Before you install the first panel on the ceiling, it’s important to understand how to fasten drywall to the joists, studs, and other framing members. Whether you’re using nails, screws, or both, you must leave a dimple in the panel with every fastener you drive. This small recess will later be filled with drywall compound as the wall surface is filled and finished. Screw guns can be set to pull the drywall panel tightly against the framing members and drive the screw just below the surface without breaking the face paper. If you’re driving nails instead of screws, your last hammer blow should push
the drywall tightly against the wood and set the head of the nail in a shallow dimple without breaking the paper surface (see the photo above).
Whether you have one helper or several, you’ll find it useful to have a couple of drywall T-supports (also called preachers or dead men) to brace each panel against the framing while you drive enough screws to secure it. If possible, always start by installing a full-size sheet against one corner of the ceiling. Lift one end of the sheet into position, then raise the other end against the joists while holding the edge against the wall. Wedge the T-supports underneath the panel, then nudge the panel into its final position. Set up short ladders or sawhorses to stand on as you drive the fasteners (see the photos on the facing page).
