In our previous posts we have written about how to find the perfect building plot in Bulgaria and tabout of the lack of drainange system in the Bulgarian villages.
In this post we will show you how to use plasterboards to build separating walls in your property in need of renovation (see potential of renovation). Plasterboard provides insulation, fire protection, can be painted, wall papered, drilled, and more.
There are a few types of plasterboard available in Bulgaria. All are made form aerated gypsum plaster – hence the Bulgarian name “Gypscarten”, and are covered both sides with strong paper. The standard sheet of plasterboard in most merchants in Bulgaria has a grey paper back and ivory colouring on the front facing side. The standard size is 12.5 mm (thickness), although different dimensions are available.
Cutting and fixing plasterboard is simple, even for beginners, and only requires a handful of tools. However, it is best not to undertake it solo, as the boards are heavy yet fragile, and can break in transport or when fitting to walls or more difficulty ceilings.
If you carry plasterboard flat, face up, it is more likely to break, so move it its edge and also store boards this way, leaning slightly vertically, in a dry place. To cut plasterboard, lay the board flat, measure then mark out with a pencil, then score with a blade along a straightedge, or saw it. Make sure the board is supported adequately on wood else is risk breaking. If you making cuts inside the board, e.g. for a light switch, make an initial hole with a drill or jigsaw and cut the shape out with a craft knife.
Sample of a separating drywall
click on the image for larger view
Plasterboard can be stuck using bonding if you are fixing the boards to a flat wall, or by using screws if you are fitting it on a wall which has been studded out by baton. Special galvanized plasterboard screws should be used, or likewise plasterboard screws can be drilled in, but the fixings should not be driven beyond the strong paper. If you are plaster boarding a whole room you should always start with the ceiling, which is incidentally the hardest as you will be working above your head. When it comes to walls, either work away from a corner, or away from a doorway, fitting board by board vertically. Using a chock of wood to raise the board from the floor so that it joins the ceiling, hold the board in place and fix it using of the fore mentioned methods. Any irregular cuts, including above doors or windows or in corners should be measured carefully to ensure the minimum gap is left. Be sure to pencil out where lights or switches will be, and mark where wires run down the wall to prevent drilling through anything vital. Once the whole room is boarded, the boards need to be finished to disguise seams and joins, and also neaten corners and curves pre decoration. This can be done topically with filler or by plastering or lightly skimming the area.
If you are going to fill the plasterboard, first disguise nails and screws by applying a layer of filler over the head before waiting for it to dry so you can sand the patch to blend. It may need filling and sanding several times if the filler “sinks” into the hole. To fill joins, whether you have a square edge or a tapered edge, you should always run square-meshed tape called scrim tape, along the join or internal edge. Then press filler into the tape so gaps between joins are filled, then with run filler over the length of the tape into the squares.
After the first fill has dried, apply more filler to hide the tape completely, feathering out edges to blend. This is easier when you are filling a tapered edge the rivet is designed to hide the join and the tape once a coat is in place. Again, you may need to fill and sand a couple of times in order to get a smooth join. To check the gap filled between the two boards are level, lat a trowel on one board and check it levels to the other board. If there is a dip or a rise between the boards, put a little filler on the trowel and run it width ways down the strip. On external corners, get metal beading, around 30 st. per metre, and cut to size, ensuring to cut angles where beading meets other beading, e.g. round a window. Put filler on both edges of the external corner, the affix beading.
Run more filler down the sides, then leave to dry in place. After sanding, apply more filler with a plastering trowel from the edge of the beading, outwards to the wall, in order to get straight finish. Where the applied filler finishes, feather the edges out using a barely damped sponge, so that he end blend where the filler meets plasterboard is neat. If you are finishing the plasterboard with plaster, you still need to apply a tape and beading to joins and corners, but do not need to apply filler first, although some extra plaster or cement should be pressed into the joins so the finished plaster does not “sink” in. Be aware though, plastering is a tricky art to master and you may end up having to sand bumps and fill dips anyway.
After sanding in preparation for paint or paper, all surfaces need to be swept down, and wiped over with a barely damped sponge. You may need to do this a couple of times before the surface is dust free. If you have gone for the filling option, there is still one more stage before you can directly decorate on the surface of plasterboard. A coat of sealer or primer needs to be painted on the boards to provide a sound surface for decorative treatments, and also to protect the board when wallpaper is steam-stripped.
The plasterboard is then ready to paint or paper, and any other finishes such as skirting, switches and lights can be added.
We reccommend using KNAUF platerboards only for your building project. Knaus is the leading manufacturer of drywall building systems: www.knaufdrywall.co.uk
You can contact us if you are looking for a Builder in Bulgaria. We are general builders covering all aspects of construction including Property Renovation, Repairs and Property finishes in Bulgaria. Click here to >> Contact us <<
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