Drywall: Hanging and Taping: Professional Techniques for Great Results [With DVD]

I noticed that the 3rd Edition of this book has a copyright date of 2008 and the cover of the book notes that it is completely revised and updated. Any review written before 2008 is almost certainly for the second edition. The 3rd edition is a reasonably hefty 210 pages of content; it is printed on nice paper, is nicely organised, and has an index. I am an experienced do-it-yourselfer and bought this book to get an update on the latest corner beads made of vinyl and some made of metal and paper. I also wanted a little more knowledge on available types of drywall and joint compounds. This book is very comprehensive and covers drywall techniques, tools, and materials. Consistent with the reviews of the earlier edition(s), this book focuses almost exclusively on drywall (which is also consistent with its title). There is a section on soundproofing which I believe is very useful. I would rate this book as a must read for anyone who wishes to learn about drywall techniques. The text is clear and there are many photographs to illustrate the points that the author is making. I would have liked it if the author covered skip troweling but this is a little tricky to learn from a book (so this omission did not bother me much). I already had a good amount of knowledge about drywall and this book has given me another step up in knowledge. I am completely satisfied with this book.

It helps to know some basics about construction and drywall work to get the most out of this book. That said, it is a very well presented, comprehensive how-to guide for hanging and finishing drywall. There is good information on materials and a professional approach to technique, with emphasis on the details and getting it right. This book does not talk about shortcuts or taking the easy way, but tells it like it is when it comes to drywall finishing. Very useful and highly recommended.

This book is very comprehensive. I noticed one reviewer said that the book was good for a beginner but lacked information. I disagree. I feel as though the book has plenty of information, except for the use of furring strips when studs or joist do not line up. All that is done is the furring strip is stapled to the joist which is higher than the other joist, or if only one is lower than the other joist (this refers to joist/beams in the ceiling which are similier to studs in a wall, so if your working on a wall and need to apply this information just pretend that the wall your facing is a ceiling above your head). For me the book covers more than enough information and I have been drywalling in residential construction. I got this book to help me learn quicker so my first attempts would be high quality. However, this book works great even for one who knows nothing about drywalling. The last think I have to say about this book is that it does NOT cover insulation. It is only about drywalling and texturing.

I've had this book for some time now and have been doing various drywall projects around the house, including crack repair, patches and even replacing a full panel. I found that by following the instructions in this book, and by taking great care to work neatly, all of my repairs are invisible. There is no way I could have done it so well without the help of Mr. Ferguson's book.I have a handful of drywall books but this one comes out tops and therefore I highly recommend it.

Go ahead, take a tour of my house. You will be able to tell which walls I did before I bought this book and which ones were done professionally after I bought it. No question, if you are a mud-smearing homeowner like me and can't stand to pay someone to do it right, this book will help. You still have to pay attention and do it just like he says. I'm very satisfied and can't stand it when people borrow my copy so they can see how to do drywall like me.