Last Updated on October 9, 2022 by Barry Gray
I love watching home improvement shows, and I saw a great one about ceilings the other day. I was interested in this show because I moved into a mobile home that requires new ceilings. The show got me wondering: can you drywall a mobile home ceiling? I started doing research immediately, and I will share my research in this post.
You can drywall a mobile home ceiling after a few alterations to the framework of the ceiling. The thinnest drywall panels are used to ensure that the extra weight of the drywall does not cause structural damage to the mobile home. Extra supports to carry the weight are recommended by professionals.
I have found that drywall panels are a popular ceiling material lately in many homes, including mobile homes. It is mainly because of the seamless look that it gives to the ceiling. In the first part of this post, I will share my research on the suitability of various thicknesses of the drywall as the ceiling for a mobile home with you.
Mobile Home Ceilings- Drywall Thickness And Suitability
My research has indicated that not all thicknesses of drywall can be used as a ceiling for a mobile home. I will explain each different thickness and its suitability under its own sub-heading. To keep these simple statistics are based on 4-foot by 8-foot drywall sheets.
The Suitability Of 5/8” Drywall Sheet For Mobile Home Ceiling
5/8” Drywall sheets are not suggested to be used as a ceiling for a mobile home. Each 4’ by 8’ sheet weighs 74 pounds, making it way too heavy to be used as the ceiling. The thicker material also requires the use of longer fasteners, and that is another contributing factor to this thickness of drywall not being suited for the use of ceilings in a mobile home.
The suitability Of ½” Drywall Sheet For Mobile Home Ceiling
½ “ Drywall sheets are not suggested to be used as a ceiling for a mobile home. Each 4′ by 8′ sheet weighs 51 pounds, it may be lighter than the 5/8″ Drywall sheet, but the collective weight of all the sheets together still makes this an unsuitable thickness of the drywall sheet for a ceiling in a mobile home.
Suitability Of 3/8” Drywall Sheet For Mobile Home Ceiling
3/8” Drywall sheets are the second thinnest drywall sheet that is available. This is a good option to be used as a ceiling in a mobile home. it is slightly thicker than the 1/4″ option, so that makes it a perfect choice when fastening points for the ceiling is a little bit farther than normal.
Each 4’ by 8’ sheet weighs 45 pounds which is considerably lighter than the ½” and the 5/8″ options. So overall, the 3/8″ thickness of the drywall sheet makes a suitable ceiling board for a mobile home.
Suitability Of ¼” Drywall Sheet For Mobile Home Ceiling
¼” Drywall sheets are the thinnest and the lightest drywall sheet. The weight of a 4’ by 8’ sheet in this thickness is just 38 pounds. It means that this thickness of drywall sheet makes for great ceiling material inside a mobile home.
It is important to mention that the spacing of the fasteners is very important; otherwise, the ceiling will start to sag after a while.
Comparing The Suitability Based on Thickness
I decided to include a Table that compares the above thicknesses of drywall sheets to recap what was outlined in this section:
| Dimensions | Thickness | Weight | Suitable for mobile home ceiling |
| 4’ by 8’ | ¼ “ | 38 pounds | √ |
| 4’ by 8’ | 3/8” | 45 pounds | √ |
| 4’ by 8’ | ½” | 51 pounds | X |
| 4’ by 8’ | 5/8” | 74 pounds | X |
As we can see here, the first two thicknesses of the drywall sheet are suitable for being used as ceiling material inside a mobile home, but it depends on the current framework you have. It might still be necessary to reinforce the framework of the ceiling.
Planning Before Drywalling The Ceiling In A Mobile Home
I see construction fail videos on the internet every day, and the reason for these incidents is that people do not plan. So to prevent situations where ceilings collapse or ceiling fans fall from ceilings, or people get hurt from all sorts of unexpected dangers, proper planning is essential. Here are a few tips:
- Evaluate the strength and the integrity of all the load-bearing points of the timber structure that will be used to keep the drywall ceiling in place.
- Reinforce the structure if needed to ensure that the ceiling will not collapse.
- Ensure that the correct measurements are done to buy an adequate amount of material. It helps to draw a basic layout plan for the ceiling surface.
- Make a list of all the tools and other consumables that you may need to do the work; remember that a ceiling needs to be supported in place until it is fastened.
- I saw a few tutorial videos of how people support their ceilings until it is fastened, and one of them is to use wooden wedges between the floor and the ceiling. Use the correct screws or nails for this job.
- In getting a seamless look for the ceiling, it is important to use the correct tape and filler. Do not apply the filler too thick otherwise; you will have a lot of sanding work before painting the ceiling.
- Always use tools and personal protective equipment according to what the manufacturer recommends.
I also have to admit that since I started planning instead of just jumping into a task blindly, I have had a lot of success with my do-it-yourself projects. I also decided to do the ceilings in my
mobile home using these great tips. I used ¼” drywall, and I have to say that it turned out great.
Conclusion
I hope that the information in this post will also help you make the correct decisions when installing a drywall ceiling in your own mobile home. I found that it helps to ask experts when I am unsure about something.
Remember to install the correct type of drywall after making sure the structure can carry it. Use the correct tools, material, and personal protective equipment while supporting the ceiling. Spend time on the seams to get the best finish before painting and have fun using drywall for ceiling material in your mobile home.
