Had a beer with my retired neighbor who used to hang board in the 80s

He asked me how many screws I put in a 4x12 sheet. I said the usual, every 12 inches. He just shook his head and said, 'We did 8. Your arms would be noodles by Friday, but those walls never made a sound.' It got me thinking about all the callbacks I've had for nail pops. Maybe we're going too fast now. Anyone still using the old 8-inch spacing, or is that just crazy talk?

3 comments

3 Comments

finley9393mo ago

My grandpa's 1970s house still has silent walls, unlike my new place with its constant settling noises.

theawest1mo ago

My buddy's house built in 1986 has drywall that's still smooth as glass, no pops no nothing. The old timers definitely did things different and maybe they knew something we forgot. I honestly don't mind taking a little extra time if it means I never have to come back for a callback. Modern materials help but they can't fix corners cut on labor.

amygonzalez3mo ago

Sounds like a good way to waste time and money. Modern glue and screws are way better, so you don't need that many. The old guys just liked to suffer.