# Guys, I curved drywall and it was really fun



## Easy Gibson (Dec 3, 2010)

I had to bend rock around a circular table base with a 2' radius.

At first I was really annoyed about the whole thing. I followed advice of others as best I could. Got 3/8, soaked it, waited, soaked it, waited. Tried to bend it but it was obviously going to break. Kept trying until it finally did break. Dumb.

Totally over the whole thing, but I went back to the internet to seek advice.
After a run to the specialty materials supply house I had sheets of 1/4 flex rock in hand. That stuff is the jam! Did the soak trick again and dialed in our recipe a little better. It curved like a dream. We were so stoked on it we were like looking around for other stuff we could bend rock around. Tried to do the do without the water the second time but the results weren't as good so we stopped and went back to the moisture method. Nicey nice.

I'll post pics tomorrow when it's all installed.

Oh also, after we were done doing what we were supposed to, we started playing around with the 1/4" to see how tight a curve we could get out of it. Dampened, we have the stuff ringed around a 6" radius. Wild. What a product. Thanks, USG!


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## jb4211 (Jul 13, 2010)

Yep.
I did a few archways like that.

The Depots and Lowe's readily stock that (1/4") here


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## ScipioAfricanus (Sep 13, 2008)

This thread is useless with out pictures.

Andy.


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## KAP (Feb 19, 2011)

Easy Gibson said:


> I had to bend rock around a circular table base with a 2' radius.
> 
> At first I was really annoyed about the whole thing. I followed advice of others as best I could. Got 3/8, soaked it, waited, soaked it, waited. Tried to bend it but it was obviously going to break. Kept trying until it finally did break. Dumb.
> 
> ...


Rock qround a circular table base? I've never seen that before... what is the rest of the table made of?

Something you might want to consider in the future... kerfcore ... 

Fun stuff when you work with it... certainly opens up ideas and gets those juices flowing...

Pics?



EDIT: Ooops, sorry just saw the 2' radius...

.


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## mako1 (Sep 1, 2013)

ScipioAfricanus said:


> This thread is useless with out pictures.
> 
> Andy.


+1 Lets see some pics.gonna have to get some of this stuff one of these days just to play with.There are a lot of old houses in my area with arched interior doors I have done with regular 1/4 rock but this sounds like it may make my life easier next time around.


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## Spencer (Jul 6, 2005)

+1 Need pics...


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## BUTCHERMAN (Jan 19, 2008)

Someone sounds like a kid in a toy store.


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## digiconsoo (Apr 23, 2012)

BUTCHERMAN said:


> Someone sounds like a kid in a toy store.


I've never hear someone so excited about drywall before!!

It's good to see people get excited about new skills and good work.:thumbsup:


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## jb4211 (Jul 13, 2010)

For the archway, I vent mine rock over a 33 gal Brute trashcan the day before. It was dry and curved the next day, ready to install.


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## Easy Gibson (Dec 3, 2010)

Sorry, I wanted the top on before I showed anybody a picture. hah

Base is going to get a faux stucco look to match the walls in the room(day care/Sunday School area of a church). Base will be soldier course of brick veneers.

Yerp.


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## Easy Gibson (Dec 3, 2010)

For design reference, the framing was 3/4 ply plates and 2x on 6" centers. I was worried about the rock ending up looking angular instead of a smooth curve, but I'm not exaggerating when I say it was perfectly smooth. I actually bought enough to do two courses assuming it would be needed to smooth it out, but it looked magnificent with just 1/4".

Anybody wanna buy two sheets of drywall?


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## Calidecks (Nov 19, 2011)

So is 1/4" flex different than regular 1/4"?


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## Easy Gibson (Dec 3, 2010)

It says it is on the label, but I couldn't tell you why it is. We were actually trying to guess how the process of creating it could be different. Only thing I could think would be like a more granulated/airy mixture of gypsum filling that would allow it to kind of crinkle/crumble instead of snap.

The flexible stuff bends a crazy amount as is, without water. Problem is it tends to want to spring back more than if you soak it.


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## Big Shoe (Jun 16, 2008)

Californiadecks said:


> So is 1/4" flex different than regular 1/4"?


Like night and day. No wetting required.


It's called ''high flex''.


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## BUTCHERMAN (Jan 19, 2008)

Californiadecks said:


> So is 1/4" flex different than regular 1/4"?


There are also 2 types of high flex. Horizontal which most are familiar with and vertical which is somewhat of a secret. Vertical high flex you can stand up and bend in. We don't use it much but it's more incredible than the horizontal high flex. You can use it to wrap 8ft columns.


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## Calidecks (Nov 19, 2011)

BUTCHERMAN said:


> There are also 2 types of high flex. Horizontal which most are familiar with and vertical which is somewhat of a secret. Vertical high flex you can stand up and bend in. We don't use it much but it's more incredible than the horizontal high flex. You can use it to wrap 8ft columns.


It's, been many many years since I was a drywall guy.


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## Easy Gibson (Dec 3, 2010)

Butcher, do you ever wet the high flex, or was I being paranoid about screw popping at the edges? It made the curve dry, but it seemed like it really didn't want to stay there.


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## BUTCHERMAN (Jan 19, 2008)

Easy Gibson said:


> Butcher, do you ever wet the high flex, or was I being paranoid about screw popping at the edges? It made the curve dry, but it seemed like it really didn't want to stay there.


Yes, I have. I try to do it dry first (as not to separate the edges of the paper as they are prone to peeling). But there are cases where it may be necessary to wet it. Your picture is likely one of them. The board may pop depending on the screw depth. There is not much room for era with 1/4". A good idea is to use tite-bond construction adhesive. Don't sink the screws yet. Let them just protrude the surface to hold them till the glue sets up. Then sink them (you may be able to take them out, I just wouldn't). Then finish.


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## BUTCHERMAN (Jan 19, 2008)

Californiadecks said:


> It's, been many many years since I was a drywall guy.


Seems like only yesterday I was. Wait a minute, DOH!


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## Calidecks (Nov 19, 2011)

BUTCHERMAN said:


> Seems like only yesterday I was. Wait a minute, DOH!


I used to put on 12 - 15, 500 ft. Rolls of tape every day with my old man's company. He ran the gun, my brother and I wiped down behind him. He ran our peters in the dirt! This was in the late 70's. We made bank at piece price.


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## META (Apr 9, 2015)

I'd be concerned with one layer breaking if it gets hit with a foot?


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## MysticalGandy (Jul 13, 2015)

Easy Gibson said:


> Sorry, I wanted the top on before I showed anybody a picture. hah
> 
> Base is going to get a faux stucco look to match the walls in the room(day care/Sunday School area of a church). Base will be soldier course of brick veneers.
> 
> Yerp.




Looks like it turned out really well


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## Sir Mixalot (Jan 6, 2008)

Californiadecks said:


> So is 1/4" flex different than regular 1/4"?


Here's the specs on the USG 1/4" Flexible Gypsum panels:

http://www.usg.com/content/dam/USG_...ls-quarter-inch-flexible-submittal-WB2128.pdf


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## aaron_a (Dec 18, 2013)

Nice. That looks great.

I was just looking into that myself. Some guy wanted a hindu type shrine built in his house. Lots of curved parts like that, and a small curved table.

Then he told me his budget was "$500, but a little flexible" so I stopped looking into it.


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## BUTCHERMAN (Jan 19, 2008)

META said:


> I'd be concerned with one layer breaking if it gets hit with a foot?


Looking at the screw pattern, I wouldn't worry too much about it. There Is very little space between nailers. I wouldn't be surprised if it had a wiggle board backer.


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## BUTCHERMAN (Jan 19, 2008)

aaron_a said:


> Nice. That looks great.
> 
> I was just looking into that myself. Some guy wanted a hindu type shrine built in his house. Lots of curved parts like that, and a small curved table.
> 
> Then he told me his budget was "$500, but a little flexible" so I stopped looking into it.


Hey, that's good money for that. In 1910.


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## TylerThePainter (Mar 26, 2015)

Easy Gibson said:


> Sorry, I wanted the top on before I showed anybody a picture. hah
> 
> Base is going to get a faux stucco look to match the walls in the room(day care/Sunday School area of a church). Base will be soldier course of brick veneers.
> 
> Yerp.


GOOD WORK! :clap:


Now, Ill come by to prime and paint it for you! :laughing:


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