Lifting Drywall

Often requested by our apprentices and-or apprentice hopefuls going through orientation is how to lift drywall. Done with proper form and ergonomics, lifting and carrying drywall or plywood or any type of sheathing... can be done easier with less effort. Resulting in a less stressful and more productful day.
This is what works for me. If you have a method that works better for you.. it might work well for others! feel free to share in the comments your experience, questions, alternatives and constructive criticisms. :)
Have a great day!

[@coolmacatrain9434]

Important point! if you're ever carrying a sheet like this on scaffolding, make sure you are on the _inside_ when carrying it, as the wind will blow you clean off the scaffolding if it catches the sheet. When you are on the inside, and the wind catches you, you can just let go of the sheet - if you're on the outside then the full width of the sheet will push you off. There have been hundreds of deaths over the years because of this.

[@breaktimetips]

Likewise.. keep your sheets weighted/secured when stored on a roof. Drywall, plywood, panels of any sort

[@jimmyb4956]

Yessir you are definitely an experienced drywaller if you carry it like that

[@KostasCreatingSustainability]

It sounds pretty simple now having seen the video Thanx

[@alenkh2430]

Thank you for the tip , that will save my back

[@Heli4213]

Wow I never thought of two hands thank you for the tip. I have to carry some twelve footers by myself everybody's sick so i'm trying to get some tips

[@jsgm43]

Thank you for your tip.

[@herrehhh4628]

Thank you for sharing!

[@marklangkamp3151]

Good job and Thanks!

[@DeuceGenius]

2 handed good technique. i dont carry plywood like that tho. especiall if youre outdoors framing. have to use one and on bottom one on top to hold it so the wind doesnt take it

[@breaktimetips]

Plywood is typically lighter. But yes outside in the wind.. two hands or a partner are a must.

[@bradleypowell5948]

I have been a drywall delivery swamper now for just over 3 months and a carpenter labourer in the past having to carry plywood and for some reason I never thought of the two hands under resting the board on your shoulder method. In the 3 months I have doing drywall deliveries I have learned a lot of useful techniques from the more experienced guys and the two hands under for sure makes carrying whatever size board a lot easier. I’m up to being able to do 8’ 5/8 fireguard pack on my own into a garage. Found out today I can also do a single sheet 14’ standard on my own. I’m very impressed with my progress in the short amount of time but some of the things the very experienced delivery swampers can do I’ll never try to replicate like there are guys out there that can do 2 or 3 packs of 12’ 5/8 fireguards on there own. HELL NO

[@breaktimetips]

Makes changing direction and rounding corners and stairs much simpler as well.

[@dannyr72]

That won't work if you end up crushing the corner I know from years experience in that trade!

[@Heli4213]

Awesome!!!

[@boohoo210]

Nice bro I'll have to try that cuz your right hands on top and bottom put spot of stress on the elbow especially with shorter arms and u have to kink your neck and back

[@dakotastorms1255]

Thank you

[@connorknox4787]

The technique is perfect

[@7628739]

Been doing it wrong all this time, show how to go down a flight of stairs

[@V4s467]

👍🏻

[@user-by6yc8yl7v]

Im 6'4", i honestly just lift the sheet into place where i want it then i use my head / hardhat to hold it in place while i put 5 or 6 screws in it

[@breaktimetips]

Careful. I know a couple that now have compressed spine issues. from years of holding sheets with their head.

[@MrSpinDaBlock]

@@breaktimetipsI’m scared this is gonna happen to me , my neck hurts from doing this . I’m 6’1 and all my work buddies are short so it’s easier for them

[@OmarGarcia-ht6is]

Thanks man I’m going to start working on this new drywall company never tried it before I heard it’s heavy job and bundles are heavy aswell so thanks for the tip kinda nervous because I’m very skinny

[@thisNthat1]

Good luck I just started at a place doing just this & omg its rough

[@bencarson2257]

Become en electrician bro. It’s easy AF

[@miguellopez1871]

@@bencarson2257 hard to get into though

[@AnthonySomes]

Not light but technique and proper leverage helps a ton.

[@nbco55]

Work the sheet, don't let it work you...Placement and leverage is everything.

[@nbco55]

I think we can all agree that they should just invent self-stocking drywall and then as an added bonus sell us the self-installing drywall.... Taping and finishing I can handle....

[@breaktimetips]

There is that robot which installs 3 sheets an hour lol 😂😂

[@vd9190]

This lazy bitch needs self installing everything

[@OnlyHereTilIEat]

Nice tip man, I'm a stocker in Ft Worth Texas and sometimes we have to take those things upstairs!

[@larryrice2654]

I always hated when someone would come into the room when I was carrying one. Thinking that they're gonna help me by grabbing the end and throwing me off balance.

[@breaktimetips]

@@larryrice2654 good way to hurt someone. Grab it when they are not ready. Always ask first.

[@ChristopherClaudioSkierka]

thanks, i will be lifing some 1 inch 8 X 4 ply next week, never done it before but its from outside yo indoor, i was just wondering if its a bit windy then what? ps how do you mange to go upstairs with it say a 8 by 4 sheet? the same process you do?

[@breaktimetips]

Essentially the same process. But more awkward do to the angle. But also depends on the stairs and it's given space

[@michaelmcaree8543]

Been doing 35 years. The second way correct but bend your knees more. 1st way never lift like that. Youll ruin your liwer back. Always bend knees when lifting anything like this even the half sheets

[@MrAllister9]

never lift a sheet like that ... put your 2 hands on top ... pull it up and put your hand under it ... simple and you dont wreck the corners

[@nbco55]

I really want to see you do that with some 5/8 12-ft sheets. That's some pretty impressive lifting.... Personally I would never make my guys do that anymore. I would make sure there's two of them on 12 ft 5/8. But I'm also nearing my 60s and been working in commercial construction for 40 years so I know the tolls and costs of doing things the strong man way...

[@justinstevenson2061]

@@nbco55 yes sir, I was always the tough guy no knee pads on the roof shingling. Carrying things like a tough guy. But you’ve got to pace yourself so you can still have an income 10 years later. You keep destroying your body you won’t be able to enjoy the money you’ve made once your older!

[@scotteklof5082]

On a commercial job a hanger can get away with smashing the corners of the board which happens when you roll the boards up like he is doing, but on residential job where the trappers opinion count, if you blow out the corners you will not get a lot of work if you lift them like he does. If you are tapping your own work you would do your best to never lift to lift them like he does. If you are a stocker and you set a corner on the ground first rather then sliding it down against the boards behind it you would be fired

[@brandenbeaver5266]

@@scotteklof5082 kinda what I was thinking

[@JFAM077]

Nice dude looks awkward but I’ll give it a shot

[@MrAllister9]

i can hear the corners SCREAMING IN PAIN from here

[@breaktimetips]

Yes, be careful of the corners! Experience and technique can keep your corners intact. (dry board helps)

[@nbco55]

Yep, just don't be a jackass and slam shit around and you can keep the corners just fine.

[@R33C3.]

I've seen people carrying it behind them resting the board on their back looked awful as fuck.

[@breaktimetips]

Ant style? Lol. I think that also be harder to transition. A 12footer would probably snap on you.

[@user-sv5tb3qw5g]

hitman tiktok

[@aniteleatevaga4182]

Is this GIB

[@breaktimetips]

GIB? This is GWB. Gypsum wall board. Or drywall.

[@jesusreyesramirez3875]

Cren qe un hombre de 50 años todavia pueda travajar en el chirroc

[@OmarGarcia-ht6is]

Por que no

[@jesusreyesramirez3875]

@@OmarGarcia-ht6is 👍

[@johnmartha7044]

Let's see you flip it to the other side ☺️ I could do it with 12s of 5\8 fireguard

[@MrAllister9]

i can lift a sheet of 12' 5/8 54" with my 2 hands on top over my head ... we should fight lol

[@nbco55]

@@MrAllister9 no fucking way would I fight you... If that's true that's some serious shit. (116lbs of unwieldy shit!)

[@scotteklof5082]

I used to partner with a short stocky dude that could lift 54" 5/8 boards like that. That was impressive. He couldn't step up on benches very well and he sure couldnt nail off top plates. I was never certain what would happen if we had tangled. We are pretty good friends though, but on a job site tempers can flare

[@breaktimetips]

Nothing like a good sparing match. But I'll keep to conserving my energy and working both smart and hard.:p

[@manueljaneiro8991]

To balance sheet it’s better to have one hand on top and the other on the bottom

[@jimmyb4956]

Way easier the way he’s doing it on your arms after 80-100 sheets in a day

[@breaktimetips]

I'll have to disagree. Plus that puts more strain on the spine. One bad step and your done. Especially with a 5/8 12x4

[@tonyguar]

lift with your laborers not with your back

[@AnthonySomes]

😂😂😂. Difference between stocking and production work

[@ichtijandrassab.7602]

One hand at the btm one at the makes it easier than u do brah

[@breaktimetips]

Circumstantial. Two hands on the bottom is better for the back and ergonomics. There are times you will need one hand bottom one hand top. It's also easier to pivot and change direction with two ands on the bottom. When possible work with a partner.

[@connorknox4787]

Nah. Two hands bottom. Only time your hand should be at the top is if lifting sheets from outside on a windy day

[@manueljaneiro8991]

Agree with you totally best way to balance it