Drywall hoists are devices used in construction to hold and position drywall sheets for installation on walls or ceilings. They save labor and come in light and heavy grades. Drywall is a plaster layer between two thick paper sheets used to make walls and ceilings, but it is heavy and awkward to work with. Drywall hoists have three components: a pad, a shaft, and a base. They are portable and can handle one sheet at a time.
A drywall hoist is a device used in construction that securely holds a sheet of drywall and can be used to position it for installation on a wall or ceiling. Promoted as a helper-free DIY hanging drywall aid tool, many construction crews use drywall hoists because they save labor. Usually made of steel or aluminum, most drywall hoists are manually operated, although electric models are available.
The introduction of drywall to the construction industry was revolutionary because it reduced the time it takes to create a paint-ready wall from a week or so to a day or two. A standard size drywall sheet is a layer of plaster pressed between two sheets of very thick paper. It is used around the world and called by many names, such as drywall, Sheetrock, gypsum plasterboard and Gyproc. It is attached to a wooden or metal frame to make walls and ceilings. The most common size is 4 feet wide by 8 feet long by ½ inch thick (1.22m x 2.44m x 1.27cm).
One of its major drawbacks, however, is that at around 70 pounds (32 kg), it’s quite heavy and a bit awkward to work with. For a person who works alone, it is very difficult to place and install it on the wall, and ceiling installation is almost impossible. The problem of dealing with this heavy and awkward material has led to the development of the drywall hoist, which allows a single user to lift and position a sheet of drywall for ceiling installation.
There are three major components in a drywall hoist: an assembly called a pad that clamps the sheet of drywall, a shaft that the pad is mounted to, and a base. The pad is the part of the hoist that holds the drywall securely as it is being lifted and placed; it should be adjustable to accommodate different lengths, widths, and thicknesses of drywall. The mast is a telescopic construction which is extended or closed by means of an internally contained winch; extending and lowering the rod raises and lowers the pad. The base is a three-point assembly with heavy-duty wheels that can be easily rolled on a construction site. Despite its sturdy construction and portability, a drywall hoist is only meant to handle a single sheet of drywall at a time and can be damaged if used to move multiple sheets.
Drywall hoists usually come in two grades, light and heavy. Lightweight drywall dumbwaiters are primarily designed for residential renovation and are more often rented from home improvement centers than purchased. They typically do not extend beyond 11 feet (3.35 m). Heavy-duty hoists are intended for more continuous use and have larger capacities. For example, their pads can typically be raised to 16 feet (4.88 m); this requires their bases to be larger and heavier due to the high center of gravity at full extension.
Protect your devices with Threat Protection by NordVPN
