Don’t get too stuck on drywall adhesive
You can use drywall adhesive to attach drywall to studs and joists without fasteners.
It makes the job go faster, prevents popping and cracking, and reduces noise.
Glues can be messy, cost more than fasteners alone, and are difficult to remove.
Alternatives are drywall nails and screws, furring strips, and combining adhesives with fasteners.
You can glue drywall, but you should consider your job specifics before starting.
Traditionally, drywallers nail or screw drywall panels to wall studs. But more and more contractors and DIYers are bucking tradition and using drywall adhesive. So, should you glue drywall? Here, we look at the pros and cons of using drywall glue to hang Sheetrock® so you can make the right decision for your home and your installation project.
When you’re deciding how to hang drywall, you may consider drywall adhesive. Also called drywall glue, drywall adhesive is a specially designed construction adhesive meant to attach drywall to framing materials like studs and joists. It bonds drywall tightly to your home’s support structure, which means you’ll need to use fewer screws or nails, and it can simplify jobs by making installation easier. Drywall adhesives also come in specialty formulations with added benefits like moisture resistance and noise reduction between rooms.
Drywall adhesive comes with pros and cons. When in doubt, a local drywall installer can guide you on whether it’s right for your project.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Faster installation | Can be messy |
| Fewer fasteners | Higher material costs |
| Less cracking and popping | Difficult to remove |
| Noise reduction | Not for every job |
Gluing drywall has many advantages, which is why it is such a popular method. Here are the top reasons to consider using drywall adhesives for your next Sheetrock job.
Drywall glue can help speed up the process of a quality installation. With traditional fastener-only installation, you need to hold the drywall in place while you locate and install fasteners; with drywall adhesive, you will use fewer fasteners, so the job will go faster.
You may still want to use drywall nails or screws even if you choose adhesive, but you’ll only require a few. This can save time, money, and hassle. It also reduces potential weak points, since adhesive will uniformly secure drywall sheets to underlying framing or joists.
As housing materials and drywall naturally expand and contract with moisture and temperature changes, fasteners become loose and pop, or stick out. Pops, or small, round flaws in the drywall are the heads of drywall nails or screws pushing through the drywall and wall covering.
Drywall can also crack as it moves and shifts over time. Using drywall adhesive instead of fasteners alone allows the Sheetrock to move slightly, minimizing pops and cracks.
Drywall adhesive creates a tight seal between Sheetrock and wall framing, reducing sound transmission between rooms. If you have kids, a home office, or live in a multifamily building, gluing drywall can keep life quieter. Use this method in tandem with soundproofing materials to make it even more effective.
It’s fast, easy, and has long-term benefits, but using drywall adhesives does have some drawbacks.
Even if you haven’t used glue since elementary school, you probably remember how messy it can get. Drywall glue is no exception. You’ll need to apply the adhesive just right, or it will ooze out and make a mess on walls and floors. Moving or shifting crooked panels will also be messier and harder because the glue starts to adhere right away.
Drywall adhesives add to the overall cost of jobs. Nails and screws cost less, so if you use adhesive, factor it into your budget. While drywall glue isn’t expensive, you will need to use a lot of it to get a good bond, so the price can add up, especially with large rooms or a lot of square footage.
Drywall adhesive works well, but it also makes removal a pain. If you need to reposition or replace glued drywall, it will be challenging and time-consuming. Since the adhesive bonds strongly to drywall, it’s difficult to impossible to remove glued Sheetrock without damaging it, which can complicate renovations and repairs.
While drywall glue can be helpful on many jobs, it’s not a good fit for every project or situation. You’ll need to understand the product and your project to know if it’s the right solution. For example, drywall glue may not be best for ceiling installations or drywall you expect to replace or repair.
Not sold on drywall glue? Try these alternatives.
Drywall contractors have long used drywall screws and nails to secure drywall to framing, and there’s a reason fasteners are popular. You’ll need to determine what kind and how many screws per sheet of drywall, but they’re affordable, easy to find, easy to install. They also come in a variety of lengths and sizes, and you can adjust or remove them if necessary.
In rooms where it’s hard or impossible to attach drywall directly to wall studs or there’s a reason to leave a gap (such as leveling warped walls or making space for insulation), you might choose metal clips and furring strips instead of fasteners or adhesive. You’ll still get a solid framework for drywall, and you’ll be in control of the spacing and alignment.
Using a combination of adhesive and fasteners can give you the best of both worlds. When you do it right, you’ll find the adhesive bonds the drywall tightly to the studs and keeps air and sound from traveling between rooms while nails or screws give additional support and make it easier to adjust the panels during installation.
The easy answer is, yes, you can glue drywall. Should you glue drywall is a different question. To answer that, consider your project and your goals, along with DIY drywall repair tips. Keep these points in mind:
Location. If the location of your job allows for it, consider drywall glue. Think twice, though, if you’re installing drywall somewhere you may need to remove it or on ceilings and other locations where adhesives aren’t always recommended.
Speed. If you want to finish the project fast, choose drywall adhesive. It will give you great results and save you time.
Longevity. Adhesives minimize the risk of nail pops or drywall cracking, keeping your drywall looking better for longer.
Future updates. When finishing a room where you may need to move or replace drywall in the future, remember that it can be hard and time-consuming to remove glued drywall. Nails and screws are easier to remove, reposition, and replace.
Soundproofing. For a quieter house, choose drywall adhesive or a combination of adhesive and fasteners.
Cost. Adhesive costs more than nails or screws, so consider whether the benefits justify the added cost.
Whether it’s better to screw or glue drywall depends on your specific budget and project timeline. Professional drywall installers are more likely to use screws and fasteners than adhesives, but it takes longer. But if you are DIYing your drywall installation, glue is a perfectly fine choice if you’re willing to pay extra for adhesive.
There are several things you should not do when installing drywall. Common mistakes include: adding too many screws, over sanding, not adding backing support, and installing drywall unevenly. You also should avoid screwing into the same place twice, installing Sheetrock with tapered edges on the outside, and making too many joints.
You can prevent air leaks and sagging by gluing a drywall ceiling. However, not every drywall job is a good fit for Sheetrock adhesive, and many pros say ceilings are one of those cases. When you place them properly, drywall screws make ceiling Sheetrock part of your home’s structural support system.
Adding glue won’t increase the strength of the drywall, and it can make it much harder for you to remove and replace damaged drywall. Adhesive can bridge gaps, though, and it can keep temperature-controlled air from escaping or entering through the ceilings, making rooms more energy efficient.
