A contractor next to a stack of drywall.
Hanging drywall on a ceiling can be physically demanding. A 4-foot by 8-foot sheet of 1/2-inch drywall weighs more than 50 pounds. Not only is it heavy, but it's cumbersome as well. Holding a sheet of drywall in place over your head while you try to attach screws into the ceiling joists is next to impossible. However, you can make a wooden drywall lift to safely and securely hold the sheet in place while you drill or nail it to the joists.
Instructions
1. Measure the distance from the floor to the ceiling in your room. Cut a pair of 2-by-4s to this length with a circular saw.
2. Cut another 2-by-4 into two, 4-foot-long sections.
3. Place one of the long 2-by-4 boards on edge on the floor. Align one of the 4-foot-long boards on edge, centered perpendicular to the end of the long board. The two boards should look like a large T.
4. Attach the short board to the long one with a pair of 3-inch deck screws, using the drill.
5. Repeat Steps 3 and 4 with a second brace.
6. Place a piece of drywall against the ceiling. Prop one of the 2-by-4 braces (with the shorter board on top) under one end of the drywall, and the second brace under the other end. The long board of the brace will be at an angle, which is fine. You can pull back on the brace slightly to loosen its grip on the drywall, then move the drywall into the final position, before pushing the brace back underneath the drywall. Kick the bottom of each wood brace to wedge them in tightly against the drywall before you begin to insert screws or nails to secure the drywall to the ceiling joists.
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