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British Gypsum Good Practice Guide: Dry Lining
Drylining Overview
Drylining is the process of attaching plasterboard to a steel frame to create a smooth wall or ceiling surface, ready for painting and decoration. This is a cost-effective solution, commonly used by businesses to create a partitioning within a variety of commercial environments. For example, plasterboarding is often used to divide private work areas or divide departments within an office.
At Workplace Interior Shop, we stock a range of dry lining systems, plasterboard and accessories to suit projects across different sectors. Browse a range of products from reputable manufacturers, including British Gypsum and Knauf.
Our comprehensive range of dry lining supplies are available to order online today and includes:
Types of Drylining
There are many different types of drylining available to suit your bespoke project needs. From a partition system to an MF ceiling, popular systems include:
Stud and Track Partitions
Stud and track partitions are lightweight, non-loadbearing walls, commonly constructed with a stud or timber framework. This system is available in a range of heights and thicknesses to meet the unique needs of your commercial interior project, however, the track should always measure 2mm larger than the stud. For example, a 50mm c stud will require 52mm standard tracks.
Many businesses prefer metal stud and track partitions for a number of reasons:
- Customisable
- Quick and easy to install
- Easily modified
- Affordable
Types of Stud and Track Partitioning:
Constructing your partitioning system from scratch? Let us do the hard work! Try our complete stud and track partitioning kits, containing all the components you need to complete your project.
Steel Frame System (SFS)
SFS (also referred to as a steel framing system) is a popular choice in modern construction due to its cost-effective properties and speed of build. The cold-rolled steel is often now recommended over timber framed systems due to the fire and heat resistance it offers. Consisting of metal c stud partition and U-shaped studs and tracks, the system can be designed on a project specific basis, including loadbearing and non-loadbearing structures, constructed on site.
If you’re constructing a steel frame system, but aren’t sure where to begin, we can help. Our fit out experts offer a design service for your SFS materials, saving you time and hassle on your project. For more advice on this, please contact our team.
Types of Steel Frame Systems:
Metal Furring System (MF Ceiling)
MF ceilings combine the structural strength of a suspended metal frame with the versatility of plasterboard. Ideal for new builds and refurbishments, this system is commonly installed in offices, studios and retail environments.
Once fitted, MF (metal furring) ceilings offer a variety of benefits:
- Hide unsightly services, insulation and utilities within the ceiling void
- Potential to add thermal insulation and acoustic insulation
- Easy to customise with a variety of plasterboard options
- Seamless ceiling design that can be customised with most decorative finishes
Types of MF Ceilings:
Like the ease of our complete building kits? We also supply bespoke Metal Furring Ceiling Kits, including the key products needed to construct your MF ceiling.
Access Panels
Whether you’re looking for a partitioning system or ceiling, we stock a wide variety of access panels in different materials and sizes to suit your bespoke project. When you order from our shop, you can choose features such as fire rated and acoustic rated fittings.
Types of Access Panels:
Plasterboard
Not only is plasterboard perfect for creating a smooth finish within commercial buildings, it can also help retail, leisure and office environments to meet regulations such as fire protection. There’s also the potential to improve the thermal and acoustic insulation of your commercial project.
Due to moisture control properties, commercial plasterboard can also be used within high humidity workplaces such as kitchens. Better yet, our stock of plasterboard supplies are a fantastic option if you’re looking to build with more eco-friendly building materials. As it’s 100% recyclable, it should never end up polluting our landfills!
Types of Plasterboard:
Benefits of Drylining
There are many advantages of using dry wall lining that make it a great alternative to more traditional plaster.
- Improve Thermal and Acoustic Insulation
Once constructed, your drylining will leave a cavity behind it. This cavity can be filled with additional thermal or acoustic insulation to improve the overall performance of your workplace.
- Easy Installation
Drylining is lightweight and quick and easy to install. Unlike wet plastering, you can avoid the time spent waiting for your system to dry.
- Customisation
Typically, dry-lining plasterboard is used to conceal any unsightly utilities such as pipes and wires in your wall or ceiling void. Once constructed, you’ll instead have a flat and smooth surface that can be decorated to suit your design requirements.
- Time Efficient
Without the need to wait for plaster to dry, dry lining is an excellent option that can help you speed up the construction of your project and meet those looming deadlines.
Drylining Buying Advice
Do you often use drylining within your contracting jobs? Completing a larger project? You might not know, but at Workplace Interior Shop, we offer extended bulk drylining pricing for large quantity orders – saving you money on your build.
Material Calculation
We understand the importance of efficiency and accuracy within construction. We offer a material calculation service to help you calculate the exact materials needed to complete the job. Simply fill out our form and one of our experts will be in touch.
Drylining Installation Advice
Installing drylining should be fairly simple and straightforward to do, however, the process will vary depending on the job. An MF ceiling, for example, will require a different construction method to drylining walls. As a basic guide, you will need to attach your dry lining boards to your timber or metal framework.
Most drylining applications can be painted and decorated once constructed. For the best finish, we recommend using a top coat to ensure the longevity and quality of your design.
Top Tip: If you need to make room for light or electrical sockets, we recommend cutting your dry lining boards to accommodate this. You can carefully and accurately cut your boards using a Stanley knife.
For more advice, please don’t hesitate to contact our team. You can also browse our knowledge base for more specific guidance:
What Our Drylining Experts Say
At Workplace Interior Shop, we have a rich history within the construction sphere. In this time, we’ve made strong connections with some of the industry’s leading manufacturers, offering trusted and high quality products to our customers.
We invest in regular training. This ensures our team provide the latest information and product knowledge on your drylining project. For help finding the most suitable product for your construction, or for any more information, please don’t hesitate to contact us today.
Our Customers Also Ask
Find answers to the most common questions asked about drylining solutions.
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What is dry lining?
Dry lining is a type of cladding, used to construct walls, ceilings and partitioning. Using plasterboards and adhesives, they create a smooth surface similar to plastering. Once constructed, this smooth surface of most dry-lining is ready to decorate, granting spaces with creative freedom when it comes to their interior design. At Workplace Interior Shop, we provide a range of dry lining systems to suit many applications, along with relevant components. These include:
- Access Panels
- Dry Lining Trims
- MF Ceiling Systems
- Plasterboard
- Steel Frame Systems (SFS)
- Stud & Track Partitions
- Suspended Ceiling Trims
- Wall Lining
Benefits of dry lining
- Time Saving. There is very little drying time involved in dry lining compared to wet plaster, which has to be applied layer by layer.
- Easy Installation and Flexibility. On top of quick installation, drywall can be dismantled and moved if necessary. This saves time and materials, as well as avoiding the need to knock through a wall.
- Custom performance. Depending on the plasterboard used, you adapt the performance of the wall or ceiling to suit your specifications. This can be acoustic insulation, thermal insulation and fire protection.
Fixing Dry Lining
Dry lining is attached via a couple of methods. Plasterboard can be fixed directly to brick walls as well as being drilled on to metal studs or runners when being used as part of a Stud & Track System, Wall Lining or MF Ceiling. -
What are the advantages of dry lining?
There are many ways that dry lining can benefit your space, with many preferring this method over plastering.
- Perhaps the key benefit to dry lining is the quick and easy installation process, especially when considered against plastering.
- Dry lining can come with a range of performance attributes, including thermal insulation, acoustic protection and fire rated properties.
- Once constructed, dry lining creates a smooth surface (we like to think of this as a ‘blank canvas’), ready for decoration.
- Dry-lined walls and ceilings typically have a lightweight structure.
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Is drylining better than plastering?
The finished result of commercial drylining and plaster is almost identical. With that said, there are a few advantages of drylining that might persuade you to use this construction method over traditional plastering:
- Drylining can save you time during construction. Unlike plaster, you can save yourself some time that would otherwise be spent waiting for your plastering to dry before you're able to move on to the next step. This is ideal if you're looking to meet strict project deadlines.
- In general, drylining is much easier to install, making for a quicker, more precise construction.
- Most drylining systems are compatible with additional products to improve insulation. For example, you could incorporate thermal or acoustic insulation within your build to improve the overall performance of your workplace.
- When comparing the costs of drylining with plastering, there is little difference. With drylining, however, you can save money by avoiding higher labour costs spend on a longer installation time and an easier fitting process.
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Is drylining waterproof?
When constructed with moisture resistant plasterboard, you can achieve a degree of ‘waterproofing’ in your drylining system. It’s important to note that the level of protection you achieve will depend on a number of factors, from the dry lining installation to the complete list of components used in your build. For further help specifying the correct drylining system for a high-humidity environment, please contact our team. Our experts are trained with the latest product information in order to provide you with trusted advice, bespoke to your workspace.
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Will drylining stop damp?
Drylining will not stop damp. If specified correctly, your drylining system could help to reduce the build up of moisture or mould that you may be experiencing within your commercial workspace. There may, however, be external issues that result in damp that you will need to combat before installling your system. Please note: Different systems have different properties and you need to consider whether better thermal insulation or moisture resistant properties could help combat dampness within your building.
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What plasterboard can be used for drylining?
Whether you’re constructing a drylining wall or MF ceiling, there are plenty of different types of plasterboard to use within your system. This will impact the overall performance of your workplace, from acoustic control to fire resistance: For help specifying the best plasterboard for your workplace, please contact our team. We can offer bespoke product recommendations available to easily order online from our website, as well as share knowledge on what plasterboard is compatible with your drylining system.
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How thick is drylining?
As standard, the thickness of drylining can range from 12.5mm to 15mm. This will vary depending on the type of dry lining, as well as any additional products such as acoustic or thermal insulation.
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How long does it take to dryline a wall?
Drylining is a time-efficient alternative to more traditional methods such as plastering. On average, it can take between 4 hours to 2 days to complete. It’s important to note that this is entirely dependent upon your unique circumstances, from your experience to the dimension of the space you’re covering.
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Does dry lining make a room warmer?
One of the primary reasons to install drylining is the thermal insulation it can offer. It works by creating an effective barrier to prevent heat from escaping out of a room. For most drylining systems, you should also have a cavity behind it which can be used to install more insulation to further warm your workplace. For more information, please contact our team.
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What are dry lining boards made from?
Most dry lining boards are made from gypsum (calcium sulphate dihydrate). These are typically lined on the front and back with foil. Gypsum boards have fire resistant properties along with many other desirable qualities that make it an ideal building material for many construction projects.
