Bob is at the port of Wilmington, Delaware, at the Georgia-Pacific wallboard plant. Every three weeks a cargo vessel laden with thirty thousand tons of gypsum from Nova Scotia arrives and drops the gypsum onto a conveyer belt that funnels into the football field-sized shed behind Bob. Gypsum is also known as calcium sulfate or plaster of Paris. Here, it is turned into wallboard. Bob meets with Monty Palmowski, the plan manager, for a tour. First the gypsum rock is dried and then ground. Then additional moisture is removed from the powdered form. Monty shows Bob the rolls of paper used on either side of the wallboard. The backing paper is rough while the front paper is smooth to accept paint. A slurry of gypsum is poured on top of the paper going down a conveyer belt. The sides are folded over and glue added to adhere the sides to the face paper, which is placed on top. It then goes through a machine that adjusts its thickness and produces a four-foot by eight hundred foot sheet of wallboard. The board sits to dry and then is cut into thirty six foot pieces and put in a drying oven by a conveyer belt that moves vertically. It sits in the oven for thirty-five minutes at six hundred degrees. After that it is cut into twelve-foot lengths and stacked and packaged.

Bob meets Thad Goodman from Georgia-Pacific who is on site to install DensArmor Plus fiberglass-faced wallboard in the storm-ready house. The four-by-ten sheets are drilled into furring strips installed against the concrete walls. DensArmor Plus is ideal for humid climates where mold, mildew, and insects are attracted to the sugars and starches used to bind gypsum in traditional wallboard. By eliminating the organic material, DensArmor kills the food source for dangerous mold and insect growth. The wallboard is finished with fiberglass mesh tape and a setting compound that is enhanced to set up quickly and reduce the opportunity for moisture intrusion.

Bob is back on the first floor of the barn with Bill Reid from US Gypsum where the crew is installing drywall. This is a traditional installation with drywall wallboard and taped joints. Before hanging the boards the crew takes some measurements so that they can avoid putting a ripped piece in the center. If they installed the drywall with an eight inch piece in the center it would create a weak spot on the board between two studs. The screw spacing on drywall should be 16 inches on center. The installer uses a roto-zip to make cut-outs. Once in place the wall is ready for tape and joint compound.

When hanging wallboard on an angle, try this technique. Measure the length from the edge of the wall to the end of the angle. Next, measure the height - think of it as outlining a triangle. Mark the measurements on your wallboard and snap a chalkline.

…is a decision you will be happy with for many years to come. You know you can count on Sears to complete your home improvement project with high quality materials, workmanship and installation. And by calling Sears you know you don’t have to worry…

…is a decision you will be happy with for many years to come. You know you can count on Sears to complete your home improvement project with high quality materials, workmanship and installation. And by calling Sears you know you don’t have to…

If you are looking to save some money on a home improvement project this year, consider starting with those old windows. A new federal tax credit can put 30% of what you spend on new energy…

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With patience and attention to detail, installing a new wooden floor can be an easy home improvement project. Step 1: Check the first course of flooring. If there is a heating register near the wall to work around, you will need…

…of the project, your budget, and time frame if you want them to say yes. Anyone who has embarked upon a home improvement project has heard advice on how to select the right contractor. The emphasis is on finding an honest, competent, professional…