"JB" wrote in message
ups.com...
As part of a kitchen remodling job, I removed a non-load bearing wall
(wall is parallel to joists). After taking out the 2x3 top plate, I
now have a gap in the ceiling drywall that measures about 4" wide x 8'
long. Should I simply fill in that space with a narrow strip of
drywall or cut back good drywall 16" on both sides to the next joist
to make it a larger piece?? The advantage of keeping it narrow is
that I will probably end up with only one seam after several coats of
mud rather than 2.

--Jeff

The answer may depend partially on what type of finish you are going to have
on the ceiling.

Recently I watched a drywall expert patch holes similar to yours (but not
nearly as long) by cutting the back of the wallboard to the dimensions
needed to fill the gap cutting through the back and the gypsum filler, but
not the face paper, then carefully tearing the face of the wallboard patch
in a ragged fashion about an inch or two larger than the actual patch and
carefully scraping all of the gypsum off the extended paper face. Then he
put the patch into the hole, with the ragged face keeping everything at the
right depth. Instead of using tape, he mudded over the thin paper face,
with the result that there were no straight lines or seams and the ragged
edges were invisible under the knock-down texture on the ceiling.

It was a neat solution which I copied later -- it's easy to do and gives a
good result.