Another one of the common drywall mistakes might not be visible right away. But it will be a pain later. Avoid lining up a sheet of drywall with the edge of a door or window opening (left). Your home tends to shift and settle slightly, and that movement shows up at the corners of windows and doors. A joint at this location, even if it’s well taped, is weaker than solid drywall. Chances are it’ll crack in the future.

It’s better to notch drywall around openings rather than to make a joint. For interior walls, simply continue over the opening with a full sheet and cut out the opening after you fasten the sheet (right). Windows on exterior walls are a little trickier. Measure and notch the sheet before hanging it.

Get help when hanging notched sheets because the skinny section above the opening is often fragile. It’s OK to join sheets over an opening (and often easier if you’re working alone) as long as the joint isn’t in line with either side.

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