We are going to be removing Sheetrock in our living room and put up new. Above the ceiling is our unfinished attic. We have insulation betwwen the rafters above this ceiling and are hoping it stays put when the ceiling is removed. What is the best way to remove a Sheetrock ceiling? Start going crazy with a hammer ? :whistling2:. Thanks a lot
I sure hope you have insulation between the rafters in the ceiling, because if you didn't, well........... I'd be speaking to the builder. Anyways, if it's standard R-21 or R-19, than you'll have staples holding the sheets in place. If not, and it's the blown-in insulation, than you'll have plastic wrap holding it in place.
Wear all safety equipment such as dust mask and safety glasses, and just cut out your drywall in sections. It'll make it a lot easier and quicker to remove in sections, rather than piece by piece.
Now would be the time to move any lighting fixtures or reshape your cielings "landscape" if you would to whatever desired configuration you'd like. Make sure you have all proper permits needed if required, (most permits you can get for even $5, to $20 typically) follow all local building and electrical codes when doing this.
When you put up your new sheetrock, remember to use two coats of jointing compound with mesh tape, and one coat of the soft-set jointing compound to make sanding later easy.
And ensure you use a vapor mask when you apply your new texture, unless you want to leave your home in a bodybag, that is.... Just putting this out there, most people don't comprehend the fumes for wall and cieling textures, are heavily poisnous, even with a fan blowing. To not where a vapor mask (think of a gas mask when thinking vapor, not a dust mask) when doing texturing, well, you'd have to have a death wish, or very good medical coverage.