how far should drywall be off the floor

How Far Should Drywall Be Off the Floor?

If you’re new to hanging drywall, there are many things you need to learn, including how far should drywall be off the floor?

In general, you’ll want to keep drywall about half an inch from the ground. This allows some give for the drywall to expand and contract. It also prevents the drywall from absorbing any moisture off of the floor, which could cause the drywall to rot or mold.

And luckily, baseboards will cover the gap in between the drywall and floor. Here’s what else you should know.

Should There be a Gap Between Drywall and the Floor?

There should be a ½ inch to ⅜ inch thick gap between the sheet of drywall and the floor. This allows for natural expansion and contraction of the drywall after it’s screwed to the studs. 

If you butt your drywall up to the floor, there’s no space for expansion, and when it eventually happens, the drywall will crumble or bow. Not to mention, if drywall is touching the ground and there’s any excess moisture or leaks, the sheetrock will act as a wick and suck it all up. This can potentially lead to mold and rot.

Also, if you’ve yet to put down flooring and only have the subfloor screwed into the joists, you’ll want to leave a slightly larger gap to accommodate your flooring.

Bottom line: If you’re hanging drywall, make sure to leave about half an inch between the floor and wall before attaching the sheet of drywall to the studs.  A baseboard will cover this space, so you don’t need to worry about it being an eyesore.

How Do You Seal a Gap Between Drywall and the Floor?

filling the gap between drywall and the floor

The best way to cover the gap between drywall and the floor is to place a baseboard overtop of it. You can then run a small bead of clear silicone caulk at the top of the baseboard to seal it.

If you’re not planning on using baseboards or are worried about bugs or water entering the crack between the baseboard and wall, you can seal the gap with silicone caulk. 

Start by placing a piece of painter’s tape on the floor next to the walls that need caulking. This will create a nice, even straight line. Now fill the gap with caulk, running your finger over it to smooth it out. Dip your finger in water as needed to spread out the caulk. After you’ve caulked the gap, remove the tape for a crisp, clean line.

Is it Okay for Drywall to Touch the Floor?

When you install drywall, it should never touch the floor. This can cause the drywall panels to bow and cause molding or rotting if there are any moisture issues.

Instead, when you use drywall screws to secure the sheetrock to the studs, you should leave a half an inch gap between the floor and the bottom of the sheetrock. 

Conclusion

During drywall installation, you need to leave half an inch of space between the floor and bottom of the sheetrock when screwing it to the studs. This allows for natural expansion and contraction. If you need to add and finish your flooring, you’ll want to leave a slightly larger gap.

You can cover this space with a baseboard. If you’re not using baseboards, you can apply silicone caulk to seal the gap.