Walls and Ceilings - Hanging drywall - Screws or nails?

I just ripped down some dry wall inmy bathroom that had tile on it and am ready to p[ut up some new stuff. This si my first time so I have a few questions - My house is really old (100 years) and apperently one of the owners before me hung 1/4 in drywall over the old beatup plasterboard. Did my research, doesn;t seem to be a problem - hey it worked for him! SO I'm gonna do the same but I noticed they used nails - thouhgt you were suyppsed to use screw's?

Nails are easier [and cheaper] but screws hold better!

Most of the better drywall hangers I know will tack a few nails in a sheet of drywall, set it in place and sink in the nails, then use screws for the rest of it.

Screws hold exceptionally well. On a small project sometimes its easier to start the screws on the ground and finish them when the drywall is mounted especially if you are working alone.

One more vote for screws.

Hi, I am helping a friend of mine put up drywall in a bedroom shes remodeling. the last time i hung drywall, was about 3 years ago, and the person used the phosphate coated drywall nails. i have no experience with the drywall screws. when i went to lowes and i asked them which ones i should use for the walls, (1 5/8 or 1 1/4) he recommended 1 5/8. then he said, if you want rust proof which sometimes the phosphate coated ones will do, i should use the primeguard exterior screws. so me being naive, got two packs. i am trying to drive these screws in with the 1'' screw setter, and i cannot seem to get it "countersunk" like they recommend. it either sits right above the drywall surface or i drive it in and it breaks the paper. is it the screws or my setter or lack of experience over so many years? :wall:

Welcome to the forums ch3952!

I've never used exterior screws on drywall. I suspect they are heavier and harder to screw in. I'd get a box of regular drywall screws [be sure to get coarse thread unless you have steel studs] and see if that helps. If it does, great :cool: if not you know the problem is with the drill/bit or operator :eek:

btw - rust isn't usually a problem with screws/nails if they are well coated with j/c and paint. Constant high humidity might cause a problem.

Thank you Mark! I'm really glad I found this site.

The exterior screws he said were no different. Same threads, length, etc. Just exteriour screws. My friend that I'm helping said when she had tore down the old drywall, the nails had rusted so much, some of the heads would pop off. So maybe that was operator error by the first guy. ;) But we also are from the northwest, where precipitation is the big problem.

Anyway, thanks for the help and I will go ahead and get course threaded drywall screws. Do you have any recommendations/advice as far as the 1" drill setter. Just trying to eliminate ANY possibility its operator error. :thinker:

i am trying to drive these screws in with the 1'' screw setter, and i cannot seem to get it "countersunk" like they recommend. it either sits right above the drywall surface or i drive it in and it breaks the paper.


is it the screws no

or my settermaybe but....

or lack of experience over so many years? :wallI think we have a winner!!!!:alarm:

screwing drywall can be done without a screw setter if you are good. If you are inexperienced, you can still pop the paper even using a setter if the setter is brand spanking new, grips the screws very well, and you do not learn to let off when you should be.

If you try to push the screw through the paper, you can get it to go when using a setter as you may indent the drywall with the restriction piece and continue driving the screw when you should have stopped.

The method for screwing down drywall are exactly the same as the method for getting on stage at the opera house;

practice, practice, practice.

Hey thanks Nap for your advice. I will be sure to spend more time practicing putting up drywall in this 'opera house' and be sure to let you know how it goes once the fat lady sings.