Drywall panels provide a smooth wall.
Sheetrock, a brand name of drywall made by USG Corporation, comes in large smooth panels. When installed over wall studs, the panels form a smooth wall surface. Although it's common to remove old drywall panels before installing new ones, you may put new panels over the old ones. A double layer of Sheetrock will give the wall a little more fire resistance and sound muffling. Be aware, however, that you'll have to make some trim and outlet adjustments.
Prepping the Walls
Remove or countersink any old nails or screws that stick out of the wall. Take off baseboard, window and door trim, and extend the casing on doorjambs and window jambs. When you add the new layer of drywall, you'll have to extend these casings by the same amount as the thickness of the drywall. For example, if you're hanging half-inch drywall, add half an inch to all the jambs first, in order for the window and door trim to fit back on evenly.
Cut off the electricity and take off outlet and switch covers. Unscrew the outlet beneath. You can't leave it on, because it sticks out slightly from the wall, but you don't have to remove it. You can push it back in the box, out of the way.
Installation Tips
Locate the wall studs by rapping on the wall with your knuckles or with a stud finder. Make a mark on the floor and another on the ceiling at the top and bottom of each stud. Make a mark on the floor directly beneath outlets and switches, as well.
Stagger the drywall joints. If the old Sheetrock joints meet on one wall stud, cut the new drywall panels to meet on an alternate stud. This reduces wall cracks and it's required for firewall construction.
Tools and Supplies
In addition to drywall installation tools, which include a drywall framing square, tape measure, drywall screwgun and utility knife, you'll need drywall taping knives and a drywall sander.
To build out the extensions, you'll need wood strips in the width of the drywall thickness, a chop saw and miter saw and a nail gun or a hammer and nails.
Considerations
If the wall is flat, with no doors or windows, rocking over the old drywall is a simple process. However, if you have to build out numerous window and door casings, you'll have a bigger project. After the new panels are up, you'll also have to remove the old outlet boxes. and reinstall them flush with the surface of the new wall.
Removing old drywall is messy, but if you take off the old panels and install new panels of the same thickness, the old window and door trim will fit back on without the need for casing extension.
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