Installing drywall on walls and ceilings: tips and instructions

Installing drywall on walls and ceilings is a fairly simple job that you can do yourself. Installation of plasterboard is carried out on the ceiling or walls on the wall using a profile. Drywall is a material that will allow you, quite independently, quickly and easily, with minimal investment of time and money, to level and prepare walls for further finishing in any room of a wooden, brick or panel house. We will tell you in our article how to install drywall on walls and ceilings correctly so that they are not only smooth, but also durable.

Drywall: scope

Drywall has long gained popularity as a flexible and versatile material for construction and repair. Installing drywall is not as complicated as it may seem at first glance. It is enough to understand some rules and nuances.

Drywall is a sheet made from gypsum. It can be in size 1.2*3 m or 2.5*1.2. The material is covered on both sides with thick cardboard. Because of this composition, it is considered environmentally friendly. But during manufacturing, additives can be used to impart certain qualities to the building material: moisture resistance, heat resistance.

When performing repair work, plasterboard can be used for the following purposes:

Insulation of premises.
Construction of partitions, walls, niches, various complex structures.
Leveling surfaces. It is worth noting that this is a fairly economical and fast method.

Marking the room

The first action before the start of construction work is the layout of the premises. If you decide to install drywall to finish the surfaces, you should consider some points.

The standard dimensions of sheets of this material are 1200 - 1300 x 2500 - 4800 mm with a thickness of 6.5 to 24 mm. Moreover, almost each size is intended to perform its specific task.

To reduce the labor intensity of the work, reduce the consumption of fasteners and cut the material as efficiently as possible, these data should be taken into account when planning the room. For example, the ceiling height is considered comfortable at 2.5 meters, which corresponds to the size of the sheet. Often this parameter is taken to be 2.53, we will indicate the reasons below. Likewise, the width of the premises should preferably be a multiple of the whole number of sheets. Or a multiple of half the size, then the cutting of the material will be optimal.

When determining the size of the premises, it is also necessary to take into account the thickness of the internal walls and partitions, since this factor will also affect the cutting of the material. This means that we are moving on to deeper detail - to determining the dimensions of the sheathing and selecting materials for its manufacture. And behind each such detail lies the amount of labor intensity and financial costs.

Drywall installation - what you need to know

Installation of drywall is carried out in several ways:

Apply strong special glue to leveled surfaces. Next, you will need a finishing finish, for example, dry plaster. It is not recommended to use it to make wood surfaces even.
On a pre-prepared frame. With a similar installation, it can also be used for wooden floors. The frame can be made of either metal or wood.

Wooden bases are cheaper, since only blocks of wood are required for execution. Metal ones are made from galvanized profiles, special hangers, and connecting elements. This is a more reliable and durable option.

Before starting installation, you should familiarize yourself with several rules:

The joints of the sheets are placed strictly on the frame and fixed with self-tapping screws.
The seams must be taped with joining tape.
External corners are closed with special corners.
Interior partitions are mounted in two parallel layers.

Installation of drywall on walls - technology

It can be noted that the sequence of installation of gypsum boards on surfaces made of various materials is approximately the same:

the frame must be leveled;
the guides are attached specifically to the wall surface with the same pitch;
racks are used as load-bearing components;
the frame can be supplemented with guide profiles to increase reliability;
frame elements are placed at a distance of 0.4-0.6 m;
A gap of 1-1.5 cm should be left from the floor and ceiling.

Video: installing drywall on walls

There are a number of differences in fastening drywall, taking into account the material of the walls:

The sheets are attached to the concrete wall using a hammer drill and 60 mm dowel nails.
The correct installation of drywall to a brick wall is carried out in the same way, but the quality and strength of the masonry should be taken into account. For old buildings and those made of hollow bricks, dowel-nails with a length of more than 80 mm are used.
The frame is mounted on foam blocks using pancake screws without preparing holes.
If the wall is made of wood, then fastening occurs with nails or self-tapping screws. A frame must be built on curtains with a stroke of up to 6 cm.

Overview of drywall

Gypsum and pressed multilayer paper are used to produce gypsum sheets. Additionally, reinforcing fiber is added to the dough for the layer. And the shell, depending on the purpose of the finished product, is subject to treatment with various protective compounds.

Gypsum is characterized by strength, durability and environmental friendliness. Also, the material does not burn, does not contain toxins and is breathable, which has a positive effect on the indoor microclimate.

The paper shell is attached to the plaster using adhesives. Cardboard is responsible for maintaining the shape of the canvas and reinforcing the product. It is also a strong base for painting and covering with ceramic tiles and artificial stone.

The edges of the canvases are rolled with cardboard. On the front side, the shape of the longitudinal edge can be different:

PC – straight line is designed for tight joining of sheets;
UK - thinned is formed under a reinforcing mesh with putty;
PLC - semicircular on the front side is intended only for processing with a finishing solution;
PLUK - an analogue of PLUK with thinning is acceptable for filling seams with serpyanka, construction bandages or without them;
ZK - rounded involves the use of plaster.

Longitudinal edges of sheets Source peregorodkainfo.ru
The ends remain open. They always have a rectangular cross section. This is necessary to simplify installation work and ensure the tightest fit of the sheets. It is also possible not to use additional putty and plaster along loaded adjacent structures (for example, with the floor).

Specifications

Materials for finishing walls with plasterboard of two categories are on sale. If the marking indicates “B”, then the product was formed on old equipment. Because of this, small errors are permissible in the stated dimensions. The bulk of commercial gypsum plasterboard is manufactured using new-style machines, which ensures strict compliance with standards. The designation looks like this: ““A”“. But it is not always applied to canvases.

Markings on products Source stroy-smesi.shop

Based on the state standard (6266-97), the width of plasterboard is 1.2 m. The length can be different (usually 2.5 m), and the thickness from 6 to 12 mm. Density – more than 850 kg/cub.m.

The bending strength of fabrics depends on the thickness. So, if it is 10 mm, then the permissible load on a sample of 1.2 * 0.4 m is close to 15 kg. For gypsum board 11-18 mm respectively to 18 kg. That is, sq. a meter without breaking can withstand more than 30 kg with its own weight of up to 1.06 kg.

The ratio of drywall to fire is as follows (brand/GOST):

G1/30244 – formation of secretions occurs when heated above 135℃, but combustion is not supported;
B2/30402 – moderate flammability, possible when exposed to a warm flow with a density of up to 20 kW/sq.m);
D1/12.1.044 and T1/12.1.044 – small emission of smoke (up to 50 conventional units) and toxic substances at a low-hazard level.

Initially, we considered installing drywall on a wall or ceiling inside a heated room. But the material also retains its shape and quality after exposure to negative temperatures. When heated, all indicators are restored.

Wall cladding in a residential area Source prsc72.ru

The water absorption of all types of drywall, with the exception of regular drywall, is less than 10%. The latter has a wet softening coefficient of only 0.45. For comparison: the moisture-resistant indicator is 0.8.

The thermal conductivity of the material is relatively good. The values range from 0.22 to 0.35 W/m*K. Frame installation with a gap of up to 10 mm will enhance the indicator, and heat loss in the room will be slightly lower. As for sound absorption, the coefficient for gypsum plasterboard is 35 dB. For comparison: half a brick has a higher value - 44 units.

Types of sheets

Regular drywall includes gypsum plasterboard. It is intended for interior work in dry rooms with positive temperatures. GKLV differs only in the treatment of the shell with a waterproof composition with antiseptics. The scope of application extends to conditions with variable humidity.

The remaining materials have a specialized purpose:

GKLO - fire-resistant to ensure fire safety (boiler room, ventilation shaft);
GKLVO - an improved version of GKLO using water-repellent impregnation (for the kitchen and attic);
GKLF - façade, the only one suitable for external work.

Facade cladding Source www.rakentaja.fi
Along with the main types, sheets with improved indicators of certain characteristics are supplied to trading floors:

acoustic is applicable to protect residents (house, apartment) or others from noise (recording studio, club);
reinforced with the addition of reinforcing glass fiber to the gypsum and thickened cardboard for loaded structures;
moisture resistant with reinforcement for wet rooms;
windproof with high vapor permeability and resistance to outdoor operating conditions;
designer must be installed without a supporting frame.

Separate from other types is repair gypsum board. It is only 6 mm thick and treated with a moisture-resistant compound. Working with this type of drywall involves the formation of structures with curved lines and low load.

See also: Catalog of companies that specialize in materials for facades, interior and exterior decoration

Advantages and disadvantages

Sheet material has fewer disadvantages than advantages. It all comes down to fragility. Because of this, the canvas is easy to pierce and it is difficult to attach something heavier than a photo frame to it. It is necessary to further strengthen the frame and use special fasteners. Insufficiently high resistance to moisture is compensated by waterproofing compounds and finishing materials.

Fragility of the canvas Source www.lowes.com

Otherwise there are only positives. The canvases are easy to work with and create an even coating. The installation can be completed without the involvement of professionals. A set of tools, as a rule, is available in every home. Using sheets, you can create non-standard shapes when covering walls, ceilings and facades with plasterboard, as well as assemble partitions. Finishing begins immediately, unlike work with plaster, brick, and blocks.

DIY drywall installation: 14 rules for successful installation

Experts identify a number of rules that will help to carry out repair work correctly:

Accurately determine the position. Be sure to mark with chalk, cord or pigment. How the installation itself will proceed depends on this.
Install profiles correctly. They must be insulated from the floor with some kind of elastic material. This will provide sound insulation. Foam, felt, rubber, cork are suitable.
When measuring the length of the posts, subtract the thickness of the soundproofing material. Additionally, a gap of 1.5-2 cm is made.
When installing wall partitions, the openings should be strengthened. A rigid profile is suitable for this.
The slabs must be carefully trimmed. A line is drawn on the outside of the sheet - where there is no print, and there are chamfers at the ends for connection.
Sheets should be attached carefully. Phosphated screws are used for this. They are not prone to corrosion due to contact with gypsum. The cap is hidden in a sheet of 0.5 mm, and then filled with putty. There should not be too much putty between the sheets, as this will lead to cracks.
Avoid using additional elements. You should immediately take as a basis sheets whose size is slightly larger or corresponds to the required one.
The need for insulation and sound insulation should be considered in advance.
When installing plasterboard walls, the layout on the second side must be offset so that the seams do not coincide.
The seams must be puttied. In this case, the mixture must be pressed as deeply as possible and smoothed out on top.
It is necessary to select the correct reinforcing tapes taking into account their purpose.
To avoid deformation, do not make joining seams in the middle of doorways.
To cut niches and openings, you need to use gypsum board crowns.
It is recommended to start attaching sheets from the center or corner.

Useful tips from professionals

And in conclusion, some useful tips from professionals, thanks to which you can prevent mistakes that may seem insignificant at first glance, but can reduce all the work done to zero.

Professionals recommend:

Even if all the rules regarding grouting are followed, small cracks cannot be ruled out. This is due to the fact that during the puttying work there were temperature fluctuations in the room. Of course, at home it is quite difficult to achieve constant temperature conditions, but it is worth trying to at least slightly minimize the risks.
If there are wooden floors in the room, and plasterboard structures were attached directly to them, it is possible that cracks may occur in the area of the corner seams. In this case, the seismic activity of the walls is to blame.
Some putty mixtures have the inscription on the packaging: “intended for sealing seams without the use of reinforced tape.” Don't let this inscription mislead you. If you putty the joints without using tape, cracks may still occur. In this case, the manufacturer wanted to say that this type of putty simply could not hold it.

That's all, you can start sealing the seams on the drywall.

Installation of drywall on walls and ceilings using metal profiles

Marking for the frame

The action is carried out using a painting cord. A straight line is marked on the floor, which is the boundary of the frame. Then it is duplicated on the ceiling using a plumb line, a level and a pencil cord. Strictly vertical lines are drawn on the walls for mounting rack elements. The pitch is measured so that the joints fall in the middle of the rack profiles. Typically it is 600 mm.

Installation of guides

Installation of the frame is the next step. The horizontal profile guides on the side that will be adjacent to the base are covered with a special sealant. Its role is played by the tape. It is this that provides sound insulation. After this, drill holes for the dowels. A profile with insulation is attached to them.

The guides must securely hold the drywall, so between the screws you need to choose a step in the range of 50-100 cm. Each segment is attached in at least three places.

Attaching gypsum boards to the frame

After assembling the frame, plasterboard sheets are installed. Each panel must be firmly fixed to a metal profile base.

It is important to carefully join the parts in the corners and among themselves to avoid distortions.
To fix the sheets, self-tapping screws with wide heads and special crab connectors are used.
If necessary, gypsum board panels are cut to the required dimensions.
It is best to do this with an ordinary stationery knife, then the cut will be smooth and not crumble.

It is enough to make an incision and then simply break the sheet in this place. Drywall breaks easily at a thin cut.

How to glue drywall

The sheets are attached to flat surfaces using specialized glue. This is the easiest and fastest installation method. But it is only suitable for leveled surfaces. A difference of no more than 20 mm is allowed. This takes up less room space. There are two ways to fasten sheets:

On clean and primed walls.
On strips of Perlfix glue 10 cm wide.

Drywall should be fixed only after the wires have been laid and sound insulation has been thought out. Glue is applied around the perimeter and in the middle of the sheet. To ensure uniform application, use a notched trowel. After the glue has hardened, you can strengthen the structure with dowel nails.

You can also attach drywall to polyurethane foam. In this case, the sheets are attached to long screws, and the gaps are filled with foam.

Cracks in drywall: why they appear and how to repair them

Despite the fact that drywall is a universal finishing material, during operation a number of problems with the sheets and frame may arise. These nuances need to be known, diagnosed in time and eliminated.

This article will try to reveal the main problems that arise when working with drywall. Please note that plasterboard sheets (GKL) themselves are not a structure, but only a material that is mounted in a certain design position (on the ceiling, wall, arch) using gypsum glue or a frame. Most problems arise precisely because of an incorrectly installed foundation. We will try to analyze the maximum range of possible causes of cracks in drywall and offer solutions to them.

Tools, materials and components for installation

To attach drywall, you may need the following tools and materials:

For marking surfaces and sheets: level, plumb line, simple pencil, tape measure, painting cord.
For installation: knife, special scissors for metal, screwdriver, hammer drill, hammer.
Accessories: guide profiles, racks, hangers, dowels, screws, glue, foam.

The set of tools may vary depending on the situation, the material of the walls or ceilings, and the purpose of using drywall.

Installation secrets: how to cut drywall

It is necessary to cut plasterboard sheets with a special knife. To ensure an even cutting line, it is better to use a long strip. The paper is cut along it and pressed onto one part of the sheet. After these steps, the plaster will break and you will have to cut the remaining paper with a knife.

If you need to cut a large number of sheets, you can use a special cutter. The edges of the sheets are made at an angle in order to increase the area of the seams. They will subsequently be puttied. Therefore, you should leave 5 mm from the edge and cut off excess material along the bias.

Insulation for drywall

There are often cases when premises require insulation. This can be encountered especially often when carrying out repair work on balconies and loggias. The proven insulation is usually glass wool or mineral wool. They are laid after the sheathing has been built and covered with sheets of plasterboard.

How to putty drywall seams

Let's proceed directly to the putty. It is better to use a special putty for gypsum board joints. We take a wide spatula, a container for mixing dry mixture (bucket, basin), a drill with an attachment (here you can read how to prepare putty from dry construction mixture).

We work at an acute angle. There is no need to put too much pressure on the serpyanka. First we seal one part of the wall, then the second.

It will not be possible to putty smoothly right away; the seams are puttyed at least twice. If you suddenly find that a self-tapping screw is sticking out, then take a screwdriver and tighten it.

The next day, when the putty has dried, we begin to putty a second time. But before that, you need to quickly walk along the wall with a spatula and clean off the build-up and “snot”; they will always be there.

In addition, if for certain reasons a week or more has passed since the first time of puttying, then it is better to prime the puttyed areas again (since the dust will have time to settle). And only then go through it a second time.

When the putty dries, you need to go over it with sandpaper (zero):

After this, our plasterboard wall is ready for finishing with the necessary material: painting, wallpapering, etc. Before finishing work, it is necessary to prime the wall. When the primer has dried, you can begin finishing.

Below is a video on selecting putty for drywall:

Today we learned how to putty drywall under wallpaper with our own hands

Finishing work with drywall

After completing the above work, you need to start finishing. Before painting, the sheets are covered with putty and leveled. Afterwards, all surfaces must be primed if painting is required. It is recommended to paint with water-based paint. It is also possible to use a primer. To do this, dilute the paint with water in a ratio of 3:1.

It is possible to finish drywall with the following materials: wallpaper, decorative plaster. Surface preparation is carried out in accordance with the manufacturer's instructions.

Installation cost

Prices for services may vary in different regions. They also depend on the complexity of the work performed. The approximate cost for different types of work is as follows:

Wall cladding in one layer - from 350 rubles per square meter.
The construction of partitions in two layers starts from 500 rubles, and in one layer from 400.
Ceilings on metal lathing – from 550.

In addition, additional services may be offered:

Sound insulation - from 80 rubles per square.
Painting work for preparation for wallpapering - from 420 rubles.
Painting work for painting - from 550 rubles.

Lathing made of wood or profile, which is better?

There are not many materials available that are suitable for a frame under plasterboard: metal and wood. It is worth understanding the features of each of them:

Metal sheathing, unlike wood, has moisture-resistant properties. She is also not afraid of temperature changes. But wood, in turn, can become deformed under the influence of cold or heat.
Fungus, bugs, and mold develop their lives only on wooden beams.
Metal doesn't burn. Moreover, it does not support fire. For rooms with a high probability of fires, it is better to choose a galvanized profile.
Wooden beams must be pre-treated with antiseptics and fire retardants. This makes repair work more expensive, and you have to spend a lot of time processing and drying the wood.
The width and length of the metal profile are the same, it does not require rejection due to non-compliance with the dimensions.
Wooden beams are several times cheaper than metal.
The tree is firmly fixed with self-tapping screws. While in metal the self-tapping screw is held on only by one turn.

More often, a metal profile is chosen, since it is easier and more reliable to use.

Making lathing from wooden beams

The work includes several stages:

Wood preparation. It is better to use coniferous trees. Before installation, the wood must lie in the room where the renovation will be carried out for several days. You should make sure in advance that the raw materials have undergone appropriate treatment with fire retardants and antiseptics.
Trace. This is marking the lines along which the frame will adjoin the walls, floor and ceiling. It is easier to mark a point on the ceiling and transfer it to the floor near the wall using a plumb line. To do this, a nail is driven into a point and a weight is suspended from the thread. The resulting points are connected by a line along the wall.

After this, a perpendicular to the wall from the bottom point is required. This will be the second line of the partition. From its extreme point a third line is built along the wall. On the ceiling, you then need to connect the existing points and you will get the fourth. This is how the boundaries of the partition become visible

Frame installation. The frame is built from vertical and horizontal beams. And they start making it only from the frame. First of all, the bars are secured along the constructed lines using self-tapping screws or dowel-nails. It should be taken into account that the beam on the floor should not be solid, but located on both sides
Doorway. First you need to install two racks along the edges. The width of the opening is usually 3-5 cm wider than the door frame. They are reinforced with additional horizontal bars. Additional rigidity will be provided by vertical bars along the opening.
Racks. They are placed in increments of 0.6 m. It is recommended to use metal corners for connections. It is better to install the racks so that the wall contains the maximum number of whole sheets of gypsum board.

Installation of a metal profile lathing frame

The creation of a metal sheathing can be divided into 3 stages:

You should start by developing a sketch or design diagram. At this stage, it is imperative to take into account that the distance between the guides should be in the range of 40-60 cm, and hangers should be placed every 0.5 m.
To avoid any difficulties during installation, be sure to make preliminary markings on the surfaces.
The construction of the frame should begin with the installation of guides. Then the racks are attached to them. All connections are fixed with self-tapping screws.

Thermal insulation of walls and installation of plasterboard on the sheathing

Before installing plasterboard sheets, you need to think about thermal insulation and sound insulation. The thickness of the materials primarily depends on the width of the structure. In most cases, mineral wool or polystyrene foam is chosen.

Insulation segments are placed between the sheathing posts, filling all voids. A vapor barrier membrane should be placed on top. The joints must be secured with tape. It is convenient to fasten the film with a construction stapler.

After insulation, you can begin installing the sheets. Initially, you need to calculate how many sheets will be needed for the entire area. It is recommended to leave a reserve of approximately 15-20% of the purchased material. The sheets are adjusted according to pre-drawn lines. The drywall needs to be secured to the sheathing.

Materials used in the work

Profiles are products made of metal or wood, resembling slats or bars. They are mounted on the wall, forming a frame. The sheets of drywall themselves are screwed to the frame. If we talk about the frame material, metal products are most often used. Wooden slats do not last as long, they have less strength and are susceptible to moisture. Wall covering with plasterboard in wet rooms is carried out only on a metal frame.

Important! The cost of metal products is higher. Wooden ones, although cheaper, are not as practical. Therefore, saving money is not worth it.

Advantages of metal profiles:

resistance to external factors;
availability;
long service life;
light weight;
possibility of restoration;
large assortment for different purposes;
metal does not burn, it is not afraid of mold and mildew.

Before you learn how to cover walls with plasterboard, it is important to understand the variety and types of metal profiles. If we talk about purpose, they are divided into two groups:

Basic.
Guides.

The main ones are designated as PS and PP. They are used for areas with increased load. The plasterboard sheet is fixed onto it. But the guide profiles are designated as PN. These are horizontal strips that form the outline for the drywall. They connect the vertical posts.

Product labeling looks like this:

PS is rack-mount, its cross-section is U-shaped. There are grooves. The base of the product is called the back, and the side parts are called the shelf. The shelves have a size of 50 mm, and the back width is 50-100 mm. Used as vertical posts.
PN – guide, shelf – 40 mm, base – from 50 to 100 mm. It is used to create a wall frame for drywall or partitions. The products are fixed to the ceiling and floor. It turns out to be a frame on the wall.
PP – ceiling, shelf – 27 mm, base – 60 mm. It has 3 grooves. Plasterboard sheets are mounted to it.
PNP – ceiling guide. Size – 27x28 mm. If a suspended structure is being constructed, the PNT is fixed to the wall of the room, guiding the PP.
PU - corner, which is used to strengthen corners. It can be internal and external. It makes it easy to install profiles under drywall in corners.
PA – arched, can be concave or convex. Allows you to create arches and other asymmetrical shapes, complex wave-like structures.

Installation of plasterboard, frameless wall covering with plasterboard

Frameless wall finishing with plasterboard is a fairly quick and elementary way to level surfaces. And this way you can really save quite a lot of space.

Special glue is used for fastening. With a difference of up to 0.02 m, a product called “Perflix” is suitable. It is placed on sheets in small mounds, which are leveled when the drywall is pressed against the wall. If the difference reaches 0.05 m, then you first need to fix narrow strips of drywall, and then attach the main sheets to them.

In general, the procedure includes the following steps:

Cleaning walls of outdated finishes.
Preparation of necessary materials and tools.
Treating surfaces with a primer.
Cut out the sheets.
Applying glue to one part and attaching it to the wall.

Primer of seams

To prime the seams, you need to take a deep penetration primer. You can select the appropriate material at a hardware store.

All joints, all junctions of walls and ceilings around the perimeter are primed. There is no need to prime the entire gypsum wall at this stage yet. If there are any dent damage on the wall, these defects should also be primed:

Processing drywall seams: working on the nuances

How to chamfer drywall

There are 3 available chamfering methods:

Place the material on a plane and securely fix it. Next, you need to position the ruler along the edge, draw a line approximately 5-7 mm from the border of the sheet. Then you can cut off the edge with a knife. The chamfer must be removed carefully, without leaving any unevenness. If done correctly, the result will be long, curled shavings.
The second method is that the sheets are initially attached to the base and chamfered with a stationery knife at an angle of 45 degrees.
The simplest method of chamfering is carried out using a special tool - a chamfer cutter. It looks like a plane with a beveled blade and allows you to process the material evenly.

Drywall installation - cutout in drywall

During installation, it is often necessary to make holes, for example, for sockets. To cut a rectangular hole you need to do the following:

Determine the location of the hole. It is better to outline its exact boundaries.
Use a drill to make holes in the center of each line. You can also place them in the corners. The jigsaw blade should easily fit into the hole.
Carefully cut out the rectangle exactly along the lines.
At the last stage, you need to check whether the resulting hole meets the specified parameters. For example, try on a switch or socket in it.

Round holes are a little more difficult to make. To do this, you can use, for example, a crown, a ballerina or a hacksaw. A crown is easier to use and is ideal for cutting small and medium-sized holes.

So, the work includes the following stages:

First you need to mark the location of the cutouts and accurately determine the center of the circle.
Select a crown of the required diameter and place the drill in the center. It is recommended to operate at medium speed.

Treatment of joints of plasterboard sheets of internal and external corners

If all sockets and switches are installed, wires are removed, then you can begin processing the joints. A gypsum mixture is suitable for this. It hardens quickly, is very strong and can be easily sanded later.

Beveled edges should be coated with a primer and left to dry completely.

To seal the joints you will definitely need a reinforcing mesh. For example, for a factory border, a width of up to 100 mm is suitable. If the edges are processed at an angle of 45 degrees, then the following sequence of actions will occur:

Cut a thin strip so that it does not cross the boundaries of the joint. Otherwise, you will have to putty plasterboard over the entire surface to a thickness of 1-2 mm. This will be quite costly in terms of time and materials.
Apply a little putty to the seam, and then place the mesh on it. After this, you can fill the remaining volume.

Installation of drywall - processing of drywall corners

External corners must be fixed with special corners. They come in several types:

Aluminum. They are characterized by rigidity and protection against rust. But they can easily break if moved carelessly.
Plastic. Not so tough, but almost impossible to break.
Galvanized. They have the only drawback: the possibility of rust, which later comes out through the finishing.

It’s great if the outer corner has a couple of factory edges. Then the corner will not stick out and an extra layer of putty will not be required. Otherwise, the following work is possible:

A small chamfer is made to secure the corner tightly. After this, the corner is fixed and puttied.
The corner is glued without a chamfer, but then an additional layer of putty is required for leveling.
The putty coating procedure is carried out without a corner. And after finishing the plastic corner is glued.

With internal corners everything is much simpler. Simply filling the gap is enough. You can secure them with a special tape.

Using a frame

In this case, the option of attaching drywall to a metal frame is being considered, since the attachment to a wooden frame is almost identical. This is the most practiced option, since it has a number of undeniable advantages.

Dimensions of drywall sheets and its purpose

As a rule, all products are standardized. The same applies to plasterboard systems. It is accepted that the width of the sheets is 1 meter 20 centimeters, but the length can be different - from 2 to 3 meters. Previously, there were sheets of ceiling plasterboard 2 meters long. By the way, it was much more convenient to work with them, although there were a little more seams. In fact, this did not affect the quality of the surfaces.

Sheets are available in thickness:

12.5 mm thick - mainly used for leveling walls.
9 mm and 6 mm thick - the main purpose is related to leveling ceilings.

Despite the fact that manufacturers do not give precise recommendations on the use of plasterboard and some experts believe that 12.5 mm thick plasterboard is universal, no one would even think of using it to level ceilings, since there is 9 mm thick plasterboard. Drywall with a thickness of 6 mm is well suited for forming curved surfaces, but for such purposes special plasterboard is produced that bends easily. This type of plasterboard is called arched and it is made using a different technology. It costs much more than usual, so rarely anyone uses it. In addition, there are technologies that make it possible to form surfaces of any configuration from ordinary drywall, even if its thickness is 12.5 mm.

There are bevels on the long edges of the drywall, which help to join the drywall and seal the seams properly. As a rule, the side with such bevels is considered to be the front side.

Drywall sheet: components and their name

Installation features

Installation of drywall sheets is associated with some features. To make the surface reliable, the sheets are stacked with a shift in relation to each other, but this mainly applies to rows, since moving each sheet is problematic, and the technology does not provide for this. Each row must have an offset of at least 40 centimeters. The longer the joining seams, the greater the likelihood of cracks, so the drywall must be positioned so that the length of the seams is minimal.

Often, walls are covered with two layers (for strength) of plasterboard. In this case, the second layer is shifted, in relation to the first, by half the width of the drywall sheet.

Rules for laying plasterboard sheets

Fastening drywall

As a rule, installation ends when the drywall sheets are fixed to the frame. Fastening is carried out using a screwdriver and special screws if the frame is assembled from galvanized plasterboard profiles. Mostly self-tapping screws with a length of 25 mm are used. They are produced both for fastening to metal frames (more frequent threads) and for fastening to wood (more rare threads). It should be noted that for fastening to wood it is better to use screws 35 mm long: this is more reliable.

It is very important to tighten the screws correctly, at an angle of 90 degrees, slightly deepening the cap so that it does not interfere with the putty process. It is equally important not to deepen the screws too much so that the top layer of cardboard does not break through, which can weaken the attachment point. This can be achieved by using a screwdriver in which the torque is adjusted. By setting the adjustment to a certain mark, they achieve the same depth of tightening of the screws.

How to properly attach drywall

By watching the video, you can learn how to achieve the same screw depth for each screw.

Features of fastening drywall. Bit with limiter

When installing a frame from profiles, they are placed at a distance of 60 cm from each other if a wall is being sewn up and at a distance of 40 cm from each other when installing on a ceiling. When attaching plasterboard sheets, care must be taken to ensure that the edges of the sheets are located in the middle of the profiles. Otherwise, the nature of the work will not correspond to high quality.

Two sheets are joined exactly in the middle of the profile

The edges of the drywall are attached at a distance of no more than one and a half centimeters, with a pitch of about 150 mm from each other. The maximum distance between screws is no more than 300 millimeters for wall plasterboard. Ceiling plasterboard is attached in increments of no more than 150 mm.

Where, how and with what steps to install self-tapping screws on drywall

When cutting the sheets in width and length when they are joined to the walls, it is better to leave gaps about 10 mm wide so that the putty can penetrate into them.

Installation of drywall - finishing

After the putty has dried well, the entire surface is primed with a regular paint roller. Next, the base layer is applied using a pair of spatulas: small and large. The first mixture is taken from the container and smoothly distributed along the edge of the second. The surface is already treated with a large spatula.

Next, you must sand the drywall. It will become completely smooth. On such surfaces you can easily glue wallpaper or apply paint, but only after another layer of primer.

Complex plasterboard structures

Designs with angles other than 90 degrees are considered complex. Design skills, accurate calculations and installation will be useful for design. Complex structures include:

Two-level ceilings with volumetric figures, such as circles, in the center.
Multi-level ceilings with radius corners.
Segmental ceilings.
Various built-in niches.
Arches.
Any non-standard elements or openings.

Thanks to plasterboard, such structures are light, strong and reliable. They allow you to make the interior original. Moreover, material costs will be minimal. During the installation process, you can think through the illumination of a structure of any complexity.

The main advantage of drywall is its ability to be reused. It is enough to carefully dismantle the existing building and redraw the parts.
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