Hanging plasterboard

Firstly, moving plasterboard to the work area is best done with two people, but if you are working alone, following there are ways to save you from back injury. Even large sheets can be carried safely and the procedure for this is to hold it in the middle under your arm, pointing in the direction you wish to go, bending the knees and then standing whilst gripping the top edge with both hands. Naturally a smaller sheet can often be carried in the middle with one hand on top and the other below.Measure twice and cut once is the maxim and the preferred method is to cut plasterboard when it is standing rather than laying flat on the floor. Cut through the face of the board with a trimming knife and then snap it before finally cutting the lining. A purpose made plasterboard tee square makes this job easier to perform.

If you have to cut with the board laying flat, do this through the face, lift it and then from the centre cut through the liner from the face, but not all the way to the end. Let this lay flat again, then move to the other end, lift it away from you and snap. This should ensure a clean break without delaminating the paper.

A standard size plasterboard measures 2400mm x 1200mm (94.49" x 47.24") and comes in 9.5mm and 12.5mm thicknesses, 12.5mm being the most commonly used owing to its rigidity. The 9.5mm sheets are more commonly used for ceilings.

One of the best fixings is galvanised plasterboard nails; used for fixing board to studding wall frames, they should be spaced at about 15cm intervals. To achieve a professional finish, make sure the nail heads travel below the surface. These can then be covered with a plaster cement that is easy to sand down to a smooth finish. There are also drywall screws made specifically for working with plasterboard. Whatever the chosen fixings, they can be augmented by using a plasterboard adhesive.

Always cut the sheets to the correct lengths and butt together. The joints can be covered with an adhesive tape. Make sure the joints are free from dust and fill any gaps with a plasterboard jointing compound and allow this to dry before applying the tape. When using tape, always cut to the length required rather than try to carry it around corners.

The face usually has a white finish with the other side being made of a thicker grey paper which isn`t suitable for any sort of finish. If it is the intention to wallpaper over the finished project then it is best to apply two coats of primer to the face allowing wallpaper to be removed at a later stage.

Plasterboard, drywall, or wallboard as it is sometimes called, is used in preference to brick and plaster in such situations where, for example, a stud wall with a pocket door, sliding pocket door, partition or divider is required between two rooms and where the cost and upheaval of brick and plaster would be prohibitive.