How to Cover Walls with Gypsum Board
Frame method – metal lath
This is the strongest, most reliable and durable method. It involves marking out the frame and mounting guide profiles to the base using expansion anchors. Then stud profiles are mounted and the finished frame is covered with gypsum board.
Frame method – metal lath
This is the strongest, most reliable and durable method. It involves marking out the frame and mounting guide profiles to the base using expansion anchors. Then stud profiles are mounted and the finished frame is covered with gypsum board.
Photo 1 — Various types of profiles for gypsum board and accessories
Frame method – wooden lath
This method provides better sound insulation but is more susceptible to moisture. The frame installation differs in that the lath takes up less space – gypsum board is mounted closer to the wall. Instead of various profiles, wooden battens and braces are used, which it is advisable to treat with anti-mold and mildew agents.
Frameless method – adhesive
Fast and effective. Gypsum board is glued directly to the wall or to thin strips of the same gypsum board attached to the wall. Special adhesive for gypsum board is used, such as Perlfix.
Photo 2 — Gypsum mounting adhesive Perlfix Knauf
Frameless method – foam
Sheets of gypsum board are mounted to walls using long screws and anchors. Mounting foam is injected into small holes in the sheets.
How to Properly Cover Walls with Gypsum Board
- Gypsum board cladding should only be done after all "wet" works are completed, with stable humidity and temperature.
- The choice of cladding method is limited by several factors. Wooden frame is not recommended for bathrooms, but wooden beams are suitable for covering attic floors, balconies or loggias – such a frame helps retain heat.
- Frameless methods are best suited for relatively flat concrete or brick walls. This method is especially convenient when working around window or door openings. The jambs, which frame the opening, can be additionally reinforced with expansion anchors after the gypsum board is installed. As for metal profile frames, they are universal but it's more convenient to use adhesive for cladding the jambs.
Photo 3 — Installation of window jambs from gypsum board using adhesive
- The choice of gypsum board depends on the base surface and room conditions. Different thicknesses are used for ceilings and walls. To cover a wall, 12mm thick gypsum board is needed. In addition, gypsum boards come in standard, moisture-resistant and fireproof varieties. For example, moisture-resistant boards are used in bathrooms.
- To hide utilities such as pipes, radiators and installations in bathrooms and toilets, a gypsum board box is built on a metal frame. Special attention should be paid to corners: to ensure they are straight, the frame layout and then the frame itself should be checked with a level. For layout, a square and plumb line or a laser builder can be used – the angle between surfaces during layout should be 90 degrees.
Cost of Wall Cladding with Gypsum Board
As for the cost of wall cladding with gypsum board, the price depends on the volume and complexity of work.
It is not possible to definitively say whether it’s cheaper to cover walls with gypsum board or to plaster the same walls. However, in a room with very uneven walls, gypsum board leveling will be cheaper than plastering.
The advantage of gypsum board is its dryness, fast installation (although depending on the complexity of the wall relief, plastering and gypsum board works can take about the same time), achieving a smooth surface, possibility of wall insulation and building complex structures. The minimum price for simple wall cladding with gypsum board in Moscow is 260 rubles per square meter, and in Kiev – 55 hryvnia per square meter.
