Handyman Guide > Building Materials: Plywood and Wallboard

Plywood. This product, because of the many uses to which it can be put, has often been called the home mechanic's best friend. Plywood is made by gluing thin slices of wood together, with the grain of one layer running at right angles to the other. This method of construction makes plywood extremely strong for its comparatively thin size. Plywood is an excellent material to use for chair seats, paneling for rooms, and even for flooring. Plywood is made from many kinds of wood, and the top layer is often a rare and extremely beautiful wood. Because only the top layer is made with the more expensive woods, the price of plywood is considerably less than a solid piece of expensive wood.

Plywood can be sawed, nailed, and glued, exactly like any other wood. It can be had in sheets, and in many thicknesses, from 1 1/8 in. (veneer) to 1 1/16 in. (rough lumber core).

Wallboard or Drywall. There is a tendency to lump all kinds of composition boards under the general heading of "wallboard." This often leads to disappointment on the part of the user because some of these composition boards are not much more than heavy cardboard, while others are extremely tough and durable and can be used in place of wood sheathing for the exterior walls of a house.

Siding is nailed over them. Do not confuse wallboard with insulating board, because there is a wide difference between them. Insulating board can be used as a wallboard and will provide insulation as well, but most types of wallboard have little or no insulating value. Most kinds of wallboard are fire resistant; they will burn but not rapidly. When a fireproof board is desired, it must be made of asbestos or some other substance which is absolutely resistant to fire.

When purchasing wallboard, find out whether it can be painted. Paint can be applied directly to the surface of some wallboard, but on others a size coat is necessary.



Fig. 2. Method of conceoling joints between sections of wollboard. (1) Applying the special cement to the joint. (2) Placing the perforated tape over the cement. (3) Smoothing the edges of the cement.

The wallboard used in bathrooms or kitchens should be tough and damp resistant. Most wallboard comes in sections four feet wide and eight to twelve feet in length.

Covering Joints. There are several methods used to cover the joints between sections of wallboard and other kinds of composition board, so that the surface can be papered or painted and the seams will not show. Of course, the sections of wallboard must be put up correctly, and must not sag at the seams or in the middle. The studding and furring to which they are nailed must also be secure and solid.

The most effective method of covering the seams is with a special cement and strips of open-mesh canvas or wire netting. Place the sections of wallboard so that there is about a Ys inch gap between all seams. Size the edges of the wallboard and work the cement into the opening. Next, force the strip of canvas or netting into the cement as a reinforcement and smooth the edges to make the surface as even as possible.

Only an open-mesh cloth or netting will provide sufficient strength to prevent the cement from cracking out. In case the sections of wallboard have been put up with no space left between them, it may be possible to cut out the required Ys inch and then size and cover with cement and mesh.

Another way to cover the seams is with strips of lath. These break up the wall surface into panels of the same size as the sections of wallboard.





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The Workshop
Equipping the Workshop - Heating - Fire Precautions - The Workbench - Saw Bucks - Tool Rack.

Home Construction
Elements of the House - Building Materials - Lumber - Molding - Kinds of Wood and their Characteristics - Plywood Wallboard - Roofing Materials - Concrete - Mixing Concrete - Cement Mortar - Concrete Forms - Concrete Blocks - Cinder Blocks - Bricklaying - Fieldstone - Anchoring in Masonry - Soldering.

Furniture
Upholstered Furniture - Furniture Upkeep - Removing Stains - Removing Dents - Leather Upholstery - Cane Seats - Furniture Repairs - How to Repair Breaks - Levelling furniture - Remodeling Furniture - Polishes and Polishing - French Polishing - Painting Furniture - Sticking Drawers - Metal Furniture.

Painting
Paint Brushes - Storing Brushes - Varnish - Water Paint and Plastic Paint - Types of Paint - Paint Thinners - Mixing Paints - Preparing the Surface - Painting Flaws - Removing Paint - Exterior Painting - Painting New Wood - Repainting - Metal - Interior Painting - Calcimine - Painting Woodwork - Old Wood Trim - Staining - Fillers - Varnishing - Bleaching - Enameling - Painting Radiators - Painting Concrete - Shingles - Stoves and Stove Pipes - Whitewash.

Heating
Home Heating Systems - Chimneys - Coal Furnaces - Fuels - Burning Wood - Furnace Dampers - Starting a Coal Fire - Removal of Ashes - Coal Stokers - Oil Burners - Kerosene Heaters - Thermostats - Boiler Dampers - Fuel Economy - Warm Air System - Steam System - Vacuum System - Hot Water System - Radiators - Boilers - Maintaining the System - Insulating the System - Home Insulation - Storm Windows - Weather Stripping - Insulating Your Home - Blanket and Rigid Insulation - Unfinished Attic and Exterior Walls - Winterizing a Cabin - Preparing the foundation - Winterproofing a Cottage - Fireplaces - Reducing Condensation - Humidity.

Plumbing
The Plumbing System - Fresh water supply - Low Water Pressure - Hot Water System - Hot Water Heaters - Hot Water Tanks - Dirty Hot Water - The Sewage System - Sewage Disposal - Cesspools - Septic Tanks - Clearing Sewer Pipes - Clearing Drains - Plumbing Traps - Toilet Traps - Noisy Plumbing - Leaks in Water Tanks - Frozen Pipes - Clogged Water Pipes - Hard Water - Faucets - Shower Mixing Valves - Leaky Flush Tanks - Flush Valves - Removing Toilet Bowl - Leaky Pipes - Draining the Plumbing - Sealing Traps - Draining the Heating System - Types of Pipe - Insulating Pipes - Water Corrosion - Cleaning Fixtures.

Electricity
Definition of Terms - Ohm's Law - Alternating and Direct Current - Sources of Electrical Power - The Electrical System - Overloading the Circuit - Rewiring - Reading a Meter - Precautions - Fuses - Types of Cord - Splicing Wires - Replacing Plugs and Switches - Home Lighting - Electric Motors - Signaling System - Transformers - Burglar Alarms - Repairing the System - How to Install a Bell System.

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