Dry lining - Speedline metal system, setting out query

[howsey]

Hi,

I need to line a gable end wall in a loft conversion and I'd like to dry line it to avoid the need to plaster (the room has already been converted and is clean). The purpose of the job is to build in some additional insulation, and dry lining seems like a potentially good lightweight way to achieve this.

Although I've never dry lined before I'd quite like to have a go, and there's a Sheffield Insulation warehouse just up the road where I could get both the insulation and lining from. I'm thinking this would be good as I could get materials that will work together properly.

The fella at Sheffield was saying how their Speedline I channel clicks into place, and is laid out with the lower and upper channels running parallel so the vertical runs click into place.

Because the gable wall has an apex to it, I'm thinking I could set the channel up in a series of rectangles (maintaining the upper/lower horizontal parallels). Or would I be better off just running the upper channels to the same angle as the roof along the top on each side? This would mean the vertical runs would meet the upper channels at about a 45 degree angle - if I understood the Sheffield bloke correctly the channels may only locate properly when connecting at right angles but I'm not clear about this? I'm thinking I could just fix them like that anyway?

Q. So, must I lay out the upper channel so it runs perpendicular to the vertical runs or could I follow the roof angle?

 

[dextrous]

Have never used the system, so can't be sure of how it "clicks" together.
Are you sure that it wouldn't be easier to fix timber battens to the wall and use insulaton backed boards which can be screwed directly to these battens. If you use taper edged plaster board, then you need only use joint filler to get a reasonable surface (although personally I'd prefer to get the whole wall skimmed)

 

[howsey]

Yes I had thought about studding it out using timber as an alternative method - was thinking the lightweight channel might be easier to transport, carry up the seemingly endless flights of stairs and work with.

I've no idea what the cost comparison timber vs. dryline channel is at the moment either. Can anyone make an observation about that? If there's a plain difference one way then that is as likely to be the decider as anything.