Do-it-yourself plasterboard walls: sheathing, building a partition step by step, photo, video

The main task of repair in most houses and apartments is to bring the walls back to normal. Indeed, a couple of decades ago, almost no one thought about perfectly even walls. Aligned on the principle of “at least somehow.” You can correct the situation according to all the rules: knock down the old plaster and completely plaster over the lighthouses. This is correct and reliable. But long, dirty, expensive. It is easier to use the so-called dry methods: to level the surface of the wall with drywall (gypsum plasterboard). The second task that often has to be solved during the repair process is redevelopment. We remove old partitions, put new ones. New interior and decorative partitions are also made using drywall. How to align and install drywall walls with your own hands and we will tell in the article.

How to sheathe walls with drywall

To begin with, consider the case when you need to level the surface of existing walls. There are three options for attaching drywall to walls:

1. 1. On a frame made of galvanized profiles. Allows you to get the perfect surface for any curvature. Profiles are attached to special clamps. A frame is assembled from them – racks and jumpers – the front part of which lies in the same plane. Since the drywall is located at a decent distance from the main wall, communications and electrical wiring can be laid between it and the wall. Another plus of this option is the possibility of laying insulation or sound insulation. The minus of the profile frame is that without insulation it conducts sounds very well: if you hit the wall sheathing, the sound is like a drum.
      

   2. On a wooden frame. It is assembled according to a similar principle – from racks and jumpers, but is attached directly to the wall. Too large differences are more difficult to compensate: you will first have to look for the most protruding parts of the wall. Then there are two options: the first is to focus on them, placing additional bars everywhere, the second is to try to reduce the difference by cutting off the most protruding parts. The main disadvantage of mounting on wooden bars is that if you use them that are not dry enough (with a humidity above 15-20%), they can “lead” when dried, which will cause the entire structure to warp. There is also the possibility of damage to wood by pests or fungi. Despite this, in some regions this method is more popular, since their prices for lumber are lower than for profiles.
      

   3. Installation of sheets directly on the wall. This is the installation of drywall on glue. They use special mixtures or something like “liquid nails”. This method is available if the walls are relatively even – with a difference of no more than 2-3 cm. Glue is applied to the surface of the sheet or wall (in strips if the wall is almost even and in heaps if there are differences), then the sheet is put in place, leveled, fixed with wedges and supports.

The latest technology – installing drywall on glue – is the fastest, but it also has drawbacks. The first is that not everywhere there is glue under the finish, so hanging cabinets on such a wall is problematic. If you plan to fasten something to the wall in advance, lay a continuous layer of glue at this height or install a mortgage beam, which will also be an additional beacon when setting the sheet level. Then the problem will be solved. Another disadvantage is that there are small differences. That is, the surface turns out to be imperfect. There is a difference of 2-3 mm. Between the “pieces” of glue, the sheet bends slightly. However, it’s not a bad way to quickly level a wall.

For more information on how to glue drywall on the wall, see the video.

Fastening to the frame

Since no fasteners are needed when gluing drywall to the wall, we will talk about the frame and mostly metal. The rules for fastening to wood are the same, just use self-tapping screws for wood.

GKL dimensions and purpose

A few words about what sizes the sheets are and how to put drywall on the walls. The standard dimensions are as follows: the width is always 1,2 m, the height is 2,5 and 3 meters. Sometimes there is a “non-standard” of shorter length: it is easier to work with small ones, but more seams are obtained, which then have to be sealed. GKL thickness:

• 12,5 mm – universal material for walls and ceilings;
• 6 mm and 9 mm for curved surfaces.

It is often said that 9 mm sheets are ceiling. But manufacturers do not have such recommendations. Any of the manufacturers positions thin sheets as those used for finishing curved surfaces.

Bevels are made along the long edges of the sheet. They are needed so that the joint can be glued with reinforcing tape and sealed with putty. It is the side where there is a bevel that is the front. It is deployed inside the room.

How to dock

If you need to join the sheets in height, arrange the joints so that you do not get a long longitudinal line. They say that the sheets are laid apart or with a shift. At the same time, it is desirable that the displacement be at least 40-60 cm. Long joints are the most likely places for cracks to appear. By shifting the seam, you will get rid of cracks with almost 100% probability (see the figure for an example of laying sheets).

If the wall is sheathed with two layers of drywall, then the vertical seams also move. The sheet located on top should be installed so that the junction of the bottom one falls on its middle (shift by half the width – 60 cm).

What to fasten and with what step

During installation, the sheet is pressed against the frame and fixed with a screwdriver and special self-tapping screws with flat heads. If the frame is assembled from metal, take TN25 self-tapping screws (3,5×25 mm). In stores, they are called “for drywall”. Length – 25 mm, color – black (more likely to break) or white. For a frame made of wood, they are selected close in size with the flattest head: there will be less putty.

It is important to tighten the fasteners to the desired depth during installation: the cap must be recessed into the sheet, but the cardboard must not tear. It is also necessary that the self-tapping screw be installed strictly perpendicular to the plane of the sheet: there is less chance of damaging the cardboard layer, which in this design is responsible for rigidity.

To learn how to simplify the work and make sure that the screw goes to the desired depth, watch the video.

When assembling the frame on a solid wall, the distance between the posts must be at least 60 cm. Then it turns out that each sheet is attached to three vertical profiles: two along the edges and one in the middle. In this case, the edge of the sheet falls on the middle of the profile.

Stepping back from the edge of 10-12 mm, screws are screwed in. They can be placed, as in the figure above, one opposite the other, or they can be offset, as in the figure below. The installation step is 250-300 mm. Mounted around the perimeter and along the middle profile.

Another important point: when cutting sheets, keep in mind that its height should be 10-12 mm shorter than the height from floor to ceiling. This is necessary in case of shrinkage: so that the wall or partition has the ability to compensate for the change in height without cracks (especially true for wooden and panel houses).

These are, perhaps, all the main points of working with drywall (excluding the features of installing profiles).

Plasterboard partition

Installing the partition is somewhat more difficult, so we will describe the process step by step with a photo.

Layout

First mark the place of installation of the partition. The easiest way to do this is with a laser plane builder (laser level). This line is applied to the walls, floor and ceiling.

If there is no laser level, you will have to use the usual construction (good quality) and a plumb line. First, mark the line on the floor – this is the easiest. Then, using a level, transfer it to the walls. If both lines on the walls are vertical, the line connecting them must be exactly above the line on the floor. Like it or not, you can check with a plumb line, lowering it from the mark on the ceiling to the floor line.

It is necessary to achieve a perfect match – the quality of all work depends on this.

Assembling the frame

We will consider the assembly of the frame from galvanized profiles. Guide profiles are installed along the marked line on the floor and ceiling. It is marked UW or PN – bearing profile. They are most often fastened with dowels – 6 * 40 mm or 6 * 60 mm, the distance between two dowels is 30-40 cm.

PN-profile has a standard depth (wall height) – 40 mm, but can be of different widths 50 mm, 75 mm or 100 mm. The thickness of the partition depends on the width of the supporting profile, as well as how thick the insulation and / or soundproofing material can be laid there.

Bearing racks are inserted into the guide profiles. They are labeled CW or PS – rack-mount profile. It differs from the guide by the presence of additional shelves on the walls. These shelves make it more rigid, increasing the load-bearing capacity. The width of the rack profiles depends on the width of the carriers: they must be the same. That is, the racks must be the same width. It is between them that a heater is then installed.

Racks to the rails are attached in two ways. The first is used mainly by professional builders. They work with a cutter – a special tool that breaks through and bends metal to the sides, holding two parts together. Amateur builders, when working with drywall on their own, attach to “fleas” (also called bugs and seeds) – small self-tapping screws with a screw at the bottom – TEX 9,5 (3,5 * 9,5 mm). They drill the metal themselves, speeding up the assembly process (no need to drill holes). Racks are fixed on each side with at least two self-tapping screws.

One point: if you put a partition in a high-rise building or on the first floor of your house, then put a special film or some kind of material between the junction of the rack and the ceiling rail, which will prevent creaking. When people walk, there are vibrations that are transmitted to the profiles, because of which they rub and creak. The second option is to make the racks 1 cm shorter. It is more correct: the shrinkage of the house is provided and there are no unpleasant sounds.

Rack spacing is 60 cm or less. This distance is due to the width of the drywall sheet (drywall), which is standardly 120 cm. As mentioned earlier, it turns out that each sheet is attached to three racks. So it turns out that there should be 60 cm between the verticals.

If the gap between two posts is more than 60 cm, but less than 120 cm, a vertical profile is still placed between them in the middle, otherwise this section will “bump” – the sheet will stagger and sag. Another point: the first rack is attached to the wall a little closer – the first sheet will be attached to the entire plane of the extreme profile, therefore the distance should be slightly less – 57,5 cm.

It is advisable to strengthen the profiles to which doors or windows will be attached. The easiest way to do this is with a wooden block of a suitable size. It is inserted inside, and attached to a pair of self-tapping screws. You need to use dry wood so that the beam does not twist.

After all the racks are exposed and fixed, the structures are given greater rigidity with the help of jumpers – horizontally installed pieces of rack profiles. They are made in one of the three ways suggested in the photo. The third option is the easiest to manufacture and easy to install.

Jumpers are usually located at the height where two sheets will be joined. Their edges are necessarily fixed, so jumpers are necessary there. For the rest – in increments of 60-80 cm. If the wall is large – put it in 60 cm, if it is small, 80 cm is enough. Crossbars are required above the doorway: at the height of the door frame. It is also desirable to strengthen them by putting a wooden block inside.

Laying communications

After installing all the crossbars, you can start laying communications and electrical wiring. It is desirable to mount all electrical wires in a corrugated sleeve. If you put a partition in a wooden house or on a wooden frame, it must be metal. In houses made of non-combustible materials, in plasterboard walls on a galvanized steel frame, it is allowed to use plastic corrugated hoses from non-combustible raw materials (there is a “NG” mark).

Plasterboard sheathing and heat/sound insulation

After laying communications, they begin to install drywall sheets. They are mounted in the same way as when sheathing. Do-it-yourself plasterboard wall sheathing begins on one side. Then, on the other hand, a heater and / or a sound insulator are installed between the profiles (bars) of the frame. After its installation, the GKL wall is sewn up on the other side.

Insulation for walls and partitions made of drywall use the usual:

• Mineral wool. This is glass wool, slag wool or stone wool (better – basalt). The most environmentally friendly – without formaldehyde – bsalt mats. It is easier to work with them than with glass wool – no means of protecting the skin and respiratory tract are needed, they are less afraid of moisture than slag wool, they are easy to cut and hold well by surprise, without additional fasteners due to their high density. Their disadvantage is the high price. The cheapest of these heaters is slag wool, the average price is glass wool, and stone is the most expensive.
  

• Styrofoam. To obtain good characteristics in terms of sound and heat insulation, a layer of 5-7 cm is sufficient (density from 35 kg / m³). It is cheap, easy to install, retains heat well and conducts sound poorly. The disadvantage is that rodents love it and when burned, it releases toxic substances.
• Styrofoam. One of the types of foam. It features a closed cell shape, due to which it has even better characteristics: it is denser, has excellent heat-insulating properties and dampens sounds well, rodents do not like it, fungi do not develop on it. Cut with a hacksaw, can be installed by surprise. Does not support combustion. Minus – high price.

In principle, it is possible to use other heaters, but the ones listed are the most popular.

How to cut drywall

When making drywall walls with your own hands, you will have to cut sheets: they do not always become whole. To do this, you will only need a sharp clerical knife (for paper), a long, even object – a ruler, board, beam, level, rule, etc. And a wooden block a couple of meters long, but it’s not necessary, it’s just easier with it. That’s all. A jigsaw may be needed when cutting curved lines, but there will be a lot of dust.

The sequence of actions is as follows:

• draw a line on the front side with a pencil along which drywall should be cut;
• we apply a ruler (bar, board) along the line and cut the cardboard with a clerical knife;
• we put a bar under the cut line;
• on the shorter side we tap with the palm of our hand, because of which the gypsum breaks along the cut line;
• break the sheet along the entire length of the cut;
• bend the broken piece, cut the remaining whole cardboard.

Everything is really very simple. The main task: to mark correctly. There are no further problems (unless the sheet is broken).

Video lessons

Not all subtleties can be described, some are better to see. We have selected videos in which there are features of working with drywall. They mainly concern the assembly of the frame from profiles. This is really the hardest part. And on how correctly the frame is made, it depends on how even the wall or partition will be.

How to make a false plasterboard wall

How to make reinforced racks in the partition. This frame assembly method is non-standard, but this does not mean that it is wrong. Racks are really more rigid. This is necessary if you are building a full-fledged interior partition from drywall. This is where reinforcement comes in handy. The disadvantages are that it will take more time, and the cost of such a frame is higher.

Which profile is better: smooth or grooved. There are different models of profiles on the market, including those with uneven, but rough walls and sidewalls. With an equal thickness of the metal, it is more rigid, which seems to be good. But how good is he at work? Watch the video.

Drywall partition from start to finish. Here the installation of the partition is filmed step by step. Everything is quite affordable, you can take it as a basis and build plasterboard walls with your own hands.