# I HATE doing F@#$%&\*  Sheetrock!

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-hate-doing-f-sheetrock/50406>\
**Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\
**Created:** [January 16, 2001, 11:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-hate-doing-f-sheetrock/50406 "2001-01-16T23:04:28Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 12\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Rich\_G7subs](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/85e7bf/32.png) [@Rich\_G7subs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rich_G7subs)\
**Post date:** [January 16, 2001, 11:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-hate-doing-f-sheetrock/50406/1 "2001-01-16T23:04:28Z")

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I’m at the stage in my remodel job that I can’t stand!  
I consider myself pretty “Handy” with all the trades.I did all the framing,insulating and electrical work myself. I just started the sheetrock.UGH!..I hate that stuff.There must be alot of “tricks of the trade” to installing this stuff.My elect box cut outs are always off by a little, the screws pop thru the boards.This stuff sucks.  
My hat is off to the drywall installers and spacklers.That dust is in your eyes,up your nose,drying your hands out.Next time I PAY someone to sheetrock and spackle!  
OK HANDY…I’m sure you’ll respond with some of your patented monosyllabic witticism to pad your post count.Knock yourself out!

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**Author:** ![jessicala](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/eb9ed0/32.png) [@jessicala](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jessicala)\
**Post date:** [January 17, 2001, 1:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-hate-doing-f-sheetrock/50406/2 "2001-01-17T01:54:20Z")

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Well, I don’t know whether to be smug (Neener neener neener, that’s why we are hiring a contractor) or sympathetic (Dude, I feel for you! Sheetrock sucks … that’s why we are hiring a contractor). Take your pick.

We’re just getting into remodeling our new basement and are having a lot of fun in the demolition phase. How big of a remodel job are you doing?

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**Author:** ![Fletch](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/919ad9/32.png) [@Fletch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fletch)\
**Post date:** [January 17, 2001, 2:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-hate-doing-f-sheetrock/50406/3 "2001-01-17T02:30:03Z")

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Just wait till you get to the ceiling. You haven’t seen the hell of sheetrock until you get to the ceiling.

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**Author:** ![Skelji](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b38774/32.png) [@Skelji](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skelji)\
**Post date:** [January 17, 2001, 3:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-hate-doing-f-sheetrock/50406/4 "2001-01-17T03:50:14Z")

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:: walks in, looks at project ::

Sheetrock, huh?

:: walks out shaking head ::

I hate doing sheetrock. Yeah, like Fletch says, wait until you have to do a ceiling!

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**Author:** ![MikeG](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mikeg/32/4329_2.png) [@MikeG](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MikeG)\
**Post date:** [January 17, 2001, 4:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-hate-doing-f-sheetrock/50406/5 "2001-01-17T04:11:01Z")

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That’s what I loved about being a finish carpenter- NO drywall, no freezing your ass off, working in the rain, etc.

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**Author:** ![Bottle\_of\_Smoke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/b9e5f3/32.png) [@Bottle\_of\_Smoke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bottle_of_Smoke)\
**Post date:** [January 17, 2001, 3:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-hate-doing-f-sheetrock/50406/6 "2001-01-17T15:11:23Z")

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I hear ya Rich. I know you probably started this thread to vent and aren’t specifically looking for advice, but here’s one trick that I can’t recommend enough: Lipstick. Yup. Just smear lipstick on the front of your outlet and switch boxes, place the sheetrock where it’s supposed to be, and voila – a perfect outline of the box on the back of the sheetrock. Your cuts will always be in the right place.

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**Author:** ![Finagle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/b19c9b/32.png) [@Finagle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Finagle)\
**Post date:** [January 17, 2001, 3:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-hate-doing-f-sheetrock/50406/7 "2001-01-17T15:57:58Z")

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> [@](#):
>
> \*Originally posted by Bottle of Smoke \*  
> \*\*Just smear lipstick on the front of your outlet and switch boxes, place the sheetrock where it’s supposed to be, and voila – a perfect outline of the box on the back of the sheetrock. Your cuts will always be in the right place. \*\*

I love the image this presents. Studly carpenter type guys in t-shirts and work boots with framing hammers hanging from their belts standing at the cosmetic counter debating what shade of lipstick they should use to outline the outlet boxes.

I just spent the past weekend putting sheetrock on the ceiling of my kitchen. Not so bad as long as you rent the drywall lift and have a Rotozip tool handy for cutting out around the canister lights. But then, I’m planning on hiring someone to do the taping and plastering. Only so much misery I’m willing to commit to.

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**Author:** ![Rocketeer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rocketeer/32/4437_2.png) [@Rocketeer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rocketeer)\
**Post date:** [January 17, 2001, 7:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-hate-doing-f-sheetrock/50406/8 "2001-01-17T19:04:14Z")

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Sheetrock is miserable. I can’t think of another material which so perfectly combines high weight and low strength…

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**Author:** ![Rich\_G7subs](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/85e7bf/32.png) [@Rich\_G7subs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rich_G7subs)\
**Post date:** [January 17, 2001, 9:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-hate-doing-f-sheetrock/50406/9 "2001-01-17T21:34:39Z")

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\>\>\>\>We’re just getting into remodeling our new basement and are having a lot of fun in the demolition phase. How big of a remodel job are you doing? \<\<\< JayLa

I have an unfinished “bonus room” upstairs dimensions 9’ x 17’. It will soon be my office. I framed out a closet…the kneewall for the dormer windows,ran the wiring,telephone,catv,ductwork ,did the insulation.So it’s not a big project but a pretty involved one since I was stupid enough to be doing all aspects except carpet myself.

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Just wait till you get to the ceiling. You haven’t seen the hell of sheetrock until you get to the ceiling.\<\<\<\< Fletch and host of others

I just finished the ceiling…by myself.Thank god there were no full sheets.Most sheets I hung on the ceiling were cut to 4’ x 5’ due to the dormer kneewall.Now I get to do my second favorite thing…spackling.

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**Author:** ![ReservoirDog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/8edcca/32.png) [@ReservoirDog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ReservoirDog)\
**Post date:** [January 17, 2001, 10:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-hate-doing-f-sheetrock/50406/10 "2001-01-17T22:01:33Z")

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Oh, I don’t know. Sheetrock, while it may be irritating, especially the sanding and dust aspect of it, really isn’t that difficult to do.

And then you can stand back afterwards and fold your arms and say, “See that wall? I did that.”

And then if there are any really un-handy types around, who are probably thinking that putting up a wall is akin to building a space shuttle, you’ll be really impressive.

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**Author:** ![Carina42](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/439d5e/32.png) [@Carina42](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Carina42)\
**Post date:** [January 17, 2001, 10:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-hate-doing-f-sheetrock/50406/11 "2001-01-17T22:03:28Z")

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HA! I’m a painting contractor and avoid hanging/taping/floating/texturing as much as possible. But I still end up doing a fair amount of it…well actually I usually have the employees do it. 😃 And sanding is the worst, ick, ptooie.

The worst is hanging on metal studs. Darn things twist all over the place when you’re screwing them in (There’s a double entendre there somewhere, I just can’t find it.)

I do hope you’re using a screw gun & not doing this by hand!

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**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\
**Post date:** [January 18, 2001, 3:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-hate-doing-f-sheetrock/50406/12 "2001-01-18T03:21:09Z")

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Moving this to MPSIMS.