Plasterboard

What we supply

• Standard plasterboardWallboard for walls and ceilings in 9.5, 12.5 and 15 mm.
• Moisture-resistant boardFor bathrooms, kitchens and utility rooms.
• Fire-resistant boardHigher fire performance for garages, escape routes and separating walls.
• Acoustic boardDenser board to reduce sound between rooms.
• Thermal laminate boardPlasterboard bonded to insulation for dry-lining external walls.
• Tapered and square edgeTapered edge for taped joints; square edge for skimming.
• Screws, tape and jointingDrywall screws, scrim and jointing compound.

Sizes and specifications

Standard	BS EN 520
Sheet sizes	2400 × 1200 mm; also 1800 × 900 mm for handling
Thicknesses	9.5, 12.5 and 15 mm
Coverage	2.88 m² per 2400 × 1200 sheet

Sizes and standards are typical for the UK market; exact figures depend on the manufacturer and are confirmed on your quote.

Common uses

• Stud partitions
• Ceilings
• Dry-lining external walls
• Loft conversions

Choosing plasterboard

Which thickness?

12.5 mm is the everyday choice for walls and ceilings on 400 or 600 mm centres; 9.5 mm suits ceilings at 400 mm centres. Fire and acoustic designs may call for 15 mm or two layers.

Which board type?

Use moisture-resistant board in wet rooms, fire board where a fire rating is required, and acoustic board for quieter rooms. Building regulations or your design set the requirement.

Tapered or square edge?

Tapered edge boards are for taping and jointing without a skim; square edge boards are normally skimmed.

Building regulations differ across the UK. In England, building work is checked against the Approved Documents, for example Part A for structure and Part L for energy efficiency, through your council's building control team or a registered building control approver. Wales has its own Approved Documents, including its own Part L for energy efficiency, and building control is handled by the local authority or a registered approver. In Scotland most building work needs a building warrant from the local authority, assessed against the Building Standards Technical Handbooks. In Northern Ireland building work follows the Building Regulations (Northern Ireland), with guidance in the Technical Booklets, and applications go to the council's building control team.

How it arrives on site

Boards are heavy and fragile at the edges; they travel flat and are best stored flat and dry. We agree the drop point and offload method when we price your order. Read more about how delivery works.

How much do you need?

A new 3.6 m partition 2.4 m high, boarded on both sides, is 17.28 m² of board: 7 sheets of 2400 × 1200 mm with 10% for cutting, and about 245 drywall screws. Try the plasterboard calculator

Plasterboard: questions

How many plasterboards do I need?

Divide the wall or ceiling area by 2.88 m² (one 2400 × 1200 sheet) and add about 10 percent for cutting. Our plasterboard calculator also gives the screws.

What thickness plasterboard for walls?

12.5 mm is the standard choice for walls on studs at 400 or 600 mm centres.

What plasterboard for a bathroom?

Moisture-resistant board for general bathroom walls and ceilings. In shower areas use a tile backer board designed for wet areas.

How many screws per board?

Around 30 to 40 drywall screws for a 2400 × 1200 board on a wall, with screws at about 300 mm centres.

Can plasterboard be stored outside?

No. Keep boards flat, off the ground and dry, ideally inside the building.

What is thermal laminate board?

Plasterboard bonded to a layer of insulation, used to dry-line external walls and improve their insulation in one fixing.