Stocking and storage practices play a large role in the overall quality of the drywall finish. Using damaged drywall can add time and money to a project.
Upon delivery and prior to stocking, drywall should be checked for damage, such as cracked or broken corners, water damage, and mold growth. When storing drywall, certain measures have to be taken to prevent onsite damage. If drywall is stored directly on a concrete floor, such as a garage slab, instead of on risers, it may wick up moisture. If it's stored on uneven risers, it may bow. Using damaged drywall during installation can ultimately lead to problems down the road, such as cracking, ridging, and sagging.
Cause 1:
Poor warehouse practices
Accepting the delivery of damaged drywall may result in increased waste, increased costs, and the installation of damaged drywall.
Solution
Upon delivery, inspect the condition of the drywall sheets, checking for damage, such as cracked or broken corners, water damage, and mold growth. If obvious damage is present from poor handling in the warehouse, don't stock the drywall.
Cause 2:
Poor stocking practices
Stocking is moving the drywall off the delivery truck and placing it in specific locations in the home. During stocking, construction may be delayed if you don't accommodate for the delivery of the drywall. For example, on an upper floor, wall sheathing or windows may have to be removed to enable drywall to be lifted into the home where it will be stored.
Solution
During stocking of upper floors, make sure an opening is available to accept delivery of multiple drywall sheets, and confirm that there's enough space to store the drywall materials. Directly after stocking, ensure that the home will be completely enclosed and protected from outside weather, and maintain an inside temperature of at least 50°F. After stocking, inspect the drywall again for damage.
Cause 3:
Poor storage practices
Poor storage practices frequently lead to damaged drywall. Damaged drywall includes bowing, soft spots, broken corners, indentations, and other issues. For instance, storing drywall on wet floors or on recently placed concrete slabs allows it to absorb moisture, softening the gypsum core and leading to a host of problems later on. When drywall is stacked vertically, leaving more than 6" between the bottom of the first sheet and the wall can cause the drywall to bow.
Solution
Verify that drywall scheduled to be hung within 48 hours is stored vertically on clean, dry floors. If the floors are wet, elevate the drywall on 2x6 wood risers.
When drywall is stacked vertically, be sure that 4" to 6" of space is left between the wall and the bottom of the first sheet in the stack. Leaving less than 4" creates a risk that the stack could be pulled over; leaving more than 6" applies too much weight laterally against the wall.
Verify that drywall scheduled to be stored onsite for longer than 48 hours is stacked flat on clean, dry floors, with the ceiling drywall stacked on top so it can be used first. Over a long period, storing drywall flat will help prevent sagging and indentations in the edges.
In each room, stack the drywall no more than 12 sheets high on risers. When stacking the drywall, don't exceed the maximum floor capacity, which is typically about 30 psf. Exceeding the floor's capacity will cause the floor joists to deflect excessively and may cause cracking in the ceiling drywall of the floor below when the load of the drywall is gone.
