What you should know about Plasterboarding

 
What is plasterboarding?
Plasterboarding is an element of dry lining used for walls and ceilings instead of timber. It is an insulating material that makes regular dry lining feasible with plaster.
 
Plasterboard makes the room soundproof by reducing the transmission of noise between rooms. Many people think that when you put plaster on top of plasterboard, it becomes a part of the wall just as if you have lath and plaster on wood studs. This is not true.
 
Plaster is applied to gypsum plasterboards which are a layered system with a paper facing, no less than three sheets of fibreglass-reinforced gypsum core, and pressed together using a machine.
 
Why do plasterboarding?
The main purpose for plasterboarding is to provide insulation and not to hold walls together. This means that it does not need to be load-bearing, but proper consideration should be given before deciding on its application. Plasterboard can come in different thicknesses; the thicker extreme is usually at ⅝ inch (16 mm), while 1/8 inch (3 mm) is the minimum thickness.
 
This makes it possible to use plasterboard for partition walls that are not load-bearing. Plasterboards can also be used to create arches and curved shapes, allowing plastering gypsum boards to be formed into any shape the human mind can come up with.
 
What do you do after plasterboarding?
Plasterboards are used to create ceilings and walls instead of traditional plastering. When covering a wall with plasterboard, the boards are typically attached directly onto studs or structural members of the building structure. They are then secured at their edges by driving nails through them into the sheathing or framing of the wall, or by nailing or screwing them down onto a furring strip attached to the wall. The plasterboard is then finished with an application of joint compound.
 
What do you need for plasterboarding?
Plasterboards are often sold in 4×8′ sheets which can be cut to fit any space. Nails, screws and other fasteners are required for securing the boards into place. The plasterboards are secured into place with screws.

Heavy-duty shears are required for cutting the plasterboard sheets to size. After using a drill to make holes in the wall before adding screws, you can mount your sheet of plasterboard easily.
 
Can you paint straight over plasterboard?
Yes. Technically, you can paint over any wall mounted material, but consider the long term consequences of doing so. When you hang sheetrock or plasterboard to create a room's walls or ceiling, the wood framing beneath them must be covered with several layers of insulation and drywall to resist moisture issues.
 
Is dry lining a better option than plastering?
Dry lining involves taping the joints between sheets of plasterboard. This is done by hand with tape. Plastering involves trowelling on a coat of mortar over the whole wall, then adding drywall board to smooth it out.
 
The process for pinning or nailing plasterboards together is similar for either material. Use your hammer to attach nails to the wood framing. Then use wire lath, which is a sheet metal base for holding plaster in place that looks like screen mesh. Drill pilot holes in the steel every 6 inches or so along its length, then cut it with metal snips to fit.
 
What is the difference between dry lining and plasterboarding?
They are the same. Dry lining uses plasterboards for wall and ceiling panels. The term dry lining covers all types of plasterboard walls and ceilings because they are made from materials that hold the plaster in place without the need for a lot of water. Dry lining is also known as plasterboarding or gypsum wallboard.
 
What are the benefits of plasterboarding?
Plasterboards fit well close to door or window frames without making awkward, unwanted projections. The plasterboard is strong enough to support the nail used for hanging wall pictures and shelves onto its surface. Plasterboards can be painted or covered with wallpaper.
 
What are the main types of plasterboard?
There is the blue and green plasterboard, which is the most popular and widely used. This type of plasterboard consists of a gypsum core with a dark blue or green cover sheet that is smooth on one side and printed with paper on the other. It can be used as cladding for walls and ceilings to provide insulation and soundproofing, as well as for plastering over existing walls.
 
The smooth side of the plasterboard is finished with a level line, which will be used to mark out where all the joints are going to go. The rough side can be either left as it is or covered with paper or another fabric-like material before being papered.
 
The green board has excellent soundproofing and thermal insulation properties, however, it is far more expensive. The blue board does not offer such great insulation and can be used for low construction works only.