How To Install and Finish Drywall Around A Door

Entry doors and access doors serve different purposes, but when they’re surrounded by drywall, they require very similar drywall installation methods. Whether you’re building a home or renovating an industrial work space, it’s important to plan ahead and understand exactly what it takes to install drywall around a door correctly.

What You’ll Need

Make sure you’re prepared for every step. Before you start your drywall installation, gather the following tools and materials:

• 3 drywall panels
• Drywall screws and gun
• 2 nails (must be a little longer than the thickness of your drywall panels)
• Hammer
• Utility knife
• Chalk line
• Drywall rasp

Step-by-Step Installation Guide

There are several different ways to install drywall around a door or access door, but we recommend a method that saves time by preventing common errors and painstaking measurements. Just follow these steps to finish your drywall installation:

Step 1: Install a full sheet of drywall along the top of the wall.

This drywall sheet should cover the top half of your door opening and extend all the way to the ceiling. If your ceilings are vaulted and your drywall panels aren’t long enough to span that distance, just make sure your panel completely covers the top edge and sides of your doorway.

Step 2: Screw the drywall into place.

Insert screws through the center of the drywall panel, leaving 12 inches between each screw. Then find the studs along the seams, and insert a screw every eight inches. Make sure your screws hit the center of each stud.

Step 3: Cut the drywall from the other side.

Duck beneath the top panel and use your utility knife to cut halfway through it, following the lines of your door frame. If you’re installing drywall around an access door, you’ll need to use your best judgment and take precise measurements beforehand to prevent incorrect cuts.

Step 4: Insert nails at each corner and draw three lines.

The lines you already cut into your drywall should intersect at the two top corners. Insert a nail through each of these corners, making sure the ends are visible from the other side. Then hook your chalk line into the bottom edge of the panel, directly below the top left nail. Wind the line upward, around the first nail, along the top, around the second nail, and back down to the bottom again. Snap to create three straight lines.

Step 5: Remove the drywall and smooth the edges.

Now, follow these chalk lines with your knife. Because you already cut halfway through the other side, you should be able to dislodge the entire section with a gentle push. Then use your rasp to smooth each edge.

Step 6: Install your lower drywall panels.

Place another panel directly below the top panel, but don’t cover the opening completely. One side should stop halfway through the opening. Follow steps 2 and 3 to secure it in place, and use the doorframe as your guide to cut into the edge. Then snap the edge toward the center, cracking the drywall without breaking the paper. Cut along the crease. Now repeat these steps to cover the opposite side of the door.

Common Mistakes & How To Avoid Them

Of course, human error is possible during any installation. Some miscalculations are immediately apparent, but other misguided choices will increase the risk of long-term structural problems. Make sure you avoid the followingproblems as you install and finish the drywall around a door:

Installing drywall over outlet boxes

If you realize an outlet box doesn’t quite fit after making your measurements, don’t assume you can trim away the excess drywall later. Drywall that you’ve already screwed in place will crumble and break if you try to cut it. Before you place the drywall, check the fit. If the box is slightly bigger than the hole you’ve cut for it, pick a spot at least a few inches away to loosely screw the drywall in place. Then use a utility knife to trim the excess around the box and finish the installation.

Attempting to create an exact fit

Precise measurements are important, but if you try to achieve a perfect fit, you’ll increase your risk of messy and expensive problems. You don’t want to jam the door frame into place or shave down an edge to finish your installation, because this often causes cracking or splitting. Aim for a loose fit instead, because it’s easier to fill in the gaps than repair damaged drywall. Leave 1/2" gaps along the perimeter and fill them in later if necessary.

Read the rest of this article on the WB Doors blog here: http://www.wbdoors.com/blog-layout/how-to-finish-drywall-around-a-door