Garage Ceiling falling down

SUZZER

The 5/8 drywall ceiling my garage is bowing and falling down because the builder ran the 10' sheets parallel to the joists on 24" centers and used nails. What's the best way to correct this short of tearing it down?

MnDrywallRanger

If only nails have been used to install the sheetrock then they likely just popped. First simply try adding screws like you are screwing it off for the first time.

If the person installing the sheetrock hammered a little too hard on the nails it damages the rock making it spongy where the nails are supposed to hold...especially in the field of the sheets vs the perimeter where the stronger seam is.

The same can happen when screws are used too. Sometimes I go on a job where the sheetrock was screwed off with the drywall screwgun set too deep. When the screw is counter sunk beyond an 1/8" it breaks through the paper face and then holds very little. Worse yet is when carpenters hang drywall with a regular cordless screwgun and suck the screws too far in.

There are building codes that when nails are used in the field of the sheets it is supposed to be double nailed...or two nails next to each other every 12" in the field.

I personally hate it when sheetrock is hung parallel (lengthwise with the joists) to the wood for many specific reasons I could get into.

I just thought of something...running the sheets lengthwise with the wood joists make it very easy to get off on your seams as you work your way across the ceiling installing the sheetrock. Just curious if the joints of the rock started to get off to the point where one side of the sheet didn't reach the support?

What I have said is pure speculation and cannot be certain without seeing it or some good pics of it...

Gary in WA

If it has a water-based hand-applied or sprayed texture finish;

For framing spaced 24”o.c.:
5/8” thick panel product shall be applied perpendicular to the framing members.
Page 16, APPENDIX ; http://gypsum.org/pdf/GA-216-2010.html

That rule also applies if in a high humidity area........Like wet cars parking?

Add screws as said above. Any insulation above?

Gary

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oldrivers

do you have access to the attic space ? you can cut some plywood strips or something and lay them up between the joists and screw into them slowly pulling the sheet back flat , but you have to do it gradually working from the joists and moving inwards so the screws dont pull through. also re screw the whole thing next to the nails ..