Some of the best innovations in our industry have come from people who were in a particular trade and recognized a need. Mark Martinez is a perfect example, with his Martinez Hammers. Now, Myron Ferguson, a drywall and home performance contractor, has helped develop a new product for drywall contractors. Ferguson, who is also a 4th generation builder, has been hanging drywall for nearly 30 years, and teaching it for almost as long. On January 1st of 2019, he’ll be helping launch a new drywall hanging lift that is multi-functional. It allows you to transport, lift, adjust, and hold drywall panel in place while you install it on a wall. 

Hang Sheets Solo 

Made of heavy gauge steel with a powder coated finish, the HangPro Drywall Lift makes it possible for one person to load and hang up to a 16’ long sheet of 1/2” drywall on a wall. The unit, which also can be broken down for easier transport, features large rubber wheels, a heavy-duty auto-locking winch, and works for walls up to 10’ tall. 

I actually used an early prototype of this lift and i have to say, I was extremely impressed with the design and overall functionality of this tool. I hung 20 sheets of 14’ drywall solo. You simply roll the lift over to the middle of a sheet and load the sheet onto it. Loading the sheet onto it is as simple as tipping the sheet up six inches; that’s as much as you have to touch it. 

Once it’s loaded onto the lift’s lip, you can roll the sheet forward or backward, and even sideways thanks to two smaller wheels in front of the lift. It allows you to move the sheet through doorways. With the sheet loaded onto the cart, you roll it into position, turn the winch’s handle to get it to the right height. 

Because the winch is self-locking, as soon as you let go you can begin hanging the sheet without an extra hand. The video below does a much better job illustrating how it functions than I can in words. In addition to drywall, the lift also works with other sheet goods like plywood, OSB, and wood panels. Available January 1, 2019