Plasterboard thickess for ceiling

Nov 05, 2015 10 Replies

Is 12.5 mm plasterboard ok for ceiling or should I go for thinner. Noise insulation not an issue, I am just thinking in terms of weight.


Its just heavier. 12.5 4x8 you'll find a bear to handle.

NT

Agreed - although I did manage a couple of sheets with the help of props.

For a number of reasons mainly to do with mess and wanting to keep the original coving, I did have a couple of lath/plaster ceilings overboarded. The (different) plasterers used 9mm board.

The only reason to go for thicker plaster board is if there's a fire issue (eg ceiling of integrated garage.) Even then it's a lot easier to put up two layers of the thinner stuff.

BTW You can get special adjustable props makes putting the plasterboard up on ceilings a lot easier.

I'm doing a lot of pissing around with 18mm OSB and ply at the moment. Those full sheets are _fun_...

I tend to use 9mm on ceilings if its well supported. A reason to go thicker would be wide joist spacing or the need for a good fire barrier (e.g. kitchen ceiling, or if it forms a barrier between dwellings in multiple occupancy building).

I was surprised to find how cheap these are now'

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Not really expecting to do any more ceilings, but I'd certainly get one of these if I were.

I've used these:

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Makes doing it alone bearable, and they're adjustable enough to have other uses. But I'm with you on the mini-hoist - marvellous!

when I did it a while back I made my own props, which worked well enough. But yes the hoist looks handy :-)

On the topic of plasterboard - the roughneck board carrier is great, makes carry boards around single handed a much easier proposition.

Fortunately The ceiling is only 6 x 6 feet so it it will only be two 6 x 3 feet wide panels. As I will still have to tile the walls i will have some battens at the right height to support along the length at one side and probably prop up the other when I work out how, probably a length of timber. This is a one off so dont want to invest in ceiling props.

What's wrong with a stick of 2 x 1/2 as a prop? I'd understand a hoist if you were lifting the sheets 20' up, otherwise I'd expect it to just slow things down.

NT

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