There’s a common misconception that plasterboard and dry lining are two different things. In reality, plasterboard is the material which gets attached to a wall as part of the dry lining process. The confusion comes from the similarity of the name to the plastering of a wall. This is a slower means of insulating a building, which relies on allowing the plaster to dry out over a longer period of time. In essence, plasterboard is the substitute material which makes dry-lining a home much quicker, easier and cost-effective.

As well as the plasterboard (which comes in different shapes, sizes, thicknesses, and types) that is affixed to create the smooth finish, there are other materials required for the various fixing techniques. These include adhesives, nails, and screws.

Dabs of quick-drying adhesive can be used to attach plasterboard directly to the internal wall until it sets, called the ‘dob and dab’ method. Plasterboard can also be attached to metal or timber walls using nails, in a technique known as tacking. Typically, however, as screws support plasterboard better than nails, a technique called screwing is also a possibility.

Tape is also required for covering any joints between the sheets of plasterboard, or, if there are screw or nail heads protruding, a powder is mixed with water and used around these to paste over them. Once the wet substance is dry, it can be sanded to a smooth finish.

Dry Lining is a much quicker way to get your wall or surface ready for paint and achieves a similar result to plastering. The plasterboard used in dry lining can hide pipes and wires, create insulation space, and even provide sound boarding.

Dry lining can be used on internal walls and ceilings, including brick walls and uneven surfaces, plus on internal stud walls.

There are two standard thicknesses of plasterboard, 9.5mm and 12.5 mm; depending on what you're fixing it to - like walls or surfaces with different strengths.

Dry lining is also possible around a door frame, with specialist door kits available to fit most standard frames.

Dry lining can be used in kitchens and bathrooms, however moisture resistant plasterboard or specialist insulation may be required to cope with condensation and moisture from the activities in these spaces.

As with any method, there are upsides and downsides. Let’s start with the benefits of drylining:

• Dry lining is generally faster and easier to install than wet plaster

• Specialist insulation can be glued to the back of the plasterboard to help keep the heat in and the cold out

• Dry lined walls are easier to change, making buildings more flexible

• Drylining creates lightweight walls and ceilings, which generally means the overall construction weighs less.

And the downsides:

• The technique known as ‘dot and dab’ has been criticised for leaving air pockets behind the plasterboard which can impair the performance of the wall

• Dry lining can have less load-carrying capability that traditionally finished walls, which may be a problem for fixing wall-hung cupboards or shelves

• Dry lined walls can be easier to damage.

Each project requires a custom quotation because we factor many things into the price, such as location, access, size of rooms, time-frame etc.

The price for our services can be expensive because we take pride in providing high-quality work. We operate with an extremely high degree of skill and attention to detail, which translates into better results than most other companies can offer at this pricing level.

Yes we can.

We are a service business and turn around is dependent on our existing commitments to live projects. We continually track progress of projects, allocating resource to make sure that we meet our clients’ timescale expectations.