If you’ve never done it before, hanging drywall might take much longer than it usually does. But how much does an average drywall job take anyway? The answer is that it depends, and here is why.
A drywalling crew can finish one room of 12×16 feet in around an hour and a 1,000 to 2,000 sqft surface in three to four weeks. Several factors influence how long it takes to drywall, such as the surface size and ceiling height, the crew size, how complex framing is needed, and the type of drywall finish.
There are a lot of factors that need to be considered before they can be answered. To give a very obvious example, the room size will, most of the time, give you an excellent estimate. However, if you’re a total beginner, you’ll most likely take much more time to finish. But that’s not all. There are other factors we need to look at.
How Long Does A Drywall Job Take?
There are three important steps when installing drywall. This includes hanging, mudding, and drying, all of which take a different amount of time, even if you drywall over drywall. It still takes the same time either way.
- Hanging
The time it takes for a layman to hang drywall in their home largely depends on the framing of the ceilings and walls of a particular room. In addition, the installer’s experience has an important role.
On the other hand, a professional who has worked with drywall before will be able to complete this process at a much quicker pace. However, the cost of installation will be significantly higher. So, the question stands, how long will it take you to hang drywall? Knowing that correctly installed Drywall can last for a very long time, you might consider using professionals just so you could avoid having to redo the whole thing years later.
It has been estimated that it takes around 10 to 15 minutes to hang a sheet of drywall, which measures 4×8. But this time pertains to no less than two people working on hanging a single sheet. Moreover, if your sheet is larger, it will take you and a friend or partner longer. This is because there will be more screws to put it and several more electrical boxes to make holes for.
Keep in mind that while the time taken to hang one sheet is generally 10 to 15 minutes, it could also change with every sheet. Not all drywall sheets are similar. Thus something you’ll work with different types of sheets. As a result, the installation process could either become harder or easier for you.
- Mudding
Once you have successfully hung or installed your drywall, you will need to mud it adequately. Remember, this could turn out to be quite a messy job, especially if you are doing it for the first time. It’s crucial that the mudding is perfectly consistent and that you have done ample research beforehand. Otherwise, you could end up in one a messy situation.
Usually, mudding requires the application of three coats, which includes taping as well. If you’re a beginner, it’s highly recommended to tape the joints. However, there are also ways to hang drywall without taping the joints. If you’re interested to know how to, check out this article.
Then, the process of sanding is required to give the wall a flat finish. Lastly, you need to paint the walls to complete the makeover you gave to your room.
It takes 5 minutes to finish every sheet where sanding is concerned. However, if you made a couple of mistakes at the installation time and created a significant mess, you may exceed the 5 minutes.
The process of mudding and sanding a sheet that measures 4×8 will typically take you 35 minutes. The time you take may also depend on your working speed, but it will more or less be the same.
- Drying
Giving drywall enough time to dry is essential to a complete job. No matter the size of your sheet, you need to leave it be for at least 24 hours after the mudding and sanding process. However, if you have applied thinner coats, you do not need to wait more than 24 hours for them to dry.
The time could increase if you reside in a humid region, but that can easily be fixed by placing a fan in your room to improve air circulation. The same thing when the room is overflooded, and the Drywall is exposed to water for a prolonged period of time. You need to ventilate the room or use a dehumidifier to prevent it from getting damaged.
Also, it’s important to note that if you’re hanging drywall in your unheated garage, there are a few things to consider. These things might also affect the drying time.
Overall, it may take around six to four weeks to drywall a room in your house, taking into account the mudding and drying process as well. A handful of factors, such as framing complexity, room size, and level of expertise, will determine the completion of your drywall job. But if you’re no beginner and have several people helping you, this might be much sorter.
Below is a chart that details the time taken for all the processes involved in a complete drywall installation.
| Process | Time Taken |
| Hanging | 10 to 15 minutes per sheet |
| Mudding and Finishing | 35 minutes per sheet |
| Drying | At least 24 hours |
Is Drywall Work Hard?
It’s not that hard to learn how to hang drywall. Almost every DIY enthusiast out there who at least has some experience in home improvement might be able to learn it fairly quickly. With the right motivation, patience, and tools at your disposal, you should be able to do it as fast as any professional once you get the hang of it.
Below is a detailed breakdown of the tasks we already mentioned previously, the average time to complete them, and the possible costs you will incur. This will give you a much better understanding of how each process is done. And also, maybe give you an idea of how “hard” it can be to hang drywall.
- Hanging
Hanging drywall entails the process of installing drywall, which involves the fastening of sheets to the ceiling and the walls. It further translates to all the work done before you can apply the joint compound and sand the result.
The process includes the usage of various tools to measure, trim, and cut the sheets, such as a hammer, rotary tool, etc. If you work with a friend, it will take you around 10 to 15 minutes to hang one sheet of drywall. But if you’re doing it alone, it may take more than double that amount. In addition, the total cost incurred for this process will lie somewhere between $0.85 to $1.90 per square foot.
- Mudding and Finishing
Applying numerous thin coats of a drywall compound to the screw indentations and joints of drywall that you have just recently hung sounds messy, and that’s because it actually can be. However, that doesn’t mean that you cannot accomplish professional-quality results with taping and finishing done right. In case you have some old Drywall compound lying around, you may be able to use it but make sure to know if it’s usable by visually checking. Here is an article that will tell you if your old Drywall compound is still useable or not.
The entire time taken to mud, sand, and finish the wall is 35 minutes for every 4×8 sheet. Mudding and sanding require an expense of $0.35 to $1.10 per square foot, which generally also includes finishing.
- Drying
The process of drying does not require any physical work. It’s fundamental to wait for the drywall compound to dry up and be ready to use. Experts suggest that you give this process at least 24 hours.
While drying itself does not require you to incur any costs, you can speed up the process with the help of a fan.
How Long Does Drywall Take In New Construction?
It may take you anywhere between six days to four weeks to complete a drywall job, whether you are doing it in new or old construction. Following are a couple of factors that influence the total time taken to hang, mud, and dry drywall.
- The size of a room
The square footage is the most important factor in the time taken for a drywall job. Large spaces will take you a longer period of time as opposed to small ones. If the room or house you are hoping to drywall has a square footage of 1,000 to 2,000, then you can expect to finish the project in three to four weeks.
On the other hand, an experienced and trained crew can complete the job in less than seven days. However, if you have a significantly large space, even the team of experts will take up to a few weeks or more to carry out an efficient and appropriate job.
- Framing complexity
If you have a house or property without complicated corners, too many windows, especially basement windows, and only a small number of curves, then you can install drywall quicker than a space with complex framing.
Remember that whenever you come to a break in the property’s framing, you will have to start all over again. This will require you to trim the drywall to make it fit around the door, window, bump-out, or beam. As a result, you will spend considerable effort and time doing this.
- Height of the walls and ceilings
Ceiling and wall height are the same and play an important role in the time it takes to install drywall. The first thing you need to consider is that drywall has different lengths of sheets. An average sheet has a height of 8 feet, and taller walls require several of them.
Consequently, you will have to spend significant time fitting these sheets together. They will also be heavier and more difficult to handle. In addition, tall ceilings may be a bit harder to access, especially bathroom ceilings, but you can compound this factor through beams or vaulted ceilings.
- Type of drywall finish
Finishing drywall is another part of the process of installing drywall. Sheets are rarely left smooth, which is why you need to mud and texture them. But removing this step can save you a day or more to complete the drywall job. Also, there are different finish levels, starting from 1 up to 5. But most would know the level 4 and 5 finish. Those two do not have many differences.
- Experience and number
Of course, the length of time also depends on the number of people carrying out the job and their experience with Drywall. This would also include carrying the actual Drywall, which sometimes might be a hassle if they are too heavy. A handful of people who know what they are doing and can work together can get a drywall job done in half the time, as compared to beginners with no sense of teamwork.
If you choose to hire a crew to carry out the job, you will have a smoother end result. But you may have to break the bank. On the other hand, you can also drywall your home yourself, but it’ll take you longer than four weeks to do so, especially if you are inexperienced.
- Humidity and weather forecast
While this factor is often ignored when it comes to installing drywall, it could be the factor that lengthens your timeline. If the forecast predicts high humidity or heavy rain, it will take longer for the mud to dry. Typically, at least three coats of mud are applied, which entails that every layer needs to dry before you can move on to the next.
You may not be aware, but high humidity can result in an additional three or four days in your drywalling job. While this may be inconvenient, it’s best not to rush the drying process. If you do, you may end up having problems in the future.
How Long Does It Take To Finish A House Once Drywall?
It may take around two to three days for you to finish a house after successfully installing drywall. This is because once you apply the first coat, you need to give it ample time to dry before you can apply the second coat. While finishing does not take much time, you need to give the sheets time to dry.
FAQs
How Many Days Does It Take To Mud And Tape Drywall?
While mudding and taping itself does not take more than five minutes per sheet of 4×8, the drying needs at least a 24-hour window. On the other hand, there are some manufacturers out there who may bring this number down to 12 hours. But to do so, you’ll need to take a couple of shortcuts, which may or may not affect the end result.
How Long Does It Take To Drywall One Room?
If two pros work together, they can drywall a small room of 12×16 feet in around an hour. However, doing so requires advanced skills and many specialized tools.
What Comes After Drywall Installation?
The home’s exterior siding usually comes once you’ve finished with drywall. This means the exterior Walkway or garages are poured with concrete.