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The two most common drywall thicknesses for ceilings are 1/2-inch and 5/8-inch. For most standard residential applications, 1/2-inch drywall is sufficient and widely used. It provides adequate support and is lighter and easier to handle during installation compared to thicker sheets. However, 5/8-inch drywall is often used for specific cases where additional benefits are needed. It is heavier but provides superior sound dampening and fire resistance. You should consider using 5/8-inch drywall for ceilings in commercial buildings, between a garage and a living space, or above a finished basement to meet building codes or for enhanced soundproofing.

Drywall can get wet and dry out without sustaining permanent damage, but only if the water damage is minor. If you have a small leak and are quick to correct the issue and set up blower fans and dehumidifiers, your drywall should dry out. If the leak is persistent, the drywall becomes totally waterlogged, or mold begins forming on the drywall, you should remove and replace it.

A common cause of separation between a wall and the ceiling is truss lift—this can happen to the ceiling of rooms directly under the attic when the seasons change and wood building materials dry out, shrink, and shift. Roof trusses often dry out at different speeds, and if the bottom pieces dry out faster than the top pieces, they can shrink and pull the attached drywall away from ceilings and walls, causing cracks. Fortunately, truss lift is only a cosmetic problem, not a structural problem, and you can fix it by separating the ceiling drywall from the roof trusses, and patching the cracks.

Whether a drywall anchor can be reused depends on its material, type, and the method of removal. Plastic anchors, including expansion and self-drilling types, are generally designed for single use as they tend to break or deform upon removal. Metal anchors, such as toggle bolts, are more durable and may be reusable if they are not damaged during extraction. However, with toggle bolts, the toggle piece can fall into the wall cavity when the bolt is removed, making it difficult to retrieve. If an anchor is damaged during removal, for instance by having its head cut off, it cannot be reused regardless of the material.