Professionals know the best drywall tools will make a project go faster and improve the finished result. But choosing the right tools for the various phases of the job requires understanding the basics of cutting, taping and sanding.
And, for DIY’ers, the top drywall tools like stilts and mud hawks aren’t every day purchases. But they are a must have for most jobs.
From lifting to sanding this guide will help you with:
- Cutting drywall
- Lift and holding sheets
- Screwing
- Taping and mudding
- Sanding
- And, most importantly, manage dust during the process
Lastly, if your budget doesn’t allow for a professional then the other tool you’ll need is research and a mix of patience. While hanging drywall perfectly takes time, a proper final coat is a skill.
Top Drywall Tools
Drywall banjo:
› Delko Zunder at Amazon ($249.00)
Mud pan kit:
› Dewalt Hand Tool Kit at Amazon ($82.90)
Drywall panel lifter:
› Diversified Tools Pocket Kicker at Amazon ($21.99)
Drywall rotozip:
› Original Roto-Zip at Amazon ($79.90)
Drywall stilts:
› GypTool Pro at Amazon ($129.99)
(Book) How to Install Drywall:
› Creative Homeowner: Drywall Guide at Amazon ($11.99)
Guide to the Best Drywall Tools
To help your project, though, we’ll take a look at tools in four categories:
- Cutting Tools – are different with drywall as you’re cutting paper coated gypsum and not wood (so put away your woodworking tools)
- Drywall Hanging – are tools to cut, lift and screw drywall to the wall.
- Finishing Tools – for taping, mudding and sanding drywall.
- Dust Control – with drywall dust it’s important to contain and manage the dust before it slips out of the workspace.
Best Tools to Cut Drywall
A rotozip will make quick work of trimming drywall around windows, doors, outlets and just about anywhere else.
If you are installing more than one room of drywall you’ll want a rotozip. With it’s high RPM blade it will make quick work of trimming drywall in any direction. Because it is an automated version of the drywall saw you may not need both but, if I was buying one vs. the other I’d go with the rotozip.
And even better, with cordless options in almost all tools you can consider dropping the cord (or not worrying about it on a job site).
A power drywall saw will make both simple and complex drywall cuts and reduce time spent cutting outlets and vent holes.
What do you get when you invert a jigsaw and a handheld drywall saw? The power drywall saw. Due to the cordless power this saw will make short work of any drywall cuts or notches you need to make.
While this might not be an investment for a small room project, a basement or large garage project might make this handy saw a worthwhile investment.
The drywall saw is one of the simplest but most effective tools to cut drywall holes. With it’s wicked design and sharp teeth it will melt thru drywall.
Since drywall is composed of compressed gypsum it isn’t cut with standard wood friendly tools. Instead, drywall is easy to cut with a sharp, aggressive blade design like the drywall saw has that rips apart the gypsum as it goes.
What’s a drywall saw used for? A drywall saw is used to cut outlets, notches, and other rough-cut jobs in drywall. With large serrated teeth on one or both sides of it’s blade it can quickly “poke” itself through a sheet of drywall and with little effort cut drywall to any shape.
That’s it, no saws needed for rough sizing of drywall. Even if you’ve seen someone use a circular saw on drywall it’s just not the right way to cut it (I have…).
The T-square is used in combination with the utility knife for scoring drywall sheets.
This drywall tools serves the simple purpose of being a guide for a utility knife to cut a scoring line in drywall. Once the line is scored the drywall is simply “broken” along the line with a forceful snap.
Tools to Lift, Hold and Screw Drywall
A drywall jack will hold the drywall to the ceiling in jobs with or without a drywall lift. Due to compact design these will fit in areas a lift won’t (closets, etc.).
On smaller jobs or in tight spaces like closets where a drywall lift doesn’t make sense then going to a drywall jack will give you the extra hand you need. While this tool is widely used in cabinet installation as a cabinet jack there are a few that can also support the weight and height of drywall up to over 12′ ceilings.
With just a quick height adjustment with fine-tuning you can adapt it room to room to slide under the panel after it’s in place.
A collated screw gun is a must have for a large job. Due to each sheet of drywall having dozens of screws a manual method is possible, but will slow you down.
First, though, each sheet of drywall will take dozens of screws that need to be set just below the surface of the drywall.
Because you’ll need some precision with the screw depth you can use a standard cordless drill with a screw setting adapter for small jobs. But for big jobs you’ll want a collated screw gun made for the job that has built in screw depth control and the motor speed/drive setup for fast screw installation.
A drywall lift will take the heavy job of lifting drywall to the ceiling and holding it in place. And this drywall tool is a must for any ceiling installation for strain and safety.
These lifts make putting a 4×12′ by 5/8″ thick sheet of drywall on the ceiling a piece of cake. And they will also save your body a lot of pain and strain with their effortless ability to lift a 100-pound sheet of drywall to the ceiling and precisely hold it in place.
Wondering if you should buy or rent? Well, of all the tools on this list it’s one tool for a homeowner you could reasonably buy, use, and re-sell as used at a cost lower than renting one.
Best Drywall Tools to Mud and Tape
First, the best drywall tools for taping will all be stainless steel.
Since drywall mud contains water to stay flexible it will corrode any lesser grade tools almost immediately.
And, the stainless steel aside, you’ll need a set of taping knives and a mud pan.
A drywall banjo will make quick work of applying tape over the joints between sheets. The option to a banjo isn’t good (and involves manual methods) so of all the tools you’ll need to invest in, this is it.
To use, simply load the tape and mud into the machine and apply joint tape.
One of the hardest tasks in drywall is sanding drywall for a perfect finish WITHOUT a storm of dust.
First, for all but the most seasoned professional sanding is the make or break moment. Either the drywall will be perfect and the paint won’t show your work – or the imperfections in hanging and mudding will shine through.
Which is where a power sander that connects to your vacuum, contains dust and quickly smooths your wall is a great investment in time and finished product quality.
Containing Drywall Dust
From new construction to finishing your basement one of the fights you’ll have is with dust.
And lots of it once you move to the sanding phase. So how do you keep drywall dust in check? Let’s take a look at the drywall tools list that covers solutions to drywall dust control
While a dust wall doesn’t stop the tools from generating dust, it does stop the dust from leaving the rooms you are working in.
For that reason dust walls can be built to extend from the floor to the ceiling and support plastic or cloth sheeting. Then, sometimes using magnetic doors, a barrier will form as a dust barrier.
Of note, be sure to look for units that will work on smooth floors (they typically come with a suction cup) to keep the wall firmly in place. That’s a common problem on smooth, shiny concrete floors.
While a dust wall doesn’t stop the tools from generating dust, it does stop the dust from leaving the rooms you are working in.
For that reason dust walls can be built to extend from the floor to the ceiling and support plastic or cloth sheeting. Then, sometimes using magnetic doors, a barrier will form as a dust barrier.
Of note, be sure to look for units that will work on smooth floors (they typically come with a suction cup) to keep the wall firmly in place. That’s a common problem on smooth, shiny concrete floors.
While a dust barrier will contain the dust, the best option is to not let it slip off your sanders.
And, when it comes to connecting your drywall sanders to dust collection there are a range of options. But, in my opinion, with shop vacuums a commodity tool there’s not much reason to invest in overly expensive units.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the best tool to cut drywall?
There are two best tools to cut drywall. First, a utility knife is a must for scoring sheet rock. And then a jab saw is used to make cuts around outlets or doorways. While there are power saws and roto-zips with these two basic tools you can install most drywall jobs.
What is the easiest way to cut drywall?
The easiest way to cut drywall is with a t-square and a utility knife. By simply scoring the face of the drywall with a utility knife it can be cleanly “broken” and then the back trimmed to finish the cut. No saws required.
Is sheetrock the same as drywall?
Drywall is the generic name for gypsum board while Sheetrock is a specific (and popular) brand name of drywall.
Summary
While you can install drywall without the right tools, having the best drywall tools for each aspect of the job is preferred. Not only will your installation go smoother, it will result in a higher quality finish.
Lastly, while it’s up to your budget, checking the most boxes on a drywall tools list will make for a better installation.
- 14-in-1 Painter's Tool - The Paint Scrapers can be...
- Joint Knives & Taping Knives - Stainless steel...
- 12” Premium Mud Pan - Polished stainless steel...
- What You Will Get - Multi-purpose Painter'S...
- Brand Story - Goldblatt delivers high quality,...
- Package Contents - Goldblatt 7 pieces drywall...
- Blue Steel Taping Knife - The flexible stainless...
- Putty Knives & Mud Pan - Both the mud pan, the...
- Sanding Sponge - The sanding sponge are designed...
- Good Value & Good Application - This versatile...
- Basic Drywall Tool Kit:Premium stainless steel...
- Multi-functional Putty Knife:The 9-in-1 paint...
- Putty Knife&Taping Knife:Blades are made of high...
- Bucket Scoop&Mud Pan:Curved radius blade sized to...
- What You Get:1*14 inch Mud Pan,1*10 inch Taping...
- [Cost Effective] - The drywall mud tools is made...
- [Special Design] - The soft handle of the plaster...
- [Drywall Tool Kit] - The drywall hand tools...
- [Strong Flexibility] - The proper flexible blade...
- [Wide Application] -The stainless steel drywall...
- 【Quality Material, Multiple Functions】It is...
- 【Easy to Deform, Easy to Use】It is very...
- 【Wide Application】It can be used for wall...
- 【Harden Automatically】It comes with coolant...
- 【Overall Dimension】The kit contains 3 packs of...
Last update on 2023-01-10 at 10:07 / Images from Amazon
- About the Author
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Eric has been a professional woodworker for over thirty years and has worked in small cabinet shops making everything from kitchen cabinets to hand-made furniture. Now working from a home woodworking shop Eric is sharing his passion for woodworking, tool advice and how-to knowledge from his Minnesota-based woodshop.
