In modern houses the standard covering for stud partitioning and ceilings is plasterboard. It is also used for lining internal masonry walls. There are several different types of plasterboard and the one that you need will depend on how and where you are using it.

Standard

Standard plasterboard provides a high-quality lining for walls and ceilings in a wide range of different buildings.

Moisture Resistant

This normally comes with a green face and is used in locations with high humidity such as kitchens and bathrooms.

Acoustic

Acoustic or sound-resistant boards have a specially designed core that provides greater insulation against sound.

Fire Resistant

Boards containing additives to increase the fire protection characteristics of normal plasterboard can be identified with a pink face.

Vapour Resistant

Like normal plasterboard but comes with a damp-proof membrane on the rear face usually in the form of a silver foil.

Thermal

Provides additional thermal insulation by fixing a layer of insulating material to the rear face of the plasterboard. Often used to line external walls.

Board Edges Boards are generally available as either:

Square edge

The edges are squarer which makes it hard to conceal the join between the boards unless a plaster skim is being applied to the surface.

Tapered edge

This tapers in thickness at the edges which allows the joins to be concealed without skimming. The boards need to be butted together so that a depression is created by the tapers on each board, this can then be covered by using scrim tape and a jointing compound.

Size

Plasterboard sheets are available in many different sizes the most common of which are 2400 x 1200mm (8’x4’) and 1800 x 900mm (6’x3’). Which one you will need will depend on the height of the room and what exactly the plasterboard is being fitted to. For example, the standard 600mm stud spacing typically used in houses today is best suited to 1200mm wide boards.

Where to Buy Plasterboard is widely available from builder’s merchants and DIY stores as well as specialist distributors.