You have moved into a pre-owned apartment. Although it looks spacious, it bears a worn-down look. Fixing the drywall could do the trick. Again, the construction of your long-desired book joint is over. But now, it needs a trendy looking interior to start the basics in style. The drywall needs to be on point. So, all you need to know about the drywall screw gun, and you must know about it well.
After expanding your business, you need to grow your office space as well. The extra storage room looks good enough, but the interior is too shabby and old. Fixing and redecorating the drywall would solve the problem.
So, drywall is an essential part of the interior look, feel, and design of your property.
But, in all the above scenarios, one problem still remains. Imagine striking a single nail at a specific point with a hammer until it reaches a desirable depth. Now, imagine doing this with thousands of nails. A bit of a problem isn’t it!
Here, a drywall screw gun comes in to save the day. A tool, which essentially reduces half of the effort needed to hang drywall inside your property. It’s quite simple to get the hang of and saves you quite a bit of money.
What is Drywall?
In earlier days, the construction of walls and ceilings took time and patience, and it would cost more. Layers upon layer of plaster would you would add on wooden strips, and once the plaster was hardened, the wall would be completed. As you can imagine, it was a tedious and inefficient process.
After the invention of drywall, which is essentially an improved construction material for walls and ceilings, designing interiors became much easier.
Invented in the early 1900s, drywall, also known as wallboard, or plasterboard, or gypsum board, was used to replace the traditional wooden strips. Installing is just as easy, where one can do it as a DIY activity. The board needs to be hung up using screws.
Just when drilling a thousand screws with your hand and a hammer or a standard power drill can look like an enormous task, a drywall screw gun can make things easier.
What is a Drywall Screw Gun?
It is a specialized tool that is used only for driving screws through drywall, unlike a standard power drill that you can only use to bore holes with no way to specify the depth of the hole. It offers more precision, and hence it is often preferred by carpenters over the traditional power drills.
Differences between a Standard Power Drill and a Drywall Screw Gun
Drywall screw guns and standard drills can appear very similar. Product specifications are usually filled with technical jargon and are rarely straightforward.
- As versatile a traditional power drill may be, it lacks precision when it comes to drilling into drywall. A regular drill struggles when it comes to drilling a lot of screws in sequence at a specific depth.
- A regular drill can drive a screw too deep inside the drywall, which can compromise the integrity of the board.
- Using the same amount of power, a screw gun has nearly twice the speed of a regular power drill. Consequently, it has much lower torque and hence offers more control for you to drive the screws at proper depths.
- Some high-end models come with self-feeding belts, which saves you from adding a new screw manually after individual drills. Regular power drills offer no such capabilities.
Working Mechanics
To use a drywall screw gun, one must understand how it works. The three main components of a drywall screw gun are the motor, the clutch, and the nose cone, the adjustable head section. The nose helps determine the depth at which the screw must go in and stops after reaching the desired depth. This is the first step that the user has to do – adjust the correct depth of the gun’s nose.
The next step would be similar to that of a traditional drill. With the screw attached to the nose, The nose needs a direction to the spot where the screws should go in with the screw attached to the nose. The user would then need to press the clutch. The gun drills the screw into the drywall. As it reaches the specific depth, the clutch disengages, the motor stops, and the screw is drilled in. You need to repeat this.
Safety Precautions while Handling a Screw Gun
Handling any kind of machinery calls for precautionary measures to be taken into account in order to avoid accidents and injuries.
Electrical Safety
A screw gun runs on electricity, and it is necessary to follow every safety measure associated with handling a piece of electrical equipment. One should avoid water contact while handling a screw gun.
One must regularly check the cords for signs of tear or any open wirings. Also, an earthed and stable power source must be ensured while using the screw gun. This will not only ensure safety but will also provide the efficiency and longevity of your tool.
Individual Safety
One must wear working glasses to avoid dust, screws, iron filings, etc. from getting into the eyes while working. Using a pair of well-fitted gloves are also advisable, which can save you from occasional pricks or cuts.
Environmental Safety
A screw gun, you must use in a clean and dry environment. Using a screw gun while standing on a wet or slippery floor could cause the gun to fall, while operational, which may lead to serious injuries. Also, the area of work should be well-lit. The screw gun must be kept away from children’s reach.
Conclusion
Putting up drywall is one of the most essential activities in interior architectural design. It is probably the last level of construction activity involved in building your home, office space, supermarket, etc. and yet, it could be quite rewarding.
While performing an architectural activity yourself can sound quite daunting, it has actually become quite simple because of the availability of specialized tools such as a drywall screw gun. Not only does it ensure efficiency and cost-cutting in the entire procedure, but it also allows you to be more creative with interior designs due to the lesser time and effort.
As with any tool, one needs a bit of practice before mastering it. Also, spending some time on this activity will help you get a better understanding of the depth adjustments required and getting the technique right. Go get those dream interiors now!
You may find it interesting to learn how a drywall screw gun work.
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