One of the main issues of repair or construction is the choice of appropriate materials. This also applies to the construction of plasterboard walls. It is necessary to determine which plasterboard is better before starting any work, based on the requirements for the partition, loads and operating conditions. Despite all the apparent fragility, GKL is able to withstand significant loads, it is only necessary to understand the principles of choosing the necessary material.
Let’s figure out what plasterboard is on sale in principle and what properties it has.
Initial data for the selection of plasterboard
Before randomly choosing a standard sheet 12.5x1200x2500 and making a partition from it, it is better to collect all the necessary information and requirements for this very partition. After that, it will become clearer which plasterboard to choose, so that the erected structure is really reliable, and the repair costs are justified. At the same time, the following parameters are important:
- load that will be attached directly to the wall;
- susceptibility to mechanical impact;
- operating conditions (humidity, temperature);
- dimensions of the room.
The load determines the required strength of the wall structure. Naturally, all of it should not lie only on plasterboard sheets, being distributed on the main supporting contraction – a frame made of a metal profile or wooden beams. However, GKL must withstand the load decently, especially given the fact that the fastening will be performed through it, and in many cases only for it, when the attachment to the frame is simply inappropriate.
A sheet of plasterboard standard for walls and partitions with a thickness of 12.5 mm is able to withstand a load of 50 kg/m2 without additional reinforcement. At the same time, it is mandatory to use specialized fastening elements for plasterboard. In this case, the load is not of the shock type.
If it will be necessary to fix a single load on the wall, for example, the internal unit of the air conditioner, then you can not choose the thickness of plasterboard, 12.5 mm is enough, only with mandatory reinforcement of the frame at the place of attachment.
If it is necessary to fix a number of shelves or hanging cabinets, then it is better to increase the thickness of plasterboard.
- 14 mm sheet can withstand already 65 kg / m2
- 16 mm – 75 kg / m2
- 18-20 mm – up to 90 kg / m2
- 24 mm – up to 110 kg / m2
As an option, you can lay sheets of 12.5 mm in several rows, with a mandatory overlap. This may turn out to be easier and even more profitable, given the low availability of thicker plasterboard.
The location of the partition is also decisive. If it is a private house or apartment, then you can get by with 12.5 mm sheets, if only because no one will deliberately hit the walls, the probability of damaging plasterboard in everyday life is lower.
Otherwise, for industrial facilities and offices, impact strength for a wall made of plasterboard comes to the fore. Therefore, material with a thickness of more than 14 mm is used.
Actually, by the same principles, you can determine which drywall is needed for the ceiling, based on what will be installed in it, and what load will be added to it. As a starting point, you can take plasterboard with a thickness of 9.5 mm. It is light enough to withstand the frame and not to load the ceiling (1 sq. m. weighs 9.5 kg). In addition, it can easily withstand the installation of built-in lighting devices when distributing them, for example, at a distance of 60 or more centimeters between them.
For curved, multi-level, complex ceilings, it is easier to use a thinner material of 6-8 mm, because the frame of a complex shape will deliberately be less strong than a solid flat one. In addition, such material will be easier to handle.
Selection based on operating conditions
In addition to simple GKL, there are such variations as:
- GKLP – fire-resistant sheets. The back side is gray, the face is pink, the marking is done in red, unless otherwise specified by the manufacturer. This is what happens to the plasterboard at the request of GOST, which is able to withstand an open flame for up to 20 minutes before its destruction. It is primarily designed for use in the lining of ventilation shafts, the outer lining of a fireplace or rooms with a high risk of fire and high temperature. Utility rooms, industrial facilities and even smoking areas in office buildings are sheathed with them.
- GKLV is a moisture-resistant material. Due to special impregnation, the cardboard passes less moisture to the gypsum, has low hygroscopicity, while the gypsum itself has a significantly lower ability to absorb and retain moisture. It is usually produced with green coloring and blue markings. This material is in demand in places with high humidity: bathrooms, rooms with swimming pools and simply with open water tanks, kitchens and some elements of baths and saunas. It is implied that such plasterboard is covered from above with tiles or moisture-resistant materials.
- GKLVO is a universal option that combines fire resistance and moisture resistance of the material. In the question of which plasterboard is better for the kitchen, the answer is obvious. It is green on both sides, and marked in red. In addition, it is perfect for forming ceilings in rooms with elevated temperatures or when installing a large number of lighting devices with heat release. It can be used in all cases indicated for GKLV and GKLP.
Sheet sizes
The sizes of plasterboard sheets are standardized. The width in most cases is 1200 mm. Only for a thick sheet over 18 mm, the width is reduced to 600 (625) to facilitate the transportation and installation of the material. The main task is to determine which plasterboard is better for the ceiling and for the walls and is suitable for a particular room.
The best option would be the most accurate match of the size of the sheet in terms of height and distance from the floor to the ceiling so that one whole sheet fits in the row. With a ceiling of 2540 mm, it will be logical to use a 2500 mm sheet of plasterboard. For three-meter ceilings, the sheets are naturally of the same length.
However, it doesn’t always work out that way. For a ceiling of 2.75 m, which is quite common, it is better to take a sheet of plasterboard of 2000 mm and sharpen it on top with a piece of 750 mm. This is explained by the fact that it is better that the size of the smaller section remaining after fixing the whole is more than 400 mm.
Selection of plasterboard edge
Last but not least, when the thickness and dimensions of the sheets have already been decided, which plasterboard for walls is best suited in terms of operational characteristics, it remains only to clarify such a point as the edge of the sheet.
- The most practical and common form of edge is PLUK. It comes in the form of thinning along the edges of the sheet and rounding on the front side. In this option, the joints between the sheets can be additionally reinforced with a mesh and puttyed flush with the plane of the sheets with a fairly thick layer of mortar.
- And yet there are other options. The straight edge is used for dry installation of joints without further sealing with solutions. This option is actually the only one available when installing fire-resistant plasterboard. Also, a straight edge is used when forming the first inner layer of plasterboard when finishing a wall in several layers. There is simply no need for sutures.
- The rounded edge only on the front side without thinning is designed for puttying without a reinforcing mesh. This is exactly what plasterboard should be chosen for the formation of niches in the wall, which often alternate, or for objects that are not covered with solid sheets.
- There is also a rounded edge on both sides. It is suitable in those cases when the plasterboard wall will later be plastered, for example, creating a textured surface or covering with tiles with an even application of glue.
Finally, it is important to remind. When choosing a material, you should carefully consider which plasterboard is better among the options presented in hardware stores. Currently, many factories are engaged in the production of these products, besides, they do not always adhere to the desire to produce a really high-quality product. Drywall should be reliable and durable, the plaster in it should not crumble and withstand considerable effort. Even if in accordance with the requirements proposed by the standards, the sheets can withstand the load, but chip and crumble from attempts to drill holes or simple cutting.