DIY Network

Install a Door and Drywall The family-side of this wall is taking shape. From "Wasted Spaces" episode DWSP-310

Give the new wall a professional finish.

With the skeleton of the new storage room in place, it's time to finish off the side that will face the family's new living area. In this project, host Karl Champley installs a pre-hung door in the custom door frame, then installs drywall for a finished wall that's ready to prime and paint. With that done, he'll tackle the storage solutions on the inside of the new room.

Before getting to this point, Karl and the homeowners demolished an existing wall and framed the new walls and door. Soon, this overloaded basement will serve as super storage and a fun family area.

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Install a Door and Drywall

Tools: carpenter’s pencil drywall saw utility knife screw gun level safety glasses dust mask step ladder putty knife hand sander pry bar paint trays, rollers and brushes

Materials: pre-hung door door hardware plastic drop cloth 4' x 8' drywall sheets 4' x 8' drywall panels drywall paint and primer

• Position the door. Slip the pre-hung door into the door frame. Make sure the door opens in the desired direction. Slip shims between the door casing and the frame to bring it into level and plumb.

  Tip: Have another person help move and position the door. Interior doors may not be as heavy as exterior doors, but they're still awkward to handle.
  

  	Figure A
  	Figure B
  	Figure C

• Install the door. Drive screws through the door casing into the door frame. Make sure to drive screws through any shims to hold them in place and firm up the door.

• Install door hardware. Install a doorknob using the existing holes in the door and casing. If the door doesn't have holes, use the templates that come with the doorknob set to mark the correct hole positions. Use a hole saw and a spade bit to cut the holes in the door and casing according to the manufacturer's directions.

• Install drywall. Position 4' x 8' sheets of drywall and attach to the wall studs with drywall screws (figure A). Install the drywall sheets horizontally, making sure both ends of each sheet attach to a stud. Drive screws about 12" apart.

• Mud the joints. Use drywall tape and joint compound to smooth out the joints between drywall sheets (figure B). Also use joint compound to fill the indentations left by the screw heads (figure C). Apply three thin coats of joint compound, allowing it to dry in between coats.

• Finish off the wall. Sand the joint compound smooth. Prime and paint the wall as desired.