feild screws

brdn_drywall

generally in my parts drywall is screwed in 3 ways
1st top and bottom bevels and three in the field approximately 12" apart.
2nd top and bottom bevels and two doubled up screws in field approximately 16" apart.
3rd bottom bevel and three screws in the field approximately 14" apart with top screw 6" down floating the top of the sheet (exception being above windows and doors where top bevel is screwed).
I've always done it the third way, wondering how the rest of you screw off a sheet?

19Riggs88

I've heard of not screwing lids within 6" from the wall tops which allows the lid sheets to pull down with the walls to prevent cracking.
I haven't heard of not screwing the walls within 6" of the lids.
Wouldn't this sag the wall sheet out setting it up to crack? Or is this a better way?

brdn_drywall

actually theoredically the idea when doing this with lids is more like 12-16" but i never liked that idea alone instead builder nails in backing in-between trusses to the top plate then screw the backing on the edges of the sheets and keep your truss screws 12"s back. this stablizes the sheet a lot better with movement and no cracking,and no the top 6" of the wall floating helps with the ceiling system.

brdn_drywall

this system i described above is the same as using those dreaded drywall clips and fastening the edge of the lids to the interior walls.

19Riggs88

I gave screws a thought one time and wonder if it would be better to just put some glue on the studs and only nail or screw the perimeters? I'm sure this would not fly with some codes though.

brdn_drywall

the glue helps for screw-pops, but if you screw or nail perimeters this would have no help to corners cracking ceiling to wall.