Business Category: Quality / Industrial Category: Construction

Drywall General Inspection Checklist

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This checklist guides inspectors in evaluating drywall installation. Use it to identify observations such as misaligned holes for electrical boxes, drywall screws driven too deep, and other non-conforming items.

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Drywall General Inspection Checklist
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How to Use This Checklist

  • Confirm the approved permit and plans are on the site and check that the required mandatory inspections are signed. Verify gas and electrical services are shut off where they are not safe. Clear debris from the basement before you begin the detailed review.
  • For each gypsum shear wall, confirm it is installed in line with the approved plans and the applicable shear wall bracing requirements. Check that board ends break on framing rather than spanning open bays.
  • Verify shaft openings and receptacle openings. The maximum electrical box setback from the face of the drywall is 2.5 cm, and no lateral gap greater than 5 cm from the electrical box is acceptable.
  • Confirm joints are staggered across opposite sides of the framing members, that the ceiling drywall meets the wall board edge in accordance with the gypsum association guidance, and that boards run perpendicular to the framing members.
  • Check that every fastener is of a type approved for gypsum board. Screws should be type W or S for gypsum board unless noted otherwise, and long enough to penetrate at least 15 mm into wood and 9 mm into steel.
  • Measure the fastening pattern. Wall nailing is 2 cm on centre at the ends and in the field; ceiling nailing is 1.7 cm on centre at the ends and in the field. Wall screwing is 4 cm for framing spaced 4 cm on centre and 3 cm for framing spaced 6 cm on centre. Ceiling screwing is 3 cm on centre for framing spaced 4 or 6 cm on centre.
  • Record the findings against each item and sign off. Note the finished time as well as the actual inspection start and end times, and use the answer set of Oui, Non, or NA to mark each line so the record is consistent.

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Introduction

This checklist helps you evaluate drywall installation and record the observations that matter before the work is closed up. It walks through the site conditions, the framing, the drywall requirements, the fasteners and a general inspection.

Frequently Asked Questions

Drywall defects rarely announce themselves later. Fasteners set too deep break the paper face and hold nothing. Boxes set too far back leave gaps that are awkward to finish and can compromise the wall's fire or sound performance. Catching these items before the joints are taped and the surface is finished means they can still be corrected, and it keeps the work in line with the approved plans, the approved permit, and the gypsum wall bracing requirements the inspection checks against.

No. The inspection assumes gas and electrical services have been shut off where they are not safe. Confirm that first — before you assess framing, fastening, or board placement — so the areas you need to reach can be examined safely.

The checklist covers more than whether the board is hung. It asks you to confirm the approved permit and plans are on site and that required inspections are signed off; that debris is cleared from the basement; that gypsum shear walls are installed per the approved plans and the shear wall bracing requirements; and that board ends break on framing. From there it moves to setting of boxes and alignment of joints, board orientation, fastener type and length, and the fastening pattern on walls and ceilings for the given framing spacing.

Check that the wall finish line is plumb before installation. Confirm the board is oriented as specified for the wall, keep the joints staggered across opposite sides of the framing members, and where a ceiling meets a wall, follow the board manufacturer's guidance for the edge. Break board ends on framing rather than in open spans.

It is an inspection aid, not a substitute for the project documents. Where the checklist refers to approved plans, permit documents, or gypsum association guidance, those are the sources that govern. Use the checklist to record what you observe and to make sure every stage is looked at in the same order each time.
Arne Reis
Written by
Arne Reis
Founder

Process optimizer with 25 years of expertise, focused on operational excellence in quality, maintenance, EHS, and commissioning. Emphasizes innovative solutions and top-quality standards.

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