lumber. Be sure to

keep edge as square as

possible. Always wear a dust

mask when sanding.

TIP

Gypsum panels are heavy and

may bend or snap under their

own weight. Be sure panels

are properly supported prior

to scoring.

PANEL 1

Illustrations for Booklet on:

How to Install and Finish SHEETROCK

Brand

Gypsum Panels

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PANEL 2 G.9

PANEL 3 PG.9

PANEL 6

PANEL 2 G.9

PANEL 3 PG.9

Illustrations for Booklet on:

How to Install and Finish SHEETROCK

Brand Gypsum Panels

NEW FOR PG 9. NEW FOR PG 9. NEW FOR PG 12

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To estimate the quantity of fasteners, compound and tape you

will need, use the table below.

Fastener/Compound/Tape Calculator

With this amount

of USG Sheetrock®

Brand Gypsum

Panels

Use this amount

of wallboard

nails

(1)

Or this amount of

Type W Screws

(2)

Use this

amount of USG

Sheetrock®

Brand Joint Tape

sq. ft. lb. lb. ft.

100 0.6 0.3 37

200 1.1 0.6 74

300 1.6 0.9 111

400 2.1 1.2 148

500 2.7 1.4 185

600 3.2 1.6 222

700 3.7 1.9 259

800 4.2 2.2 296

900 4.8 2.4 333

1000 5.3 2.7 370

With this amount

of USG Sheetrock®

Brand Gypsum

Panels

Use this

amount of USG

Sheetrock®

Brand All

Purpose Joint

Compound

(3)

Use this amount

of USG Sheetrock®

Brand Plus 3®

Lightweight All

Purpose Joint

Compound

(3)

Use this

amount of USG

Sheetrock®

Brand First

Coat™ Primer

(4)

sq. ft. gal. gal. gal.

100 1.0 0.9 0.25

200 2.0 1.8 0.50

300 3.0 2.7 0.75

400 4.0 3.6 1.00

500 5.0 4.5 1.25

600 6.0 5.4 1.50

700 7.0 6.3 1.75

800 8.0 7.2 2.00

900 9.0 8.1 2.25

1000 10.0 9.0 2.50

(1) Spaced 7" on ceiling; 8" on wall. Reduce by 50% for adhesive/

nail-on application.

(2) Spaced 12" on ceiling; 16" on wall.

(3) Coverage ﬁ gures shown here approximate the amount of joint compound

needed to treat the ﬂ at joints, inside corners and outside corners using

metal corner bead, in a typical room. Coverage can vary widely depending

on factors such as condition of substrate, tools used, application methods

and other job factors.

(4) Calculations assume 400 sq. ft./gal.

PLANNING THE JOB

10 11

3 CUTOUTS

For openings such as an

electrical outlet or switch

box, measure across from the

point where the side edge of

the panel will rest to the near

and far sides of the installed

box. Then measure from the

point where the top or the

bottom edge of the panel will

fall to the top and bottom of

the box.

Trace the outline of the

electrical box at the

appropriate position on the

gypsum panel.

Cut with keyhole saw, jab saw

or rotozip. Wear a dust mask

if excessive dust is produced

and the area cannot be

ventilated.

4 FRAMING

Prior to panel attachment,

inspect the kiln-dried studs

to ensure that the face of

the the kiln-dried studs is

straight and aligned. Warped

or crooked framing should be

repaired or replaced.

5 NAIL ATTACHMENT

Panel must be held tight to

framing. Nail center of panel

ﬁ rst, perimeter last. Space

nails maximum of 7" apart

on ceilings, 8" on walls and

at least 3/8" from ends and

edges of panels.

Seat nail so head is in a

shallow dimple formed by last

blow of drywall hammer.

TIPS

For 1/4", 3/8" and 1/2" thick

panels, use 1-1/4" wallboard

nails. For 5/8" panels, use

1-3/8" wallboard nails.

Drive nails in straight, not at

an angle. Do not overdrive or

countersink nails. This results

in breaking the face paper or

fracturing the gypsum core.

If a nail happens to go in

crooked, hold the panel tight

against the framing and drive

a second nail in about 2" from

the nail that punctured the

paper. Then drive the ﬁ rst

nail in below the surface of

the board.

Double-nailing reduces the

likelihood of nail pops. It is

highly recommended for

ceilings. Drive ﬁ rst nails 12"

o.c. along framing in the ﬁ eld

of the board and second nails

about 2" from the ﬁ rst. Fasten

the perimeter 7" o.c. for

ceilings and 8" o.c. for walls.

6 SCREW ATTACHMENT

Space screws a maximum of

12" apart on ceilings, 16" on

walls and at least 3/8" from

ends and edges of panels.

Sink screws to just below the

panel surface, leaving the

paper intact.

Use an electric screwgun

equipped with an adjustable

screw depth control head

and Phillips bit. If an electric

drill is used, be careful not to

overdrive screws.

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PANEL 4 PG.10

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12 13

ATTACHING THE PANELS

TIP

On 3/8", 1/2" and 5/8" thick

panels, use 1-1/4" Type W

Bugle Head Screws for

superior holding power and

high resistance to popping

due to wood shrinkage.

7 ADHESIVE

ATTACHMENT

Select the proper adhesive

for speciﬁ c job requirements.

Make sure that framing is

clean, sound and free from

oil, dirt or contamination.

Apply adhesive and nails

per instructions on adhesive

cartridge. Do not use only

adhesive to secure panels.

Use either nails or screws.

Make sure adhesive is fully

cured before ﬁ nishing to

avoid screw pops.

8 CEILINGS

Apply ceilings ﬁ rst. Because

panels are di cult to

maneuver over one’s head,

it’s best to have a helper or

two. Fasten panels to all joists

and perimeter framing. Space

nails maximum 7" apart along

framing, screws 12" apart,

starting in the center of the

panel and working toward

the perimeter. Double-nailing

is recommended to reduce

nail pops.

TIP

Make T-braces consisting

of 1"x4" nailed to 2"x4"

uprights that are 1/2" longer

than ﬂ oor-to-ceiling height.

Wedge T-braces between

ﬂ oor and panel to support

panel while driving fasteners

to ensure ﬁ rm contact with

joists. The preferred method

is to use a panel lifter tool

(available at many building

material rental outlets). See

the table Frame Spacing for

Single-Layer Application on

page seven for application

on ceilings.

9 WALLS

Apply panels horizontally

or vertically to framing.

If applied horizontally,

install top row ﬁ rst. Position

ﬁ rst panel tight against the

installed ceiling panel and

fasten to studs. Space nails

maximum 8" apart along

framing, screws 16" apart,

starting in the center of the

panel and working toward

the perimeter. Cut panels

accurately so they do not

have to be forced into place.

Continue around the room.

Apply lower row of panels

so tapered edges meet with

those of top row. Vertical

joints should be staggered.

Avoid vertical joints directly

above or below a window,

door or other opening for

best decorating results.

TIPS

Use a panel lifter tool to help

install bottom panels. A ﬁ ller

strip may be needed to bring

the wall to ceiling height. Put

the ﬁ ller strip at the bottom

of the wall, cut edge down.

The bottom joint usually is

hidden by the baseboard.

To join panels at an inside

corner, butt the second

panel against the ﬁ rst and

fasten the end of the second

to a stud.

To join panels at an outside

corner, lap the end of the

second board over the end

of the ﬁ rst. Make sure panels

abut neatly—do not overlap

or extend the end of the

second board beyond the

ﬁ rst. Fasten both panel ends

to their common stud.

PANEL 21

Illustrations for Booklet on:

How to Install and Finish SHEETROCK Brand Gypsum Panels

NEW FOR PG 9. NEW FOR PG 9. NEW FOR PG 12

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NEW FOR PG 24

PANEL 9 PG.12

PANEL 10 PG.12

PANEL 11 PG.14

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PANEL 9 PG.12

PANEL 10 PG.12

PANEL 11 PG.14

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PANEL 18

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14 15

FINISHING THE PANELS

10 CORNERS

Method 1—USG Sheetrock®

Brand Dur-A-Bead® Corner

Bead Reinforcement

Using USG Sheetrock® Brand

Dur-A-Bead® Corner Bead

reinforcement, apply it to

all exterior corners of walls,

so ts and window returns.

Hold bead ﬁ rmly against

corner and nail bead through

small holes every 9" on each

ﬂ ange. Make sure that nails

penetrate framing members.

Drive all nails below nose of

corner bead and tightly into

ﬂ ange so joint compound

will cover smoothly and

evenly. Be careful not to dent

the metal. Screw attachment

is not recommended.

Install USG Metal Trim where

gypsum panels butt windows

or concrete block. Nail trim

every 9" through small holes

in ﬂ ange. Make sure that nails

penetrate framing members.

TIPS

The easiest way to trim a

corner bead to the correct

length is to cut through

the ﬂ anges with tin snips

one ﬂ ange at a time, bend

and snap. Wear gloves to

protect you from cutting

your hands.

Force bead onto corner being

careful that the ﬂ anges don't

spread beyond 90° angle,

making it hard to cover them

with joint compound.

Method 2—USG Sheetrock®

Brand Paper-Faced Metal

Corner Bead and Trim

Measure length of corner

and cut trim to length with

metal snips. For vertical wall

installations, cut the corner

trim 1/2" (12.7 mm) shorter

than the wall height.

Using a 4" taping knife,

apply USG Sheetrock®

Brand Joint Compound

(All Purpose, Plus 3®

Lightweight All Purpose

or UltraLightweight All

Purpose) or USG Sheetrock®

Brand Setting-Type Joint

Compound (Durabond®

or Easy Sand™) to drywall

slightly beyond where the

edge of the trim will be.

Helpful Hint: For this step,

application of the compound

often works best if the

compound is thinned slightly

with water. Add water in

small increments (for 1 gallon

of compound, add water in

2 oz. increments) and mix

with compound.

Be careful not to overthin

compound. (For outside

corners, extend compound

approximately 2" or 50mm

from the corner on each side;

for inside corners, extend

1-1/2" or 38mm from the

other corner on each side.)

Place trim on wall and press

into position. Corner bead

should be aligned tight

to ceiling. Embed trim by

running the knife over it with

even pressure at a 45° angle.

Use the knife (or a damp

sponge) to remove excess

compound, eliminating any

air bubbles under the paper.

Allow to dry.

Using a 6" taping knife for

outside corners (4" for inside

corners), apply another coat

of joint compound (USG

Sheetrock® Brand Easy

Sand™, Topping, All Purpose,

or Lightweight All Purpose).

Keep this coat as smooth as

possible. Feather out 5" to

6" (125 to 150mm) from the

nose of the trim on each side

for outside corners (1" or

25 mm past previous coat for

inside corners). Let dry. Sand

sides lightly where needed.

Use an 8" or larger ﬁ nishing

knife for outside corners

(4"-6" knife for inside corners)

to apply a ﬁ nishing coat

of the same ready-mixed

or setting-type compound.

Feather compound 8"

(200 mm) from nose of

trim for outside corners

(1" [25 mm] past previous

coat for inside corners). Let

dry. Sand and prime.

PG 4 Paper Faced Metal Bead and Trim Installation Guide Illustrations

Start with Quality Products

Hopper and Roller Method

PG 5 Paper Faced Metal Bead and Trim Installation Guide Illustrations



Illustrations for Booklet on:

How to Install and Finish SHEETROCK

Brand Gypsum Panels

NEW FOR PG 9. NEW FOR PG 9. NEW FOR PG 12

NEW FOR PG 12 NEW FOR PG 14 NEW FOR PG 16

NEW FOR PG 17 NEW FOR PG 23

NEW FOR PG 24

PANEL 27

Hopper and Roller Method

PG 5 Paper Faced Metal Bead and Trim Installation Guide Illustrations



PANEL 26

PG 3. Paper Faced Metal Bead and Trim Installation Guide Illustrations

Start with Quality Products

Hopper and Roller Method

PG 5 Paper Faced Metal Bead and Trim Installation Guide Illustrations



16 17

FINISHING THE PANELS

11 FIRST COAT, BUTT AND

TAPERED JOINTS

For best results, joint

compound should be thinned

slightly with water for easier

application. Add water in

small increments (for 1 gal. of

compound, add water in 2 oz.

increments.) Start with butt

joints. Apply an even coat of

thinned joint compound for

the length of the joint with a

5" ﬁ nishing knife.

Center and lightly press tape

into wet joint compound

with ﬁ ngers. Draw 5" knife

ﬁ rmly along joint to tightly

embed tape. Be sure there

is su cient joint compound

under tape to prevent

blistering of the tape.

While embedding the

tape, remove excess joint

compound from edge and

apply as a thin coat over

the tape.

To reinforce tapered joints,

follow same procedure. Tape

should overlap tape applied

to butt joints.

TIPS

For best results, apply

medium pressure and hold

knife at a 45° angle to panel.

To apply joint compound

neatly, dip the knife sideways

into the pan so you load only

half the width of the blade.

Keep the blade clean,

especially of dried bits of

compound, to avoid leaving

scratches in the wet joint

compound as you draw the

knife over it. Discard any

compound containing dried

bits of material. Clean blade

by drawing it over edge

of pan.

While embedding tape, draw

the knife slowly along the

length of the tape to provide

an even distribution of joint

compound. Don’t worry about

a few grooves or streaks in

the joint compound. They

will be covered over in the

subsequent coats.

12 FIRST COAT, INSIDE

CORNERS

Use a 5" joint ﬁ nishing knife

to apply thin layer of joint

compound on both sides of

corner. Extend compound

slightly beyond area to be

covered by tape.

Fold tape along center crease

and lightly press into position

with your ﬁ ngers.

Tightly embed tape as with

other joints.

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18 19

FINISHING THE PANELS

13 FIRST COAT,

FASTENERS

For each fastener depression,

apply joint compound with

5" knife. Holding the blade

almost ﬂ ush with the panel,

draw the joint compound

across a fastener head and

the dimple surrounding it.

Then raise the knife blade

to a more upright position

and scrape o excess with

a second stroke at a right

angle to the ﬁ rst stroke.

Compound should be level

with panel surface.

TIP

To determine if fasteners

are properly seated prior

to ﬁ nishing, draw clean

knife over each fastener. If

metallic ring occurs, drive

fastener below surface,

being careful not to break

paper.

14 FIRST COAT, OUTSIDE

CORNERS AND

METAL TRIM

Apply joint compound with

8" knife onto one ﬂ ange

of the corner bead. Work

down the entire length

of the bead. Hold knife

at 45° angle and smooth

compound—one edge of knife

riding the metal, the other

on the surface of the panel.

Compound should extend

onto panel a minimum of 4".

Repeat application for other

ﬂ ange. Use same application

method for metal trim.

TIP

After ﬁ lling ﬁ rst ﬂ ange, the

metal corner edge may

have some lumps of joint

compound. To remove, run

8" blade up the bead while

also moving it to the side. In

this way, the compound is

continuously moved aside as

it is scraped o .

15 SECOND COAT,

FLAT JOINTS AND

FASTENERS

Allow ﬁ rst coat to dry

overnight (drying time

may vary, depending on

temperature, humidity and

jobsite conditions). Scrape

o bumps, ridges and other

imperfections with knife.

Be careful not to damage

surface.

Apply joint compound to

tapered joints using an 8"

knife the length of the joint.

Apply pressure to knife

edge farthest from the

joint and lift the other edge

just slightly above surface.

Draw knife down joint.

Repeat for opposite edge.

This technique is called

feathering. Joint compound

should extend beyond ﬁ rst

coat for a total width of 7"

or 8".

Apply a 7"-8" coat of joint

compound to each side

of butt joints and feather.

Compound should extend

beyond ﬁ rst coat for a total

width of 14".

Apply a second coat to

fasteners in same manner as

ﬁ rst coat, leaving a very light

mound of compound over

fastener.

16 SECOND COAT, INSIDE

CORNERS

Allow ﬁ rst coat to dry

overnight (drying time

may vary, depending on

temperature, humidity and

jobsite conditions). Apply

joint compound on one side

using a 5" knife for the length

of the corner. Scrape o any

compound that laps onto

the second side. Feather out

beyond ﬁ rst coat and allow

to dry. After ﬁ rst side is dry,

apply compound on other

side and feather.

PANEL 46

PANEL 39

PANEL 42

PANEL 47

PANEL 43

PANEL 48

PANEL 40

PANEL 45

PANEL 41

PANEL 44

20 21

FINISHING THE PANELS

17 SECOND COAT,

OUTSIDE CORNERS

AND METAL TRIM

Allow ﬁ rst coat to dry

overnight (drying time

may vary, depending on

temperature, humidity and

jobsite conditions). Apply

second coat with 8" knife,

feathering slightly beyond

ﬁ r s t c o a t .

18 THIRD COAT,

FLAT JOINTS AND

FASTENERS

Allow second coat to dry

overnight (drying time

may vary, depending on

temperature, humidity

and jobsite conditions).

If necessary, remove

imperfections with knife

or sandpaper. Apply a thin

ﬁ nishing coat with a 10"

knife to the ﬂ at joints and

a 5" knife to the fastener

heads. Press knife ﬁ rmly

so joint compound ﬁ lls

depressions but does

not signiﬁ cantly add to

thickness. Feather edges at

least 2" beyond second coat.

TIPS

Do not sand unless it is

necessary. If you do sand,

use ﬁ ne-grit sandpaper

and be careful not to scu

the gypsum panel paper to

minimize surface touch-up

requirements. Use dust

collection with HEPA ﬁ lter

with power sanding. Wear a

dust mask if excessive dust

is produced and the area

cannot be ventilated.

Before applying the ﬁ nal

coat,

check to see if tapered

joints are level with surface.

Hold the 10" blade across

the joint, straight out from

the wall. If the blade can

be rocked across the joint,

the joint is crowned. It must

be hidden by feathering

the ﬁ nal coat out as far as

possible.

When applying earlier coats,

minor depressions and

grooves were not a problem.

However, do not leave any

during the application of this

ﬁ nal coat or they will mar

the ﬁ nished surface.

19 THIRD COAT, OUTSIDE

CORNERS AND METAL

TRIM

Allow second coat to dry

overnight (drying time

may vary, depending on

temperature, humidity and

jobsite conditions). Sand

lightly if necessary. Apply

third coat with 10" knife,

feathering slightly beyond

second coat. A third coat

is typically not required if

USG Sheetrock® Brand Plus

3® Lightweight All Purpose

Joint Compound is used.

20 SANDING

Allow third coat to dry

overnight (drying time

may vary, depending on

temperature, humidity

and jobsite conditions).

Lightly sand imperfections

in ﬁ nished joints, corners

and over fastener heads.

Carefully remove sanding

dust with damp sponge.

Use a dust collection with

a HEPA ﬁ lter with power

sanding. Wear a dust mask

if excessive dust is produced

and the area cannot be

ventilated.

TIP

Use a ﬁ ne-grit sandpaper

wrapped around a block of

wood so you don’t dig into

the joint compound. Avoid

roughening the surface

paper when sanding. If you

do roughen it by

accident,

repair the damage by

applying a little joint

compound with a 5" knife.

PANEL 49

PANEL 51

PANEL 12 PGS 20 &.21

PANEL 13 PG. 21

PANEL 52

PANEL 12 PGS 20 &.21

PANEL 13 PG. 21

PANEL 50

PANEL 54

PANEL 53

22 23

FINISHING THE PANELS

Wet Sanding

When only minimal sanding

is needed, try wet sanding

with a sponge. It eliminates

dust and does not scu the

surface paper. Use a small-

celled polyurethane sponge

similar in appearance to

carpet padding. Saturate

sponge and wring to prevent

dripping. Rub joints to

remove high spots, using as

few strokes as possible.

Clean the sponge frequently

during use. Wear a dust

mask if excessive dust is

produced and the area

cannot be ventilated.

21 STORAGE AND

CLEANUP

Before storing unused joint

compound, clean sides

and lid of container so no

dried compound falls into

the mixture. Level joint

compound surface with

knife and cover container

tightly. If storing for an

extended period, cover

surface of joint compound

with approximately 1/2"

of clean water and cover

container. Do not store in

direct sunlight or where

freezing conditions may

occur. Pour o water before

reusing joint compound.

Clean tools with warm,

soapy water.

Decorating the Panels

22 PRIMING

Prior to painting, apply

USG Sheetrock® Brand

First Coat™ Primer or a

high quality, high solids

ﬂ at latex paint. Follow

the manufacturer’s

recommendations. For best

results, use a high-quality

roller with 1/8" to 1/4" nap.

TIP

Keep the roller wet during

application and do not

rework the primer once it’s

applied. Overworking the

primer may thin or remove

underlying compound.

23 PAINTING AND

TEXTURING

After the prime coat is

dry, apply USG Sheetrock®

Brand Wall and Ceiling

Texture Paint or a high

quality interior paint. Follow

the recommendations on

the container.

When repairing damaged

panels, the ideal products

to use are USG Sheetrock®

Brand Easy Sand™

Lightweight Setting-Type

Joint Compounds described

on page ﬁ ve under Finishing

Products.

1 PATCHING DENTS,

IDS, HOLES, POPPED

NAILS AND CRACKS

a. To repair a dent, sand

and then ﬁ ll with joint

compound. Let harden. Add

second coat if necessary.

Sand and prime when dry.

b. To repair a small hole or

crack, trim any loose pieces

from the damaged area

and wipe it clean. Fill with

joint compound, using a

putty knife. Let harden. Add

second coat if necessary.

Sand and prime when dry.

c. To repair a popped nail,

drive and dimple new nail

1-1/2" from popped nail.

Drive and dimple popped

nail. Cover with joint

compound. Sand and prime

when dry.

2 PATCHING MEDIUM

HOLES

a. Trim any loose pieces from

the

damaged area using a

knife and wipe it clean.

b. Apply generous amounts

of joint compound around

edges and coat the

perimeter of hole.

c. Crisscross two or three

strips of joint tape over

opening and embed tape

in joint compound. Let

harden.

PANEL 55

PANEL 56

PANEL 57

PANEL 59



NEW PANEL 18

PANEL 58

PANEL 60

CHANGED FOR PG 23

NEW FOR PG 24

NEW FOR PG 16

REPAIRING DAMAGED PANELS

24 25

REPAIRING DAMAGED PANELS

d. Apply coat of joint

compound over taped

area. Let harden and apply

second coat. Sand and

prime when dry.

3 REPAIRING

LARGE CRACKS

(OVER 1/8")

a. Trim any loose pieces

from the damaged area

using a knife and wipe

it clean.

b. Apply compound to crack

with 5" ﬁ nishing knife.

c. Embed tape in compound

to bridge crack. Draw knife

ﬁ rmly over crack to tightly

embed tape. Let compound

harden.

d. Apply compound over

tape with knife. Let harden

and apply second coat of

compound if necessary.

Sand and prime when dry.

4 REPAIRING LARGE

HOLES (OVER 2") OR

WATER-DAMAGED

AREAS

a. Cut out damaged panel

section using a utility knife

along the studs and a

keyhole saw between the

studs. Remove section with

a hammer and remove old

screws or nails.

b. Slip drywall repair

clips onto the edge of the

damaged wall. Position

screws about 3/4" in from

the edge and centered

between the tabs. This will

line up the screws with

perforations in the clips.

Screw through wall into

each drywall repair clip.

c. Measure and cut new

drywall panel section to

ﬁ t damaged area. Screw

through new drywall

into each drywall repair

clip. Screw into drywall,

positioning screw opposite

screw holding clip and about

3/4" from edge.

d. Remove tabs from each

drywall repair clip. Apply

compound and tape to

all four section sides. Do

not overlap tape. Apply

second and third coats of

joint compound, allowing

each coat to harden before

applying next coat and

feathering out from

previous coats. Sand and

prime when dry.

5 TORN GYPSUM PANEL

FACE PAPER

a. Peel and remove loose

face paper.

b. Apply a skim coat of joint

compound with a joint-

ﬁ nishing knife to damaged

area and feather to get

a smooth ﬁ nish. Let dry

and apply second coat if

necessary. Sand and prime

when dry.

Illustrations for Booklet on:

How to Install and Finish SHEETROCK

Brand Gypsum Panels

NEW FOR PG 9. NEW FOR PG 9. NEW FOR PG 12

NEW FOR PG 12 NEW FOR PG 14 NEW FOR PG 16

NEW FOR PG 17 NEW FOR PG 23

NEW FOR PG 24

Illustrations for Booklet on:

How to Install and Finish SHEETROCK

Brand Gypsum Panels

NEW FOR PG 9. NEW FOR PG 9. NEW FOR PG 12

NEW FOR PG 12 NEW FOR PG 14 NEW FOR PG 16

NEW FOR PG 17 NEW FOR PG 23

NEW FOR PG 24

PANEL 65

PANEL 69

PANEL 66

PANEL 70

PANEL 71

PANEL 63

PANEL 68

PANEL 67

CHANGED FOR PG 23

NEW FOR PG 24

NEW FOR PG 16

PRODUCT INFORMATION

See usg.com for the most up-to-date product information.

CUSTOMER SERVICE

800 621-9523

TECHNICAL SERVICE

800 USG.4YOU (874-4968)

WEBSITE

usg.com

NOTICE

We shall not be liable for incidental and consequential damages,

directly or indirectly sustained, nor for any loss caused by application

of these goods not in accordance with current printed instructions

or for other than the intended use. Our liability is expressly limited to

replacement of defective goods. Any claim shall be deemed waived

unless made in writing to us within thirty (30) days from date it was

or reasonably should have been discovered.

NOTE

Products described here may not be available in all geographic

markets. Consult your USG Company sales o ce or representative

for information.

SAFETY FIRST!

Follow good safety and industrial hygiene practices during handling

and installation of all products and systems. Take necessary

precautions and wear the appropriate personal protective equipment

as needed. Read Safety Data Sheets and related literature on

products before speciﬁ cation and/or installation.

J371/rev. 9-15

The trademarks USG, DUR-A-BEAD, DURABOND, EASY SAND, FIRECODE, FIRECODE 30, FIRST COAT,

MOLD TOUGH, PLUS 3, SHEETROCK, IT’S YOUR WORLD. BUILD IT., the USG logo, the design elements

and colors, and related marks are trademarks of USG Corporation or its affiliates.