PLASTERBOARD

Plasterboard known as gypsum board is a well liked, easily accessible and affordable building material, naturally resistant to flames, traditionally made from white sandy occuring mineral called gypsum. It comes with an ivory paper coating, ready for direct finish and can be mounted to anything from cement block to metal or wood studs. In fact, drywall or plasterboard are the same product just described in various terms, often depending on geographical location. Moreover, the drywall sheet is durable, but it’s also easy to repair. Small kicks and scratches can easily be repaired with some simple materials such as Polycell Polyfilla. One of the advantages of using dry lining or plasterboard is that you can hide unsightly wires and utility lines and apply paint directly on to the surface without having to plaster or wait for the skim coat to dry. Often the cost of re-rendering/plastering versus a plasterboard dot and dab covering/plaster is cheaper for the plaster boarding. It is also much quicker technique as drying out time is much faster. Thicknesses of plasterboard can range between 9mm and 15mm, depending on the type of board you require. Good quality plasterboard should be able to hold around 18kg in pull out load. Most plasterboards will come with a protective plastic coating, which should be left on until you’re ready to carry out the work. Generally speaking plasterboard is inexpensive and easy to work with. They are made by well known manufactures such as British Gypsum, Knauf, Siniat and Fermacell. Its price often depends on the supplier location near your project. As of 2022 the average cost of plasterboard is £10.53 per 8x4 size board which results in £3.66 per m2. You can expect to install plasterboard to a ceiling to be in a small room for 6-12 hours, medium room: 8-12 hours and large room around 2-3 days.

PLASTERBOARDS SIZES | THICKNESSES

Popular plasterboard is available in specific thicknesses, which are contained within the UK building regulations. The boards are cut into a wide variety of sizes for different applications. Boards are usually 4 feet wide and 8 feet long, however they can vary in height. Taller boards can be used for quicker and more seamless installation on higher walls. There are 4 available heights of gypsum boards: 2.4m, 2.7m, 3m and 3.6m. The thickness of the drywall boards also varies. From as thin as 9.5mm or 12.5mm up to 15mm. The different thicknesses have different applications. The thinnest boards are best for curved walls or adding a layer to the existing drywall. If the drywall has a thickness of 9.5mm, the screws should be 32mm long. If you are looking to reduce sound or add insulation to an exterior wall, choosing thicker boards will provide the most benefit. Standard plasterboard thicknesses for ceilings are usually 9.5mm to 12.5mm, while walls can be 12.5mm to 15mm thick. Typical UK plasterboard dimensions are as follows: 2400 x 1200 x 12.5mm, 1800 x 900 x 12.5mm and 1220 x 900 x 12.5mm. Most UK ceilings are a standard height of 2.4m, so this shouldn’t be a problem for the majority of homes. Plasterboards can be awkward to handle and depending on their type and thickness weigh between 10kg and 45kg. The average time needed to install plasterboard manually is 1minute and 24sec (considered 3 workers).

Typical UK plasterboard dimensions

PLASTERBOARD PRODUCTION PROCESS

The gypsum is mixed with other additives like recycled paper pulp to create a slurry or paste. This slurry is spread in thin layers between paper or fiberglass backing. It’s then heated in a drying chamber to harden and dry. Most plasterboards are manufactured from sustainable resources and recyclable materials. Some are even manufactured out of 45 percent recycled materials and no chemicals are used.

PLASTERBOARD APPLICATIONS

Dry walling can be used in a wide variety of applications such as garage and external ceilings, internal ceilings, framing requirements, construction of curves and arches, installation of cornices, building partitions wall linings, shop and office fit-outs, museums and galleries, receptions, airports, cable or pipe encasements, bathroom and kitchen, residential dwellings or commercial buildings. It can also be used to finish an entire basement or create barriers between rooms. It is good to be used to cover an outdated ceiling to create a smooth, seamless look.

PLASTERBOARD INSTALLATION METHODS

There are 2 main techniques of fixing plasterboard to the wall. First one is the standard timber or steel frame method. This technique requires plasterboard screws, plasterboard wall plugs or other fixings in order to be ready to finish. Other techniques called 'Dot and Dab' require nothing but plasterboard adhesive. There are no physical holes left after this installation. Sheet stays originally flat with the paper coating intact. This method uses either British Gypsum Adhesive or Knauf Plasterboard Adhesive. Generally speaking, Dot & Dab methods tend to be 3 times faster to install as it takes between three and six hours to set, which means you could carry out jointing or skimming the same day. In contrast, plaster takes two to three days to dry.

PLASTERBOARD FINISH

The gypsum based boards come either square edge (SE) finish for direct plaster application or tapered edge (TE) for taping jointing finish. Tapered edge section usually measures 40-50mm on each side of the plasterboard. Last method is used to prepare a wall for decoration and is an alternative to skim coating, where the entire surface of the plasterboard is covered with a thin layer of plaster. Both types of plasterboard require jointing tape to be used to bridge the gaps between sheets of plasterboard. The plasterboard scrim tape is embedded in a jointing compound to strengthen the plasterboard joints and prevent cracks appearing later. Several coats of the compound may be applied to create a flawless appearance. The wall is then sanded smooth. It may also be textured with various techniques depending on the intended finish. The surface is then ready to be primed, painted, or whatever finishing method is selected. To sum it all up, tapered edge plasterboard should only be used if you are planning to use jointing tapes. In order to calculate how much plasterboard adhesive you will need for the dot & dab method, it is important to note that dabs have to be 50mm and 75mm wide and around 250mm long and 10mm thick. For each board, three vertical rows are required where each dab should be 6 to 8 inches below the last one. For example, one 25kg bag of plasterboard adhesive will be enough for 1,5-2 boards. Dot and dab adhesive takes between three and six hours to set, which means you could carry out jointing or skimming the same day. 

HOW TO CUT PLASTERBOARD?

To produce a professional finish, it’s essential that you make clean cuts in the plasterboard. So first thing first, lay the sheet flat on the floor and using the measurements you made previously, mark your dimensions on the board. Using a sharp knife against a straightedge or spirit level, cut through the top paper layer, but no deeper. You may find that you have to run the knife over the cut line two or three times to achieve this, so don’t try to force it on the first attempt. Lift the sheet off the floor and firmly push one side of the cut. You should find that it snaps cleanly along the line you cut. Use the knife again to cut through the paper layer on the other side. If necessary, use a plasterboard rasp to smooth any rough edges. Good practice is to cut larger pieces first and then use off-cuts to fill gaps.

PLASTERBOARD INSTALLATION GUIDE

Plasterboard can easily be installed as a simple DIY job. However, at the majority of sites observed a drill or cordless screwdriver fitted with a specialist drywall drill-bit with a pressed depth stop was used in order to correctly sink the screw and avoid damage to the board when screwing it in position.

CEILING INSTALLATION

Once your plasterboard is cut to size and ready to be fitted, stand on a ladder and lift your first piece of plasterboard up into the correct position on the ceiling. You may need someone on hand to pass you the plasterboard pieces while you’re standing on the ladder. Once you’re happy with the positioning of the plasterboard, you can knock some clout nails in to keep it in place. Around six clout nails will do for an 8‘ x 4’ plasterboard sheet. This step can prove helpful but isn't strictly necessary. Then, secure the board completely to the ceiling by adding 60mm drywall screws. Your screws should be drilled into the plasterboard and through to the ceiling. These should be positioned by the side of the clout nails that you knocked in earlier. Make sure your screws are being fed through to a joist or solid piece of timber frame to keep the plasterboard securely in place. Repeat this step across all of the ceiling, ensuring that you have someone on hand to help lift the plasterboard and hold the pieces in place as you secure them. Once your plasterboard pieces are up, check along all of them and add some extra screws in if you think it’s necessary. You may need a few extra screws for larger pieces of plasterboard just to make sure it’s completely tight against the ceiling. Once you’re happy with the number of screws in your plasterboard pieces and the whole ceiling is covered in plasterboard, the job is now complete. 

WALL INSTALLATION

Measure the width of all four walls to work out how many vertically fixed boards you will need. Start by first measuring away from a window opening. Place an off-cut of plasterboard against the window reveal and measure the full width across. Allow for an extra 10mm of adhesive that will fix the window sections to the reveal. Repeat for the other side of the window reveal. Measure the width of the other three walls. Remember to allow for the thickness of the plasterboard (12.5mm) and adhesive (10mm) where ends butt up against each other. Using a laser spirit level or plumb bob, mark a vertical plumb line from floor to ceiling. Extend the marks onto the ceiling and floor. Draw a vertical chalk line down the marked plumb line. This line will act as your guide for the first board. Continue marking the board positions across your room. Mark a line across the ceiling which is 25mm from the wall ( 12.5mm for board thickness and another 12.5mm for adhesive). As you start sticking boards to the wall, this line will help you keep the face of the board level. Use a marker spray to mark the position of the adhesive dabs 400mm apart. Mix your plasterboard adhesive according to the manufacturer’s instructions. It dries fast, so only mix enough for one board. Using a builder’s float and pointing hawk, put dabs of adhesive on the walls. The dabs should roughly be 250mm x 50mm and no thicker than 25mm. There should be lines of dabs running from top to bottom of the wall, but don’t bridge the joins between sheets of plasterboard. Lift your plasterboard into place so that it’s in line with the chalk lines on the wall and ceiling. Use a heavy batten to tap the board flat against the wall. A long piece of 50x100mm timber will be perfect to do this. Check the board is vertical with a spirit level. If not, adjust the board’s position before the adhesive dries. Make sure the board fits tight against your ceiling. If it doesn’t, lift it up with a board lifter. Repeat for the other sheets of plasterboard. It is a good practice to install both the walls and ceiling of a room. It is always best to start with the ceiling to reduce the possibility of damage later on.

PLASTERBOARD 'NEAR ME'

Wallboard range is very wide with variations of plasterboard sizes and plasterboard thicknesses to suit any construction project. Big merchants shops such as Wickes, B&Q, Selco or Travis Perkins offer low trade prices and amazing deals on bulk orders for gypsum board, moisture plasterboard, plasterboard fixings and bonding for plasterboard.

WHAT TOOLS DO I NEED TO PLASTERBOARD A CEILING?

Below is a list of tools you’ll need for a plasterboard ceiling installation:

• Stanley knife
• Sandpaper
• Drywall hammer
• Metal straight edge
• Pencil
• Workbench
• Ladder
• Hammer
• Drill

TYPES OF PLASTERBOARD

There are many different types of plasterboard and each of these is intended to be used for specific situations. Some are best for general construction needs while others are quite specialised in terms of their design and purpose. Plasterboards vary in composition and thicknesses depending on purpose such as moisture resistance, soundproofing, or fireproofing.
 

Fire resistant plasterboard is dentified by their distinctive pink colour. Fire Board which has fire resistant additives to increase the fire protection characteristics of the board. These properties enable it to meet more stringent fire performance requirements. These typically includes domestic separating walls, rooms above garages and stairwells in multi-storey properties. In commercial buildings, it is typically used to protect shafts and voids.

Note that a Fire Board cannot provide a fire rating on its own; fire resistance performance is based on complete systems such as a partition, wall or ceiling.

Benefits 

• Will provide 60 mins fire resistance from a 15mm single layer partition system.,
• Achieves Part B Building Regulations (fire).

Moisture Board is a plasterboard with moisture resistant additives in the core and liner to provide protection in humid areas such as kitchens, bathrooms and utility rooms. Water resistant drywall contains additives which are used to prevent moisture accumulation on the wall. These additives can be found in the core of the plasterboard. Installing the incorrect type of plasterboard in a bathroom or kitchen can leave it vulnerable to water damage.

For a bathroom ceiling, you should choose a plasterboard with a thickness of either 12mm or 12.5mm.

Benefits

Provides protection against moisture damage in humid areas such as kitchens & utility rooms,
No need for power tools or dust extraction simply score and snap the board,
Has liners designed to repel water and silicone additives, both of which protect against water damage.
 

Soundbloc-plasterboard installed with components which prevent the transfer of airborne sound, it is denser than a standard plasterboard and can control noise disturbance caused by TV's, home sound systems or just general day-to-day life. Designed to minimise noise transmission between rooms. This type of soundproof plasterboard tends to have a higher density than most drywalls. It helps to contain noise within a given room.

Acoustic plasterboard has a thickness of about 12.5mm which reduces the ability of noise to travel through the ceiling and walls.

In older properties, it is ideal as a ceiling between flats or as a wall lining for party walls. For any type of project it is used to control excessive noise from rooms such as home cinemas, music rooms or music studios.

The board is stronger and harder than Standard plasterboard and due to its density, is 30% heavier.

The level of noise created is measured in decibels (or dB). At 30 RwdB, normal conversation can be distinguished. At 45 RwdB, loud conversation cannot be heard and at 50 RwdB, shouting can be heard but not distinguished.

Benefits

• Cut-out noise 49 Rw dB sound insulation
• Achieve 30 minutes fire resistance from a single layer partition system
• Meets and exceeds Part E Building Regulations

Impact plasterboard is made from gypsum reinforced with wood fibre, it is stronger and harder than other plasterboards giving greater impact and pull out resistancesome walls require extra strength and durability. Areas of high footfall – such as schools, hospital and offices – are subject to both high levels of wear and tear and potential impact damage from persons or objects such as wheelchairs and pushchairs. In residential properties, a stronger board is useful in places such as hallways and playrooms or any other areas prone to the minor dents and blemishes caused by everyday life. Impact resistant plasterboard is designed to protect itself from physical damage. Its durability, strength and load bearing capacity are improved by its high density and the inclusion of various additives.

Benefits

• Meet all performance criteria with a single layer 15mm board.
• Able to support weights of up to 15kg per fixing.
• Severe duty rating under BS 5234-2:1992.
• Installed in the same way as Standard Board.
• Can be directly fixed.
• Pull-out strength means that fixtures and fittings can be easily changed.

The British Standard BS 5234 is used as a means to measure the ability of such plasterboard. Ideally, you will want to find an impact resistant plasterboard with a high rating based on these measures.

Flexible board is a strong, lightweight and flexible board for creating curved walls and ceilings.

It can be used to create imaginative spaces with great aesthetic impact or used as a simple and fast means of renovating flat walls which need a new consistently smooth finish. The core is high density gypsum reenforced with chopped strands of glass fibre.Contour Board is not
recommended to be used as a general purpose building board.

Contour Board may be cut using the ‘score and snap’ method.
No power tools are required

Benefits

• The board complies with BS EN 520:2004+A1:2009 Type D
• Provides design flexibility to create aesthetic impact
• Simple and fast way to renovating damaged walls

Insulated plasterboard is a robust and simple to install solution to increase the Thermal efficiency or U-Value of a construction.This building product consists a sheet of standard  plasterboard  and a sheet of insulating material sandwiched together into a single sheet. It can be fixed with plasterboard  screws or even adhesive, making it an easier option for some DIY tasks. High-performance insulated plasterboard is normally a sheet of 9-13mm gypsum board, backed with high-density phenolic foam. It will normally also include at least one vapour-control layer.

The thickness of insulated plasterboard used will depend on the build-up of the wall and u-value which is being targeted.

Benefits

• The ability to install Insulation Plasterboard quickly as its a two in one solution is a huge advantage. 
• Installing it brings a whole host of benefits to your home.
• Insulated Plasterboard is one of the most cost-effective insulation methods in comparison to other insulation products.
• Can be plastered with MultiFinish plaster

Safeboard is an X-ray shielding plasterboard with a barium sulphate core. It effectively and significantly reduces the amount of lead needed within X-ray shielding partitions, in many cases removing the need for lead altogether. Safeboard is installed in the same way as other plasterboards, simplying both design and installation, reducing time, labour and wasate costs when compared with a lead-lined system.

 Ideal for all applications within the healthcare sector where X-ray shielding is required. Safeboard Joint Filler is used to fill joints to complete the radiation shield

Benefits

• Ideal for radiation protection in hospitals, dental practices, veterinary surgeries, research establishments,
• Safeboard brings X-ray protection together with fire and acoustic performance in one easy-to-install board
• Simple to install as it can be scored and snapped like a standard plasterboard
• Reduces overall mass versus a similar lead lined partition whilst maintaining performance.
• Simple and spacesaving solution to a number of radiation shielding situations
• Suitable for providing radiation protection in X-ray diagnostics and low power X-ray therapy areas
• Fully tested by the Health Protection Agency
• Stable pricing compared with lead

Vapour plasterboard (vapourshield) wallboard  is a strong and versatile product. It has a dense high purity gypsum core between two high quality paper liners and with a metalised polyester film on  face.

Metallised polyester foil build in Knauf Plasterboard creates Vapour Barrier to limit any moisture diffusion. Vapour Panel is designed to be used where warm and cold elements of walls and ceilings join and water vapour control and a plasterboard lining are required in one fixing application.

Benefits

• It is ideal for lining external walls and roofs.
• Suitable for pitched roofs in loft conversions.
• Ideal choice when a vapour barrier is needed

Related articles:

HOW TO CUT PLASTERBOARD?

LEAD LINED PLASTERBOARD INSTALLATION GUIDE

Spray foam insulation – is it really that good?

Video credit:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8LaGV3V1iMU