Recommendation points
The article is addressed to those who want to learn how to make something more complex out of drywall than flat cladding of walls and ceilings. We suggest mastering technological methods using the example of common volumetric structures. You will find many useful tips here.
Drywall is rightfully considered the most versatile and at the moment absolutely irreplaceable material, both for construction and for repair. It allows for finishing, reducing the massiveness of structures, reducing the cost of each square meter, increasing the speed of project implementation, getting rid of wet and time-consuming work. With the help of complete plasterboard systems, you can bring to life a wide variety of design ideas, get away from standard mechanical cladding and create a plastic, unique interior space. There are simply not counting artistic options, these are niches and overlays, boxes and false columns, pylons and consoles, domes and arches, rounded volumetric elements of various configurations. Do not forget about purely utilitarian products made of gypsum plasterboard, which are boxes that cover the sewer pipes in the bathroom, slopes on the windows, decorated openings between rooms.
Plasterboard sheets are easy to process and can be bent at different radii, their small thickness allows you to recreate the slightest nuances of a sketch / drawing. But the plate itself cannot become the basis of the product, the installer must select and correctly use the fasteners, the necessary metal profiles, and finishing materials. This work is always creative, but it requires knowledge of the basic technological techniques from the drywall worker..
GKL boxes
The box is an elongated superstructure of the second level, square or rectangular in cross section. As a rule, this element is constructed to hide engineering communications, mount recessed lamps, create shelves or decorative false beams.
There are two main types of boxes by design:
- corner L-shaped element that is assembled horizontally between the floor / ceiling and the wall, or vertically (in the corner between the walls);
- U-shaped element (false beam) removed from the obstacle, which is assembled on one bearing surface.
The boxes can be single, extended in one line. On ceilings, they are often combined to form an outline throughout the room. Ceiling boxes around the perimeter do not always have a constant cross-section – near different walls they can be wider or narrower, the angles of their mutual joining are sometimes made in the form of a quarter circle. Naturally, both horizontal and vertical structures are considered boxes..
The installation of drywall boxes is most conveniently performed over horizontally and vertically aligned planes (finishing screed, finishing plaster, ceiling and wall sewn onto the frame). With this sequence of work, the corners and edges of the box superstructure throughout the entire length are made equidistant from the main surfaces, then several technologies for organizing the frame for the box become available. It is much more difficult to work if the box has to be attached to rough enclosing structures that have all kinds of drops. For example, a very popular design solution is when a box with mortise lamps is mounted around the perimeter of the room, and a stretch canvas is already attached to it, covering the main area of the ceiling. Here, the metal of the superstructure is fixed directly to the ceiling, while the lower part of the frame has to be very carefully aligned horizontally along a whole system of cords, since the interfloor slabs always lie with differences. Monolithic floors of modern new buildings of the elite class are no exception..
So, the installation of any box begins with marking its outline on the enclosing structures. The required distance with the help of a tape measure is set aside from the obstacle, which serves as a reference point. For example, if we need to create an L-shaped ceiling element in a corner with sides 400 and 150 mm, then at a distance of 38.5 cm from the wall we put two marks on the ceiling that are distant from each other (at different ends of the room), in turn, on the wall marks will be at a distance of 13.5 cm from the ceiling. Please note that we have subtracted 1.5 cm, since the frame will be sheathed with panels 12.5 mm thick, and a perforated corner can add up to 2.5–3 mm thick. If we are working on an already wired ceiling and are sure of the quality of its assembly, then it makes no sense to use a hydro level to obtain a horizontal – we “dance” from the finished plane. But when the box is mounted to the ceiling, one cannot do without a spirit level, the same story with a plumb line for assembling a vertical box.
We connect the marks in working lines with a chopping cord (tracer), the main thing in this operation is to make sure that the thread dyed in toner does not cling to anything when clicked. Do not use slats and a pencil to obtain lines of long boxes, no rule, if it needs to be rearranged at least once, will not give such accuracy as a chopping cord.
On working lines, you can immediately set the profiles of UD, which in this case are carriers. Using 6×40 or 6×60 “quick assembly” dowels, we fix the starting metal to massive mineral substrates. We recommend making the minimum step between the dowels – from 30 to 40 cm.
If the box is made on top of drywall, then the UD is attached to the base subsystem with standard metal screws 25 mm long (for single-layer cladding) and 35 mm (for two-layer).
Attention, when setting and fixing the UD, be guided by the lines, but always attach the rule to them from the side.
There is one very important point regarding the superstructures on the GK-system: the self-tapping screws fixing the UD must fall into the frame profiles. To do this, we recommend that even when assembling walls and ceilings, provide embedded elements for mounting the box. For example, it is possible to deliberately shift the CD profile (if it is not a docking one) to the right place by several centimeters, put an additional rack (including when creating a frame partition), assemble a “ladder”. If this nuance was overlooked, then you can cut out technological holes in the skin (so that they are then closed with a box), start trimming profiles behind the gypsum board panels and screw them around with self-tapping screws, getting the base for the superstructure screws.
Now you can start assembling the shaping profiles. The most powerful option is when a complete structure is assembled from metal, and only then it is sheathed with plaster strips. Often, two UDs twisted together, oppositely directed, are placed along the outer corner and a lot of jumpers are used to expose all this. Some installers use such a frame everywhere, although such rigidity is justified only near the floor, for example, when sheathing a horizontal sewer pipe in a bathroom (pressure, kicks are possible), or when creating a horizontal U-shaped shelf box (significant bending forces act on it).
Optimal in terms of strength and material consumption can be considered a box, where only one UD is installed at the corner, set to the horizon from the ceiling on the sections of the central hall that play the role of stretch marks. It can be turned by the shelves both to the wall and to the ceiling. It is convenient to first create the side of the box, sheathe it with a plasterboard strip, and then expose the lower part of the superstructure. In any case, some CDs will be included in the CA, while others require adaptation:
- screwing small segments to the angular UD;
- cutting out languages on CD;
- production of cutouts in the shelf on the UD so that the CD can enter.
Some craftsmen can do without a CD at all as stretch marks, they fix a clearly prepared vertical strip of drywall to the base, screw a UD or CD to it (along the edge) through the body, and then attach and fix a second, horizontal strip with self-tapping screws. The alignment is performed by pressing the strips or pulling them along the line of the outer corner. CD is used only for joining several sections of gypsum board. With the seeming “flimsy”, this method provides sufficient rigidity to the product, especially on ceilings where mechanical impact on the structure is excluded.
It has been verified by time that even on the walls of the gypsum board without metal it perfectly carries itself and resists mechanical stress well. There are technologies “from the manufacturer” that allow you to create boxes without metal. A milling cutter with a taper tooling on the back side of the sheet (along the bending lines) cut V-shaped grooves so as not to damage the faceboard of the panel.
Then the sheet is folded, the places of bending inside are reinforced with “bloopers” from the putty. The finished product is screwed to the bearing UD. It is interesting that, using various cutters, it is possible to make not only a rectangular section of the box, but also sharp, unfolded corners, which is very problematic to perform on the frame.
Very fast and reliable frames are obtained if you use a starting wall profile UW with a width of 50, 75, 100 mm for arranging the board, or UD, if you need a box about 40 mm high in cleanliness. It is directed “from the corner” of the box and screwed to the base with a shelf. This method is a little more expensive, but very easy to implement, since the troublesome setting is minimized.
The edges of any frame box are set in one line as the jumpers are placed from the CD. During this operation, we recommend attaching a long rack rule to the edge of the product. You can also pull a thread at some distance from the design position of the outer corner of the box (about 5 centimeters) and regularly measure the distance from it with a tape measure. An indicator of a well-assembled box is the presence of 90 degrees at all its corners, therefore, between the base and the sides it is necessary to “drive” a square.
When sewing boxes with plasterboard panels, we advise you to harvest them with a margin of 3-4 cm in width and already in place, after fixing, to make the final trimming and cleaning the end with a plane.
Pay attention to the places where the boxes are connected to each other, the filing here must be carried out with an approach to the adjacent plane, that is, we must make a “boot” of plaster. The dressing should be at least 200 mm.
Plasterboard niches
A niche can be made on any surface that is sheathed with plasterboard on the frame. Even in the partition, it is possible to make windows, however, the width does not exceed the distance between the posts. In most cases, this element performs a decorative function – it can be a combination of several recesses of the same or differing in shape and size. Often their bottom slope is covered with glass, MDF, mirror or other resistant material and used as a shelf. Niches with a rounded top (arched) look spectacular; it is very popular now to embed small lamps into the upper slope, thus obtaining decorative lighting. Perhaps the most practical and most used is the radiator niche, let’s talk about it in more detail.
The construction of the niche begins during the construction of the wall frame. First of all, the contours of our product should be marked on the wall. Rectangular structures must be drawn with observance of the vertical and horizontal lines, this is the rare case when a drywall plaster uses a small rack level. Be sure to check the perimeter diagonals to make sure the drawing is square..
Now the subsystem of the wall is being assembled. Two CD-racks of the frame must be installed along the edges of the side slopes of the niche. The distance between them should be equal to the width of the product with compensation on the gypsum board. For example, if we need a niche 1 meter wide, it is necessary that there be 1030 mm between the central hall.
Pay attention to the “extra” 30 mm – they will be “eaten” by strips of drywall and perforated corners. We recommend that you pay particular attention to the marking of niches in bathrooms, where such openings are also tiled (a common mistake is mismatching seams). These frame racks are set in one plane along with the entire wall, the only difference is that a direct suspension from the niche side is not installed.
Further, the rib of the upper and lower slopes is formed (in the radiator niches there may not be a lower one). Jumpers should be installed between the fixed and exposed posts at a certain height. It is better to make them from UD, with shelves facing up and, accordingly, down. A piece of the starting profile is measured along the width of the niche (from the central house to the central house), and 20 cm is added to this size. At each edge of this UD, stepping back 10 cm, shelves are cut and the profile is bent, forming a “stick”. A double-sided stick is wound between the posts of the CD and is fixed at a given height with at least two self-tapping screws LN through each resulting eyelet.
In our jumpers-sticks, we insert the profiles of the central house, which will be located above and below the niche, we move these frame elements apart according to the given step and sheathe the wall with gypsum board panels. Read about the creation of false walls in the article “Plasterboard Walls”.
Thus, at the exit we get an opening on the lined wall plane. The next step along the contour of the drawing on the bearing wall, in the depths of the niche, we drill down the UD profiles. Sometimes this is done immediately after marking, but it is better if, after creating the opening, you check with a square to see if a right angle is obtained on the slopes of the niche. It happens that an adjustment is required.
In accordance with the depth of the niche, we cut out strips from drywall, make a margin of about 3 cm in width, cut them off after screwing. We fill the slopes of our product with drywall, after fixing each strip on it, we attach a transverse piece of UD, creating a complete metal perimeter for each subsequent slope.
The finishing touch is the recessed surface finish. As a rule, in order for the width of all slopes of the niche to be the same, the section of the wall inside has to be aligned parallel to the front cladding, here you can either assemble a mini-frame, or stick a piece of drywall on mounting glue. In any case, the resulting inner corners must be pasted over with reinforcing tape before filling..
Any niche can be made using this technology. If it is necessary to recreate curvilinear shapes, then the UD profiles of the opening are notched with a grinder and mounted along a given radius. When assembling the ceiling niche for curtains, there is only one difference – a nuisance, because of the small opening it is impossible to use a regular screwdriver to screw the strip. Craftsmen here make do with angle drills or a flexible bit extension. Few people know that a high-quality sharp self-tapping screw can be screwed into a profile even with a manual screwdriver, so take the shortest one, with a PH2 cross, and mount the plaster even in the most pinched places. And, of course, choose materials meticulously – read the article “Choosing high-quality materials for drywall works”.
GKL slopes
The installation of window and door slopes is technologically somewhat similar to the assembly of a niche: in fact, this is also a recessed product on the main plane.
If a wall with a window is sheathed on the frame, then the racks closest to the translucent structure are set along the edge of the future slope. In most cases, these CDs also form the edge of the radiator niche, but, in comparison with niches, the slopes are not mounted at right angles to the frames. Each of the pillars is about 1–1.5 cm moved away from the window to form a “dawn”. Do the same with doors..
A jumper is placed above the window with a given dawn from the frame, the other is fixed at the bottom (lower it 30–40 mm below the window so that the window sill can be inserted). We recommend making jumpers from UD, these are the same “clubs” that we described above. The wall frame is fully assembled and sheathed with panels.
Now, after installing the window sill on the window frame, a U-shaped starting plastic profile is mounted. It is screwed to the edge of the window system with 9mm LN self-tapping screws. The profile can be glued to PVC structures with “liquid plastic”.
If the opening allows, then the slope strips can not be joined to frames and loot with the help of the starting strip, but be led behind the window profiles or the door frame.
behold
All the prepared drywall strips are simultaneously inserted into the starting strip (the top one will keep on the side ones), after which they foamed near the frames, pressed against the frame of the opening and wrapped with self-tapping screws. If the wall on which the window or door is located is plastered, then the part of the slope closest to the room is glued to the base with mounting glue (“bloopers” are placed in advance on the opening).
Drywall arch
This product is part of an open opening between two rooms, although rounded niches on a plasterboard wall are sometimes called so. The simplest way is to make a drywall arch on an opening in a frame partition, it is convenient to assemble it if there is a profile wall cladding, the most difficult way is when the arch must be installed in a bare stone opening. Consider all options.
1. The opening in which the arch is mounted is deliberately made higher than the usual rectangular one. How much – it all depends on the radius. Usually 20-30 centimeters.
2. The metal frames are assembled. We place the CD or UV racks along the edge of the opening.
3. Drywall is fixed on one of the walls with the release of sheets on the opening.
4. Draw the required radius on the screwed drywall.
5. GKL sheets are cut to the shape of the future opening. The most convenient way to do this is with a jigsaw, but you can also use a hand saw for drywall.
6. With the help of a grinder, two arched elements are cut from UD. The length of each segment is about 5 cm.
7. Through the body of the gypsum board, we fix the resulting “snake” along the edge of the arch. At least one self-tapping screw must be screwed into each metal segment.
8. The opposite wall is being sewn up. Similarly, drywall is produced, the radius is drawn, the sheets are trimmed, the notched UD is attached.
9. Strips are cut for sheathing slopes – make a width allowance, which we cut after fixing. An arched slope with a small radius can be sheathed with ordinary drywall without unnecessary movements, but with steeper arches, you have to moisten the strips in order to bend the drywall. Also for these purposes, you can apply a two-layer stitching with a 6 mm elastic sheet (also called “arched”).
10. First we fix the arched part, then we sew up the vertical slopes. This knot must be screwed on very carefully, the pitch of the screws on the radius is better to take in 50–100 mm. With a knife and a saw on the drywall, cut the drywall flush with the walls. The end is ground with a plane.
Arch in a brick wall
The slopes of the stone opening and the adjoining walls are without fail plastering, displayed according to the level.
We retreat from the planes of the partition by the thickness of the drywall (13 mm) and fix the UD profiles with a perforator.
We repeat the above points 3-10.
When installing an arch on walls made of stone, there is often a problem of the appearance of cracks at the end joints of drywall and mineral base. It can be solved if the vertical sheets of drywall are not simply screwed to the metal frame, but mounted on the wall and in addition glued to the base (some installers also fix them with dowels through the body of the plate). Naturally, in order for the arch to be flush with the wall, it is necessary to remove the plaster near the opening. Also, the design of the arch will be significantly more reliable if the vulnerable docking zones from the inside are fixed with “bloopers” from mounting glue.
Of course, arches, niches, slopes and boxes are just basic shapes. However, having mastered them, having understood the principles of installation of the main spatial structures, you can combine technologies, approach work creatively and create reliable, unique, amazingly beautiful plasterboard products..
How can I start learning to independently make arches, niches, boxes, and slopes from drywall? What are some recommended resources or techniques for beginners?