Slow the spread of fire by installing a fire wall.
Regular drywall panels are made from gypsum particles that do not burn easily. However, your local fire code may require the installation of special fire-rated drywall in some areas. Also called Type X drywall, these panels are 5/8-inch thick and contain a percentage of moisture and glass fibers that slow a fire's progress. Most public buildings and businesses require minimum fire-rating standards. You may also have to install a fire-rated wall between your house and an attached garage.
Instructions
1. Cut fire-rated drywall panels to fit from the center of one stud to the center of another stud. The panels come in 4-foot widths and 8-, 10- and 12-foot lengths.
2. Install the panels horizontally, starting at the top corner of a wall and working across the top of the wall, and then installing the lower panels. Two, 4-foot wide panels, when installed horizontally, will cover a standard 8-foot high wall.
3. Use Type S drywall screws and insert one screw approximately every 12 inches into the studs beneath the panel.
4. Stagger the joints of your drywall panels on the opposite side of a fire-rated interior wall. For example, if two drywall panels meet on a particular stud on one side of the wall, panels installed on the opposite side of the same wall must meet on a different stud.
5. Tape out the joints between fire-rated panels with fire-blocking drywall tape and fireproof taping compound, where required. Some fire codes allow you to use regular taping compound and fiberglass mesh tape.
6. Install a double layer of fire-rated drywall for additional fire protection. Again, this is determined by local fire code, but if you're required to install a double layer on one side of the wall, stagger the drywall joints on the second layer so they meet on different studs.
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