Plasterboard (drywall)

Plasterboard, also called drywall or gypsum board, is the core material of dry construction. Sheets are screwed to a frame of galvanised steel studs, the joints are taped and filled, and the result is a smooth surface ready for paint. There is no wet plastering, so it goes up quickly, adds little weight to the structure and is fairly easy to alter later. In Turkey it is known as alçıpan.

Types and where they are used

Standard boards suit dry interior partitions and ceilings. Moisture-resistant boards are made for bathrooms and kitchens, and fire-resistant boards for escape routes and service shafts; manufacturers usually distinguish them by colour. Perforated acoustic boards help control echo in meeting rooms and offices. For external walls, cement-based boards designed for the job are the right choice, not ordinary plasterboard.

Practical points

• Where heavy cabinets, a television or a basin will hang, add timber or metal backing inside the frame first.
• For better sound insulation, fill the stud cavity with mineral wool and add an extra board layer.
• Careful joint finishing matters most on walls lit from the side, where every flaw shows.

In interior visualisation plasterboard is often the quiet hero. Stepped ceilings with hidden LED strips, niches and feature TV walls are usually built from it, and modelling them at their true depth lets light behave correctly in the render.