# Drywall lifts



## Terry Q (Jul 28, 2016)

I know that this is a woodworking forum, but I know many here do construction and remodeling, so I thought I would ask what should I look for when buying a drywall lift. Things like height capability and size of drywall panels are obvious differences, but what else should I look for? Are they all basically the same?


In woodworking there is always more then one way to accomplish something.


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## gmercer_48083 (Apr 9, 2016)

The Harbor Freight panel lift has all the bells and whistles. You can do upper walls as well as ceilings up to 11.5". It also will do vaulted ceilings. Comes apart easily for storage in 3 parts, Large wheels that spread for stable stance, and can be spidered narrow to travel thru doorways... then re expanded for use. Will handle sheet goods to 12' in length. Automatically tilts when contacting a vaulted ceiling. It has extending arms that support the panels (even if it is offset). It is a clone of the best engineered drywall lift available today.


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## shoot summ (Feb 21, 2014)

As mentioned above, the HF unit seems really popular. It's so inexpensive that a lot of folks buy it for the one time they will use it, then sell it on Craigslist. I see them a lot in my area.

Here is a thread on Garagejournal regarding lifts:

https://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=379886&highlight=drywall*lift


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## Steve Neul (Sep 2, 2011)

I also have the HF lift. Working by myself I've also used it to install heavy cabinets on a wall. The unit fully disassembles so it only takes minutes to take back apart and put back in the box for storage.


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## woodnthings (Jan 24, 2009)

*I also own H-F lift*

Can't remember what I paid for it but it saves you back and is worth every penny. Very versatile as well. :smile2:
I DO remember hanging 4 ft X 10 ft pieces of 5/8" thick on a step ladder and a "T" push bar made from a 2 x 4 on my 9.5 ft high shop ceilings..... :sad2: Good thing there were 3 of us on that project with a my GF to feed me the drywall screws.


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## Terry Q (Jul 28, 2016)

Just an update. Based on lots of recommendations from others here I bought the harbor freight panel lift.

There are better lifts out there, the most frustrating feature was having to disassemble it to fit through openings. The legs all fold together, making it impossible to narrow them to fit through opening with drywall on the lift.

The tilting of the panels is somehow more out of control than other lifts I’ve used. The hooks that are suppose to hold the panel on the lift when tilted are inconvenient and almost worthless because they don’t stay in place when positioned.

I wish I had spent my money elsewhere..


In woodworking there is always more then one way to accomplish something.


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## Steve Neul (Sep 2, 2011)

Terry Q said:


> Just an update. Based on lots of recommendations from others here I bought the harbor freight panel lift.
> 
> There are better lifts out there, the most frustrating feature was having to disassemble it to fit through openings. The legs all fold together, making it impossible to narrow them to fit through opening with drywall on the lift.
> 
> ...


Sorry, I guess I just use a lift differently. I only use one in one room at a time and I don't use it horizontally at all. I only use one to put rock on the ceiling where I leave the lift in position and lift the rock up on the lift before raising it up to the ceiling.


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## Terry Q (Jul 28, 2016)

I was drywalling hallways and two handicapped accessible bathrooms, less then eight feet square. Every piece of drywall needed to be cut to fit and placed on top of the lift to raise it up. The only way to do that was to use the tilting feature and carefully raise it up at an angle and roll the drywall into place.

The hallway was worse since it was only 42 inches wide with a slightly narrowed opening. Really would have been easier placing drywall on lift in a big room, leaving it tilted until it is slid into the hallway and raised. The harbor freight wouldn’t allow that. Needed to set up the lift in the hallway, and try to keep from tripping over the feet while you while carrying in a piece of drywall, put it on the lift by tilting the lift, then placing drywall on top and keeping it on while leveling it because hooks didn’t hold it. It was awkward.

Just saying, there are easier to use lifts. I just didn’t have enough experience to know what to look for. The harbor freight lift will work ok in big rooms, like you say. This job is all done, we made it work.


In woodworking there is always more then one way to accomplish something.


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## Steve Neul (Sep 2, 2011)

Terry Q said:


> I was drywalling hallways and two handicapped accessible bathrooms, less then eight feet square. Every piece of drywall needed to be cut to fit and placed on top of the lift to raise it up. The only way to do that was to use the tilting feature and carefully raise it up at an angle and roll the drywall into place.
> 
> The hallway was worse since it was only 42 inches wide with a slightly narrowed opening. Really would have been easier placing drywall on lift in a big room, leaving it tilted until it is slid into the hallway and raised. The harbor freight wouldn’t allow that. Needed to set up the lift in the hallway, and try to keep from tripping over the feet while you while carrying in a piece of drywall, put it on the lift by tilting the lift, then placing drywall on top and keeping it on while leveling it because hooks didn’t hold it. It was awkward.
> 
> ...


I see your point, I've never had to use a lift in that tight of quarters. Giving that circumstances I think it would have been better to have a helper and use T-posts. I bought the HF lift because more often than not I have to work by myself and I'm getting old. When I was young I used to be able to hang drywall on the ceiling by myself.


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