Covering an old ceiling with new drywall is a big job—it requires basic drywall skills, heavy lifting, a serious time commitment and a major mess. But in some cases, it’s the smartest way to go. We ...

Hide a protruding screw (or nail) by first setting the fastener properly below the drywall’s surface and then applying two coats of easy-sand mud. Knock off a ridge of dried joint compound on a seam ...