Plasterboard Ceiling Layout

[rednaxela]

Oh No, its me again The semi-self builder..

I have now got all my materials and am ready to start fitting the ceiling to the upstairs bedroom.
I am planning to fit the 2.4m lengths of board across the beams which have 600mm centres.
My question is that if I fit the board to butt up against the blockwork, the other end of the board does not quite reach the beam. i.e, it upsets the 600 centres.
If I was to slide it along a little, it would make contact with the 600mm centre, but leave a gap between the board and the blockwork at the start.

Is it normal to fit a noggin, or leave a gap at the edge?

I have found a good site with great help on ceilings and walls etc; but it didn't address my question.

http://www.zurich.co.uk/buildingguarantee/index.html

thanks, Alex.

 

[FredFlintstone]

Jeez! You're sticking 8 x 4 board up on a ceiling?! I hope you got someone to help you? I only ever use 6 x 3 now when I'm on my own because 8 x 4 was far too cumbersome and I ended up snapping too many boards when working alone.

If you haven't got any already, get yourself some support props to assist you in keeping the boards against the joists while you screw 'em in (yes, screw - if you were planning to nail 'em, change your plan).

Personally, I'd noggin the joists where the boards overshoot. You would probably get away without doing this but while you've got the chance it's best to get it right first time.

I'd never leave a gap at the edges. Even if fitting coving, I'd rather the board was up against the wall. Having said that - you mention blockwork. What are you doing with the walls? Plasterboard or wet plastering it? How big is the gap between the joists and the wall (i.e. how big would the gap be?).

If we're talking an inch then I'd be tempted to leave that little gap you allude to because by the time you've drylined it or plastered it, the gap will be gone.

I assume you know to stagger the joints too don't you.

Sorry, I know I've probably pointed out some obvious things but figure it's best to point out things you may already know rather than not to point them out and find out you haven't thought about them.

Fred

 

[Richard C]

Jeez! You're sticking 8 x 4 board up on a ceiling?! I hope you got someone to help you? I only ever use 6 x 3 now when I'm on my own because 8 x 4 was far too cumbersome and I ended up snapping too many boards when working alone.

If you haven't got any already, get yourself some support props to assist you in keeping the boards against the joists while you screw 'em in (yes, screw - if you were planning to nail 'em, change your plan).
Fred

I put up 6 8 x 4 boards using a large headed garden broom, a prop made from some 4 x 2 stud timber & the wife helping me on some steps. I must admit I wasn’t looking forward to it but they went up surprisingly easy!

 

[rednaxela]

Thanks for yor reply's Fred and Richard,

The blockwork will be plastered as well as the plasterboard, and I have been told that this will be around 10-12mm thick on the walls.
I don't have the actual measurements on me, but the board was only going to be just off the joist, so I could allow a small gap I guess.

Luckily, I have my Dad just over the road and he has offered to help me out with the lifting.
I have bought screws for the boards, 1000 of them
I have also planned to stagger them.
The website I mentioned said that if the ceiling was going to be plastered, then any bound joints would not require noggins.

What is your opinion on this?

thanks, Alex.

 

[Richard C]

The website I mentioned said that if the ceiling was going to be plastered, then any bound joints would not require noggins.

What is your opinion on this?

thanks, Alex.

Must admit I didn't use noggins & it's been OK for the last 18 months; the boards in my existing ceilings don't have them either! I put the boards up with the longest run across the joist & trimmed the boards so the shortest run came mid point on a joist. I used 2 staggered runs of fibre glass scrim tape for extra support on the long run joins (across the joist) & a single run of tape where the boards were supported by the joist.

 

[masona]

At 600mm centre, should really have noggins.

You can buy plasterboards prop to hold the sheets up. About £15 for two

 

[rednaxela]

Hi masona,

can you get these from run of the mill DIY shops such as B&Q?

 

[masona]

Sorry I got the price wrong

The proper name is Drywall Prop, if you do a search, loads there including ebay, most builder merchants should have them.Here one of them doing a deal for buying 2

These are good which help you to use screws correctly without having to damage the plasterboards, here, scroll down half way

 

[rednaxela]

cheers, its shopping for me on the way home.

 

[The-brickie]

Bound edges must always be 90 degrees to the joists, cut boards to the middle of the joists, never leave ends mid way between joists, screw every 150mm (6") and scrim all joints and abutments to walls and remember, white side down never use the grey side.

 

[rednaxela]

Thankyou for all your help.
The project is going very well.
I shall be upset when the boards are covered with plaster, as I will no longer see my hard work!

 

[crazycanuck]

next time rent a drywall lift from your local rental store cut the drywall to fit even if you have to buy extra you will be glad you did

crazycanuck

 

[diyisfree]

I shall be upset when the boards are covered with plaster, as I will no longer see my hard work!

You wont be saying that once you start skimming the ceilling You will be posting on here regarding what a bloody nightmare it was trying to skim a ceilling for the first time BUT i made a good job of it....

 

[Richard C]

You wont be saying that once you start skimming the ceilling You will be posting on here regarding what a b****y nightmare it was trying to skim a ceilling for the first time BUT i made a good job of it....

The first ceiling I did, I stood for 10 minutes on my hardcore pile picking the stuff out of my hair & off my clothes; & it still doesn't seem to be getting any less!