Arkansas Drywall - Residential Exam: Step-by-Step Study Guide
Preparing for the Arkansas Drywall - Residential exam is easier one step at a time. This guide starts with the key facts from the official bulletin, then covers the topics on the exam, the reference books, sample questions with answers, and a simple way to prepare. PSI gives the exam.
Arkansas Drywall - Residential Exam Overview
Start with the facts. Here's what the official bulletin says:
| Questions | 30 questions |
| Time limit | 75 minutes |
| Passing score | 21 correct answers out of 30 scored questions |
| Books in the exam room | Open book |
On exam day
- Candidates are responsible for bringing their own references, may not bring any additional papers with them, and may bring an Internet download only if it is bound (spiral bound or hole-punched in a binder); later editions may be used except for Code books, where only the listed edition applies.
- References may be highlighted, underlined, annotated and indexed before the exam but not written in during it, and may be tabbed with permanent tabs only.
- An online calculator is provided and candidates may not bring their own calculator.
- Candidates get an on-screen calculator but may not bring their own calculator or any additional loose or attached papers with their references.
References you may bring
- Code of Federal Regulations - 29 CFR Part 1926 (OSHA), with latest available amendments
- Code of Federal Regulations - 29 CFR Part 1926 Selections by PSI, with latest available amendments
- Gypsum Construction Handbook (2014 Edition)
- International Building Code (2015)
Source: Arkansas Contractors Licensing Board - Drywall - Residential, 3/17/2020. Check the bulletin before test day: fees and rules can change.
Topics on the Arkansas Drywall - Residential Exam
Next, the content. The official content outline has 5 topics:
| Topic | Questions | Share of the exam |
|---|---|---|
| Ceilings, Acoustical Systems Materials and Installation | 8 | 27% |
| Drywall Materials and Installation | 12 | 40% |
| Taping and Finishing | 4 | 13% |
| Special Applications Including Veneer Plaster | 3 | 10% |
| OSHA Safety | 3 | 10% |
A Simple Plan to Prepare for the Arkansas Drywall - Residential Exam
Step one is the books. This is an open-book exam, so the references on the bulletin's list are what you'll work from, while you study and in the exam room. Get the editions the bulletin names.
Step two is learning your way around them. Go through each book's table of contents and index until you know where the major subjects are. You don't need to memorize the books. You need to find things in them.
Step three is marking them up. Highlight the sections you use most. The exam facts above list the bulletin's rules on tabs and markings, so follow them exactly.
Step four is timed practice. Our practice exams run on a clock, so you get used to the real exam's pace: about 2 minutes 30 seconds per question.
Along the way, give the most time to the biggest topics. Drywall Materials and Installation and Ceilings, Acoustical Systems Materials and Installation make up 67% of the exam.
The last step is consistency. Keep practicing until you pass several practice exams in a row. That's the signal you're ready.
Reference Books for the Arkansas Drywall - Residential Exam
The bulletin lists the OSHA 29 CFR Part 1926 regulations (or PSI's selections), the 2014 Gypsum Construction Handbook and the 2015 International Building Code as reference material allowed in the examination center.
Where to get them:
On Test Day
Go through the exam at a steady pace. On your first pass, answer the questions you know and bookmark the ones you don't. Every exam lets you come back to bookmarked questions.
On your second pass, return to your bookmarks one at a time. You have 75 minutes for 30 questions, which is about 2 minutes 30 seconds per question, so keep moving and don't let one question hold you up. Before you finish, answer anything you skipped. A blank can't earn a point.
Study Tips
On an open-book exam, the winners aren't the smartest people in the room — they're the fastest at finding answers. Buy the required book, practice with it open, and tab and highlight each section the first time a question sends you there. Learn the index and table of contents until you can land on any topic in seconds. That speed is what separates a pass from a fail.
Know your way around each book's index and table of contents. Open-book exams reward speed: you need to find specific items quickly.
On an open-book exam, work through every question once: answer the ones you know and skip the ones you don't. Then go back to the ones you flagged. You can bookmark questions for later review, just like on our exams — and don't sink too much time into any single question. The clock is still running.
Give yourself at least three to six weeks. Use your exam's candidate bulletin as your roadmap for what's tested, and spend your time on finding-it-fast skills over rote memorization. In practice, aim for three clean passes at 80% or higher — setting your practice bar above the real cut score gives you a comfortable margin on test day.
Practicing against a ticking clock is the best way to beat exam-clock anxiety. Use these timed tests to build your pacing, so you learn to move steadily and never burn too long on a single question. By test day, the format feels routine.
Sample Arkansas Drywall - Residential Practice Questions
Here are a few questions from our practice question bank, each with its answer and reference.
Sample 1 — Special Applications Including Veneer Plaster
Question: Cold weather is forecast during a commercial stucco application. The code requires cement plaster to be applied when the ambient temperature is higher than 40°F, unless provisions are made to keep the work above 40°F during application and for what period afterward?
- A. 24 hours
- B. 72 hours
- C. 48 hours
- D. 7 days
Correct Answer: C
IBC 2512.4 requires cement plaster to be applied when the ambient temperature is higher than 40°F unless provisions are made to keep the work above 40°F during application and for 48 hours thereafter. The same section requires plaster coats to be protected from freezing for not less than 24 hours after set has occurred.
Reference: IBC 2015 Chapter 25 — Section 2512.4 Cement Plaster
Sample 2 — OSHA Safety
Question: According to OSHA, for employers with 10 or fewer employees, how may the emergency action plan be communicated?
- A. It may be communicated orally and a written plan need not be maintained
- B. It may be communicated by email only
- C. It must always be in writing regardless of employer size
- D. It must be posted on a bulletin board at the worksite
Correct Answer: A
According to OSHA 1926 CFR 29, §1926.35(e)(3), for those employers with 10 or fewer employees the plan may be communicated orally to employees and the employer need not maintain a written plan.
Reference: OSHA 1926 CFR 29, §1926.35(e)(3)
Sample 3 — Drywall Materials and Installation
Question: You are a drywall contractor reviewing plans for a commercial office building. The architect has specified a steel-framed partition that must achieve a 1-hour fire-resistance rating using single-layer 5/8″ Firecode core gypsum panels on each side. When reviewing the UL Design U419 assembly requirements, what is the maximum allowable stud spacing?
- A. 16″ o.c.
- B. 12″ o.c.
- C. 48″ o.c.
- D. 24″ o.c.
Correct Answer: D
UL Design U419, a 1-hour rated steel stud drywall system, specifies steel studs (362S125-18 minimum) at 24″ o.c. with 5/8″ Firecode core gypsum panels on each side attached with Type S screws at 8″ o.c.
Reference: Gypsum Construction Handbook (7th ed.), Chapter 10 — One-Hour Rating, UL Design U419
Sample 4 — Ceilings, Acoustical Systems Materials and Installation
Question: What is the maximum allowable proportion between shear-resisting elements for a horizontal gypsum board diaphragm ceiling?
- A. 3:1
- B. 1½:1
- C. 2:1
- D. 1:1
Correct Answer: B
Per IBC Section 2508.5.1, the maximum allowable diaphragm proportions shall be 1½:1 between shear-resisting elements. Rotation or cantilever conditions are not permitted.
Reference: IBC 2015 Section 2508.5.1
Practicing Online vs. With a PDF
A PDF lets you read questions at your own pace. The real exam runs on a clock. Our practice exams are timed and on a screen, so you practice finding answers with the clock running. Each attempt draws a new set of questions from our bank, and your results show your score by topic, so you always know what to study next.
Your Next Step
Take the free Arkansas Drywall - Residential practice exam to see where you stand. Then study the topics that need the most attention, one at a time. For the official rules, read the exam bulletin, and see the licensing board's website.