Fixing boards

**danmonken** · 14-01-2010, 09:51 PM

Just something i have always wondered but never got around to asking... why here in the UK do we fix boards vertically with the bound edges joining side to side, and in the states, Canada and most of Europe, they fix horizontally with the none bound edges forming the vertical joint?... I have been fixing for 15 years so is there something i have been missing?

**amestaper** · 14-01-2010, 11:24 PM

Someone once told me they can buy longer boards in the states than is available here. Maybe this has something to do with it?

**TonyM** · 14-01-2010, 11:39 PM

The Americans reckon that laying the boards horizontally cuts down on the number of joints, and also, because the board is spanning more studs, adds extra bracing to the wall construction. I fix boards horizontally sometimes if working on older buildings with imperial stud spacing, but to me it's more awkward to tape, running the boxes on their side. The Americans will say differently though. Surprisingly, a lot of commercial jobs in the US are hung vertically. When you consider that you can get up to 24' plasterboards over there, and 54" wide, then you could in effect have only 4 horizontal joints on the walls in most normal sized rooms, and maybe 2 or 3 on the ceilings. I think anything over 16' has to be special order though.

**danmonken** · 14-01-2010, 11:48 PM

Question answered, Cheers lads. 24' boards!! i will never complain about 2400x1200, 15mm soundblock boards, on ceilings again.

**TonyM** · 14-01-2010, 11:55 PM

Originally Posted by danmonken

i will never complain about 2400x1200, 15mm soundblock boards, on ceilings again.

I don't complain about soundblock boards because I use a board lifter for those buggers.

**Lightrock** · 17-01-2010, 05:27 PM

i complain. for free!

The longest sheet you can get w/o special order is 14' in western Canada, I am pretty sure i saw 16' back in Ontario. I find running the flat boxes is great when the flats are horizontal, and almost not worth doing when they are vertical - i do anyway but its a lot harder on the back. :/

Our stud spacing is 24" centres or 16" centres depending on the material being used,interior or exterior wall etc. We find with wood framing that if you are depending on 3 vertical members 24" apart, you have a really great chance of one of the bastards being shy or proud and making a nasty joint, whereas with horizontally laid sheets you have more studs to pick from and can often choose a shy stud to make your butt joint on; making it much easier to hide. flats don't lend themselves to hiding shy studs so well.
A real boarder could give you a better answer but with the small amount that i board, those are the considerations i have.

**karl** · 04-04-2010, 10:05 AM

Hi here in New Zealand all our boards are fixed horizotally..our plaster boards you can get in lengths of 2.4m,3m,4m,5m and 6 meter boards.The problem with fixing horizontally are you have to tape more joints for a start.A horizontal joint is also less visible when painted.If you have a lot of light shinning onto vertical joints no matter how good you are at taping they will show up due to them casting a slight shadow.

**belmoreboy** · 04-04-2010, 12:16 PM

Think one of main reasons we fix vertically is that majority of our floor to ceiling heights are either 2350 or just over 2400 say 2420, depending if the screeders have got it right or not !

So it's easier to rip the couple of mm off the 1200 edge rather tahn the 2400 edge, or cheaper to stick a packer under the sheet to make up the extra couple of inches, when sticking.

Also think uk may be one of the only countries that dot and dab (i may be wrong apologies if i am!)

I think it's also easier to fix vertically when working solo and the uk does have a terend of crap pricing that only allows boarders to make a good wedge working solo especially house bashing.

Another reson i was once told by an architect is that we wouldn't have much use for baords longer than our standard sizes as our houses are alot smaller than the states and canada.
I may be wrong but i think thats why we board vertically, if there is a propewr technical reason id love to hear it !

BTW Karl - i think you purchased some tools off us a while back, hope they are all good - sound's like youre busy which is nice !

**theblones** · 05-04-2010, 08:12 AM

There is a grain in plasterboard and you can prove this if you cut a strip at 500m from the length of the board and the same from the width. Form a bridge with the 2 peices seperately and place weight on top of it. The peice cut from the length will bend before the other one.
The point of showing us this was to explain the board is to be installed 90 degree to the joist for strength. Its only the last 15 or more years i've started to see boards hung vertical and boarders prefer to install them this way for dabbing and timber frames where the 600 centres allow 1 cut either side.
The states are doing it the correct way and they seem to have larger boards more readily available.

**TonyM** · 05-04-2010, 10:31 AM

Originally Posted by theblones

There is a grain in plasterboard and you can prove this if you cut a strip at 500m from the length of the board and the same from the width. Form a bridge with the 2 peices seperately and place weight on top of it. The peice cut from the length will bend before the other one.
The point of showing us this was to explain the board is to be installed 90 degree to the joist for strength. Its only the last 15 or more years i've started to see boards hung vertical and boarders prefer to install them this way for dabbing and timber frames where the 600 centres allow 1 cut either side.
The states are doing it the correct way and they seem to have larger boards more readily available.

You are a mine of information Monsieur. I quite often install boards horizontally in smaller rooms to cut down on the amount of joints to tape.

**theblones** · 05-04-2010, 12:02 PM

i took an interest the day they showed us that me joben

**karl** · 07-04-2010, 08:57 AM

Originally Posted by belmoreboy

Think one of main reasons we fix vertically is that majority of our floor to ceiling heights are either 2350 or just over 2400 say 2420, depending if the screeders have got it right or not !

So it's easier to rip the couple of mm off the 1200 edge rather tahn the 2400 edge, or cheaper to stick a packer under the sheet to make up the extra couple of inches, when sticking.

Also think UK may be one of the only countries that dot and dab (i may be wrong apologies if i am!)

I think it's also easier to fix vertically when working solo and the UK does have a terend of crap pricing that only allows boarders to make a good wedge working solo especially house bashing.

Another reson i was once told by an architect is that we wouldn't have much use for boards longer than our standard sizes as our houses are alot smaller than the states and canada.
I may be wrong but i think thats why we board vertically, if there is a propewr technical reason id love to hear it !

BTW Karl - i think you purchased some tools off us a while back, hope they are all good - sound's like youre busy which is nice !

Houses are a lot bigger over here so getting 6 meter boards in is a lot easier.You do need 2 to 3 men to fix them.As for pricing we get real good prices for fixing plaster board.All plaster boarding on new houses and commercial work has to be inspected and passed by a building inspector here.This is great because you do not get loads of crap boarding.Makes the taping nice and easy.
Yes i did buy some tools of you great service thanks.Tools in new Zealand are really expensive.It is cheaper for me to buy them in the UK or USA and ship them over here.