Tried using a drywall lift by myself on a 12-foot ceiling job yesterday and it nearly tipped over on me

I thought I could save time by not calling my buddy for help, but that 4x12 sheet caught a gust of wind through the open garage door and I spent 20 minutes wrestling it back onto the lift with just my knee and a prayer - has anyone else almost lost a sheet to a random breeze?

3 comments

3 Comments

paige3311mo ago

Respectfully, that's more of a setup issue than a wind problem. A 12-foot sheet on a standard drywall lift should have enough weight and footprint to handle a breeze through an open garage door if you brace it right. I always throw a sandbag or a heavy toolbox on the lift base before raising anything, and I keep the sheet angled slightly into the wind whenever possible. You also should have closed that garage door before starting, because a 4x12 is basically a sail. Calling your buddy would have helped, but locking down the lift and controlling your environment would have saved you that 20-minute wrestling match.

lee8471mo ago

Has anyone actually tried lifting a 12-footer in a stiff breeze without sandbags on a stock lift?

miles_hall1mo ago

Same thing happened to me last month except it was a light drizzle coming through the window and I ended up basically hugging the sheet like it was my prom date while the lift wobbled like a drunk uncle. Learned that lesson fast. @lee847 nailed it with the sandbag tip I wish I had known before I invented a new yoga pose called "drywall savasana.