I had a small project that has developed into a total resto on our powder room.
I had to tear all the old drywall out and reframe the ceiling.
My question is that my framing for the ceiling covered the top plate of my wall studs. Do I need to add blocking between the top of studs to screw to
or will just screwing the drywall to the studs suffice? All the studs are on 16” centers.
Thanks

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I told you not to use Lifebuoy

Not an expert by any means, but I definitely would block the edges.

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Front sight and squeeze

You don't need blocking for the wall board. Make sure you have sufficient dead wood to anchor the ceiling board. Drywall is hung horizontally with no blocking for the middle seam so no blocking is needed for the wall/ceiling joint either.

I'd add in the blocking ... just shoot it to the underside of the top wall plate.

Not necessary,but with a power saw and a nail gun it wouldn’t take long

I would just hang it and tape. You should be running 5/8' rock and it will not sag on 24" centers let alone 16"

Years ago joint blocking was pretty common. Factory seamed edges are stiffer than exposed cuts. You can get away with some things as a result ... but not firestops


Here he'll have exposed cuts .. in a powder room no less. Over time moisture will start to deflect the sheet(s).
Blocking is an easy way to keep the top cut edge/corner straight.

Yeah that’s what I figured. Easier than trying to toenail into the studs.
This job is dragging on.
Just getting lazy.

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I told you not to use Lifebuoy

Put the cut at the bottom. Factory edges to the ceiling and in the middle joint. Baseboard/tile/vanity will cover the bottom cut.

Not to start a long, drawn out discussion...but fire stops in a bathroom aren't on my list of concerns.

I've (we've) been working on our "large" powder room for about 5 years now!!! My BIL "helped" me install white bead board in the room. Cutting the board length wise on the saw horses on my porch, his job was to support the sagging end of the board so the saw doesn't bind up and/or the the board doesn't crack. He held the dam end I was cutting toward. When I explained exactly what I wanted him to do. I said "listen: just support the end that is starting to droop down. Once I start a cut, I can't stop or I will never be able to start back up to make a straight cut." Okay. So now, the damned end of the card got caught on the bottom edge of the paneling. I said get the cord! Its stuck! So he unplugs the stupid thing! I lost it!!! I slammed the circular down and went in the house! We're done! That's it for today!
I've got a bad garbage disposal and he said he'd help me whenever I decide to change this one out. What the heck can he do? There's room for one person under the stupid sink.
Acorn, if you have a helper, I hope she/he can at least goes away or knows how to hold a flash light!!

No helper other than my wife.
Sometimes I wonder if she’s holding the flashlight so I can see, or so she can see.
5 Years?? Yikes. I’ve only been on mine about 2 months(and counting).

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I told you not to use Lifebuoy

He could always just get you another beer, when you ran out.
Save the wear and tear on your knees.

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I told you not to use Lifebuoy

444 Magnum ... for sure, lot's of ways to "skin the cat".

When you say "powder room" is this a simple half bath or is there a tub or shower in it as well? The configuration will determine the best way to go.

No bath or shower. Just a vanity and commode.

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I told you not to use Lifebuoy

Not talking fire stops only blocking to nail to between the suds where the wall meets the ceiling.

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I told you not to use Lifebuoy

You can probably get away without it, but blocking a small room like that isn't much extra work, so I would personally do it.

Install the ceiling first, then butt up the top side wall panels next so you have a tapered edge at the ceiling.

You don't need 5/8" fire rated board. 1/2" regular is fine. If it had a shower you would best be served with "Green Board" (moisture resistant).

If one of the walls is adjacent to an attached garage, put fire stops on any fittings that go thru your new drywall.

This is an interesting thread for me as I'm about to get "the man" in to fix all the holes created during my hot water reroute.

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Release the Kraken

Hot mud is your friend ;-)

My alternative guy getting estimates to me would be a start.

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Release the Kraken

No blocking is necessary, just attach to the studs. 16 on center you will be fine!!

If you do block just buy 2x2's. No reason to waste 2x4's unless you have them laying around.

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Front sight and squeeze

And there you have it. The simple, direct and correct answer. If you think about it you could answer your own question...a building is chock full of locations where drywall butts together where its only supported on 16'' centers with no blocking...walls and ceilings. Take a 12 x 18 room, unless you use a 18' long piece of drywall on the ceiling you will have joints without blocking. Thats what joint compound and tape is for. Or you could really impress your wife and use a nice decorative quarter round molding where the ceiling meets the wall. I would consider that if I was doing it since taping is an art and I am not an artist.

Good answer.

I can tape like an artist and it will last for years, but I can't do it fast enough to make a living at it.

The funny thing is that there are 2 kinds of DIYers. Those that will never hang, but will finish, and those that will never tape and finish but find hanging real easy.

And then there is the age old argument about nailing vs. screw and glue.

Go into any new house a year after build and see how many nail pops and joint cracks there are.

A new house will still have some settling to do, where an old re-fab probably won't move any more.

The bottom line is how much effort you want to put into it and how satisfied will you be afterwards.