Cutting and installing drywall is fairly straightforward and can be accomplished with only a handful of common hand tools.

However, because full panels are heavy and awkward to work with, hanging drywall is far easier with a helper.

If you're covering both ceiling and walls, install the ceiling first--wall panels will fit under the edges of the ceiling panels, helping support them.

As shown here, you can use a utility knife to make straight cuts, and a compass saw, drywall saw, or power saber saw to make curved cuts or small cutouts.

If the wall will be painted or wallpapered, you'll need to finish the joints and corners, but you may not need to hide joints on installations that serve as a backing for ceramic tile.