Best way to install drywall on uneven ceiling

Fred_

Hi all !

I am currently finishing my basement and it's my first time installing drywall. I am currently doing the ceiling and the fact that my ceiling is not perfectly square is posing me two problems that I am unsure how to solve.

First, here is the situation: My ceiling has 2 short sides of 118" and two long sides of 162" but the corners are not fully square (see attached picture).

Question 1. Because of the uneven corners, after installing the first row of drywall across the short side, I end up with a 1.5" gap on one side (see picture). The drywall is mounted on resilient channels and the gap between wall and ceiling is mean to be around 1/4 of an inch and sealed with acoustic caulk. 1.5" is a bit a stretch to caulk but aside from cutting the gyprock in a weird shape and starting over or mudding part of the gap I don't know what I could do.

Question 2: Since the long side is 162 inches, I end up needing just over 4 sheets of drywall. Should I leave a 0.5 gap between each row to avoid having 5 (I plan on doing the joints myself) or should I do 5 rows ? In the later case, it seems like a bad Idea to end up with a 2 inch row but to finish with a larger piece would mean cutting to factory edge of a piece and ending up with a long butt joint (or starting over and cutting the factory side that meets the wall). What is the best way to go here ?

Hopefully this is clear, else I'll gladly give more detail.

Thanks !

Edit: Note that the gap on the picture is exaggerated.

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Snav

So - your walls are already done? If they weren't that would be where you'd address this slight issue in that area which would aleviate future issues when it comes to anything else wall/ceiling related.

However - if you can't square up the walls then I would use two sheets of sheetrock and hang them 'sideways' so you can cut the angled-edge.

My entire house is just wonky - I've just had to improve my mudding and drywall cutting skills to overcome all the unevenness. The main concern should be 'is to too noticable?' - if you blend it in well - no one will be able to tell the walls are slightly off.

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Fred_

Unfortunately the 2 problematic walls have not been redone so I could not use that to fix the corner angle. My problem is not really that it is noticeable but more that I need a way to fill in the gap and I am not sure that mud is a viable solution in this case.

Thanks.

12penny

Couple things. 10' sheets would have been the way to go, no butt joints.
I'd start over. Move those sheets you have up... towards the wall and cut to fit. At the other end you'll have bigger pieces to put up and will make finishing easier.

Its early...not sure why you would have a long butt joint.

Snav

Turn two sheets the opposite direction so you have ample room on the sheet to cut the angle. Measure for the angle of the cut when you have all the other sheets in place.

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chrisBC

I agree with eliminating joints when you can.

Also might help to snap a line from where you know is square, and line your starting sheets up to that, cutting to fit and keeping square where the next sheets will join.

iliketowork

What is not clear is the use of the room, if it is for "storage" then an extra joint or two won't matter. I would consider cutting your sheet back either one rafter or joist so you have one square joint and then cut your sheet to fill the uneven gap. Filling large gaps with mud is not good, no structural integrity. If the room is going to be finished you can sand the mud on the joints.

coupe

Fred, see my post to room is 12' 2" for tips to deal with pesky,narrow joints.I've done hundreds of them. nobody can see it!

good luck
coupe