Update: That $400 drywall lift rental was the best money I ever wasted

I had a big ceiling job in a two-story foyer, and my back just can't handle overhead work like it used to. I rented a professional lift for a week, thinking it was a crazy expense. It took me an hour to get the thing assembled and balanced right, and I felt like a sucker. But once that first 12-foot sheet went up smooth and flush, with zero muscle strain, I was sold. Anyone else have a tool they thought was overkill until they actually used it?

3 comments

3 Comments

dylan2651mo ago

Honestly, I used to think those lifts were just for pros and a total waste for a DIY guy. Tbh, I tried the old screwdriver-in-the-drill trick for drywall and thought that was good enough. After helping a friend with his lift, seeing how perfect the sheets sit with no sag, I get it now. That zero muscle strain thing is real, my shoulders don't ache for days after.

sandra_black1mo agoMost Upvoted

Renting gear for a one-off job just adds cost and hassle... a few T-braces like shane838 mentioned gets it done fine. The whole "zero strain" thing is overblown if you just take breaks.

shane8381mo ago

Man, I feel that... I did a whole garage ceiling by myself with just a couple of homemade T-braces. Never again. Rented a lift for the next room and it was like a different world, just cranking it up smooth and holding it there while I screwed it off.