Which plasterboard for the ceiling is better? How thick are plasterboard sheets needed for the ceiling? What kind of gypsum board edges are there and what do they affect?

There is no clear answer to the question of which plasterboard to choose for the ceiling. At the same time, the very concept of “ceiling plasterboard” is conditional, because the surface can be sheathed with absolutely any type of material equally well, but manufacturers simply do not have material with the above-mentioned accessory, there are only different types of plasterboard, differing in size and conditions of use.

Choice suitable drywall for finishing the ceiling depends on many conditions, which, in fact, will be discussed in this article.

Types of plasterboard and the possibility of their use as ceiling finishing

Ceiling cladding with ordinary gypsum plasterboard sheet

For sheets. They are suitable for any household and office premises, the humidity and temperature parameters in which do not exceed permissible norm. Eg, normal indicator The air humidity in the room is considered to be 70%.

Externally similar type plasterboard sheets are painted gray and have blue markings.

It should be noted that regular gypsum plasterboard is manufactured by various manufacturers in different thickness variations (from 6.5 mm to 24 mm). Wherein optimal thickness plasterboard for the ceiling is 8-9.5 mm, while for walls a sheet with a thickness of 12.5 mm is most often chosen.

Thanks to lower thickness due to slightly reduced weight. In addition, less weight will make the overall suspended plasterboard structure lighter, since less supporting profile will be required for such cladding.

If the width of the plasterboard sheets varies quite significantly, then the standard width and length of the sheet are almost always 120 cm and 250 (300) cm, respectively.

Fire-resistant plasterboard for ceiling finishing

Fire-resistant drywall or gypsum board has high resistance to contact with open flame, which was achieved thanks to special reinforcing additives available in the core material.

Sheets of fire-resistant plasterboard are most often used as finishing attic and production premises, ventilation shafts, electrical panels, as well as rooms with increased fire safety requirements - archives, storage facilities valuable papers and so on.

If you want to level up fire safety premises, feel free to choose gypsum plasterboard: this type of drywall is also gray in color, but, as a rule, it is marked in red. There are gypsum boards with pink cardboard.

However, the sheets are also available in various options size and thickness, which is quite important for the ceiling, given the need to reduce the weight of the ceiling structure.

Finishing the ceiling with moisture-resistant plasterboard

As for gypsum boards, the material of this type has the following features:

Unlike alternative types drywall, moisture-resistant sheets contain antifungal components and silicone granules, allowing the material to remain neutral to high humidity.
In addition, such drywall is made using impregnated cardboard.
However, to achieve maximum effect moisture resistance, outer side sheets are additionally recommended to be covered with moisture-resistant finishing materials - ceramic tiles, PVC panels or waterproof paints.

This type of drywall, like others, is available in a variety of dimensions, including thickness, and is mainly used for cladding rooms with high levels of humidity - bathrooms, kitchens, etc. Sometimes it is used for cladding ceilings living rooms to reduce damage during a flood caused by neighbors above. Finish lining GKLV, of course, will not save, but it will not lose its original shape and reliability, and after drying it can again be used as a base for finishing.
Moisture-resistant plasterboard sheet can be distinguished by its characteristic greenish tint and blue markings.

If the room requires a simultaneous increase in the level of both moisture resistance and fire resistance, you should use GKLVO - a moisture-resistant and fire-resistant plasterboard sheet that combines the advantages of the two types of material described above.

Types of drywall by edge type

Continuing the conversation about what kind of plasterboard is needed for the ceiling, one cannot fail to note another classification of sheets - by type of edge.

Drywall sheets come with the following types edges:

Straight edge (PC). This material is intended for “dry installation”, which does not require laying joints.
This type of plasterboard is used to create multi-layer sheathed ceilings and other structures as an inner layer.
With thinned edge (UK). Suitable for installation followed by gluing with reinforcing tape and applying putty.
With rounded edge. Used if you plan to seal a joint with putty without reinforcing tape.
With semicircular and thinned edge (PLUC). When used, it requires both covering the joint with tape and subsequent putty.

More often than others, plasterboard sheets of the UK and PLUK types are used, which allow the butt seams to be sealed perfectly evenly.

So, we looked at what types of plasterboard there are and which of them are most often used to finish the ceiling in certain situations. All you have to do is choose the most suitable material for your case and build a high-quality one from it. suspended ceiling.

Today the construction market offers various options materials for interior decoration residential and non-residential premises. Which material option to choose depends on the personal preferences and financial capabilities of the owner of the apartment or house.
Drywall is the most widely used material today. It is used in different situations: for wall decoration, creating unusual ceiling, as well as assembling partitions, arches and other structures.

Drywall as a finishing material is better than other finishing options, allowing you to quickly and efficiently carry out all the finishing work.

Since drywall can be used for various types of finishing or construction activities, the building materials market offers big choice sheets having different properties.
According to the main characteristics, this material is:

ordinary or standard (gypsum plasterboard). This sheet is gray in color and has blue markings. GCR can be used to form a ceiling in rooms where there is a normal microclimate, without temperature changes. Therefore, it is considered universal;

Regular plasterboard

fireproof (GKLO). It has a red color. Sheets of this material have increased fire resistance. It can withstand action better than other types of material open fire. Such properties were made possible by adding a sheet of special reinforcing substances to the gypsum core. This material is rarely used for finishing residential premises, especially for the ceiling. Its installation is carried out in rooms with a high fire hazard;

GKLO sheets
GKLV sheets

moisture resistant (GKLV). It has green color. The moisture-resistant type of sheets contains silicone granules, as well as special antifungal substances. In this case, the cardboard that hides the gypsum core will be impregnated. Such additives make the leaf able to withstand high humidity and sudden temperature changes. A moisture-resistant type of drywall should be chosen if ceiling repairs are planned in the kitchen or bathroom. It is also used for finishing loggias and balconies;

Note! To increase their service life, such sheets should be externally finished with ceramic tiles or water-repellent paint.

GKLVO sheets

moisture- and fire-resistant (GKLVO). It has a green color and red markings. In this case, one sheet combines both moisture-resistant and fire-resistant properties. It is considered an improved type of drywall, but it is also the most expensive. It is used in premises where there are high requirements for fire safety equipment. It can easily withstand high humidity and not deform under its influence.

Note! To choose the required type of drywall, you need to clearly understand what requirements the room itself puts forward for finishing materials. In each specific case, a certain type of sheet is needed. And we shouldn’t forget about this. Otherwise, a ceiling made from the wrong material will last much less and may harm your health. There's nothing better than beautiful ceiling completely safe for human life and health.

Now you can easily determine what material you need to decorate the ceiling in a particular room.

Variety of edges

Once the drywall has been determined by its properties, you should decide what type of edge you need. As practice shows, the choice of edge is an important parameter when it comes to plasterboard sheets.
Material slabs may have following types edges:

PC or straight edge. It is necessary when carrying out installation work using the “dry” method. Suitable for situations where the output layer will not be the top one. There is also no need to treat the joints with putty. It is used for the construction of the first level of the ceiling, as well as various boxes;
PLUK or thinned semi-circular edge. When using sheets with such an edge, it becomes necessary to use a special reinforcing tape or serpyanka. You need to use it to process all the joints between the plates, and then apply it over the tape. thin layer putties. Used in a situation where you need to mount a single-level and simple ceiling;
ZK or rounded edge. Has some resemblance to a narrow edge. But unlike it, it does not require the use of reinforcing tape during final finishing;
UK or thinned edge. The use of slabs with such an edge makes it necessary to use reinforcing tape and putty. This is the only way to perfectly align all the joints at the same level;
PLC or semi-circular edge on the front side. It is rounded only on the front side. Therefore, the sealing of joints formed by such an edge is carried out without a sickle. Only putty should be used here.

Knowing all this, you can easily answer the question “what type of edge is needed?” in each specific case. Choosing the right edge material will make your work much easier. exterior decoration drywall.

Thickness and its role

For the ceiling, you should choose a special ceiling plasterboard. In this case, you should pay attention to its thickness. For multi-level structures, you need to take sheets 9.5 mm thick. The thickness of 6.5 mm is rarely used. The use of a thickness of 12.5 mm is only possible with a single-level device.

Note! The thicker the sheet, the more problematic it is to work with when assembling the ceiling.

Now you can, without any problems, and most importantly, choose the right desired type plasterboard sheet for a specific room. And this is a guarantee that the ceiling will turn out beautiful and last a very long time.

Articles on the topic

Making plasterboard ceilings in the bedroom

Ceiling decoration - very important stage construction or renovation of premises. Very often it requires leveling, especially when it comes to renovations in apartments of old buildings.

The most common type of finishing material in last years is ceiling plasterboard. Its popularity is due to the presence of an impressive list of advantages.

What is this article about?

Advantages of the material

Dry ceilings are leveled using plasterboard. This type of work is especially popular when carrying out renovations in apartments dating back to standard buildings. Typically, the ceilings in such buildings have serious unevenness, and to eliminate them in the usual way using building mixtures consumes a lot a large number of material.

GCR is also good for creating various decorative structures, such as multi-level ceilings, domes, vaults, various convex, concave or wavy elements.

Environmental friendliness of drywall

An increasing number of people are paying due attention to the safety criterion of the material. And the drywall, including the ceiling, fully corresponds to it. After all, 93% of its composition is gypsum, paper makes up 6% and only 1% is various technological additives. Gypsum is a non-toxic material; its radiation level is the lowest among building materials. In addition, the material is “breathable”, which allows you to maintain the indoor microclimate.

Ease and ease of processing

The weight of the sheet of material is quite small. If size ceiling plasterboard 1200 by 2000 mm, then it weighs 18 kg, and with a size of 1200 mm x 2500 mm - 22 kilograms. So for work you need minimum cost human resources. Even a paint knife is suitable for cutting sheets.

Smooth surface

This plus allows you to use drywall as a basis for various types finishing materials(whitewash, paint, wallpaper, etc.) without additional processing.

Availability

The material has a low price and can be purchased at any hardware store.

Fire resistance

Drywall sheet is low flammable building materials, because in its composition most of- This is plasterboard, which is non-flammable. Can only get sunburned outer layer paper shell.

Plasterboard for ceiling

In appearance, plasterboard resembles a sandwich, in which sheets of construction cardboard are located on both sides, and in the middle there is a gypsum binder mixture with a small amount of functional additives that give the material certain properties.

The thickness of the plasterboard for the ceiling is 9.5 mm, and for the walls - 12.5 mm. The arched material is the thinnest - only 6.5 mm. Moreover, the sizes for all sheets are mostly the same. Standard width 1200 mm, and lengths 2000 mm, 2500 mm and 3000 mm.

The dimensions of ceiling plasterboard are somewhat different - it is extremely rare that it is three meters long. But laying such a large sheet on the ceiling requires extra hands, it’s easier to use smaller cuts alone.

Ceiling plasterboard has a serious advantage - due to the thinner sheet thickness, it weighs on average 25% less than wall plasterboard. This simplifies the work, since during installation it must be raised to a greater height.

In the case when the ceiling design has decorative elements of a round shape with a small radius, then it is better to use arched gypsum board, since it bends better and has minimum weight leaf.

Consequently, which plasterboard is best for the ceiling is decided in each case individually, but most often its different types are combined.

Types of ceiling gypsum boards

Standard ceiling plasterboard is suitable for installing ceilings in rooms with normal or low humidity.

If you are planning renovations in the bathroom, kitchen and other places with damp or wet humidity conditions, then it is better to take a moisture-resistant material, the so-called gypsum board (from the name of the manufacturer, the company Gyprok).

It is different from regular drywall those that are processed with special hydrophobic impregnations, which prevent swelling and deformation of the sheet.

Leveling ceilings

The ceiling can be leveled using plaster. But this method is quite labor-intensive and time-consuming. In addition, it will not be suitable if the differences in unevenness are significant.

That's why ideal material for this type of work is ceiling plasterboard. The work will be done much faster, because you won’t have to wait for the material to harden and dry, as when working with plaster, and you can do it the very next day after installation. finishing ceiling.

However, it is worth remembering that when leveling with plasterboard, the ceiling drops lower. This fact must be taken into account when renovating rooms with low ceilings.

You can do this work yourself, without resorting to the help of craftsmen, since the process does not require highly specialized knowledge and skills.

To do this, you will need tools for precise marking, iron profiles and special screws for drywall.

Installation of multi-level ceilings from plasterboard ceilings

Such decorative designs look very impressive. With their help, you can visually divide a large room into zones if for some reason it is impossible to erect interior partitions.

In the voids of such ceilings, communications can be disguised. And it is very convenient to install various lamps in drywall.

To install a multi-level ceiling structure in a hall, living room or bedroom, arched and ceiling plasterboard is suitable, and when carrying out such work in a bathroom or kitchen, it is better to use moisture-resistant gypsum board. To perform such work, a master needs to master certain skills. And, perhaps, the main one is the ability to draw up a drawing of the future product and make high-quality markings.

Preparing a plasterboard ceiling for finishing

Plasterboard is used to rough-process the ceiling. It is an excellent basis for decorative finishing various materials.

Whatever material is planned on top of the gypsum plasterboard, it is necessary to first prepare a plasterboard surface for it - fill all joints and places where screws are screwed in. Then the surface should be primed.

Finishing the ceiling from plasterboard sheet

One of the most popular types finishing is painting. It is worth paying attention that before using glossy paint, you must carefully remove all irregularities and roughness, as the paint can emphasize them.

They are also often used to cover plasterboard ceilings. ceiling wallpaper. Gluing them is not difficult, since gypsum board has a layer of paper on the surface.

If you want to get an original ceiling covering, you can use decorative plaster. It is worth noting that it is applied to moisture-resistant drywall. The technology for performing this type of finishing is not as simple as in the two options described above, so it is better to seek help from a specialist.

Lamps for plasterboard ceilings

When installing plasterboard ceilings, lamps not only perform a direct function - lighting the room, but also serve as a decorative element. And most importantly, thanks to the lighting, you can present the entire structure from a more favorable angle.

The main requirement for materials and equipment that are mounted on the ceiling is minimum weight. In small rooms, the weight of the slabs falls on the supporting profile. Being attached along the entire perimeter and to additional profiles in the middle, gypsum boards evenly distribute their weight onto the frame. Another case when there are premises large area with large distances between load-bearing partitions. The mass of suspended elements is added to the considerable weight of the ceiling itself, which can cause Negative consequences. Therefore, the area of the room can play a big role when choosing which drywall is best to use for the ceiling.

Creating a multi-tiered ceiling with decorative elements use arched plasterboard - it is the thinnest, which means it bends well

When designing multi-tier systems with bent elements, it is necessary, if possible, to use arched plasterboard specially designed for these purposes, which is the thinnest among the materials used, and therefore it can be bent with a small radius.

Types of materials

Depending on the thickness, gypsum boards are usually divided into:

wall;
ceiling;
arched

Different manufacturers may recommend in their descriptions various areas applications depending on size and weight, based on your considerations. When installing on vertical sections (walls), it is usually customary to use slabs with a thickness of 12.5 mm or more. The thickness of the plasterboard for the ceiling is less than 9.5 mm. For bent elements, panels of 6 – 6.5 mm are used.

By physical characteristics GKL is divided into:

ordinary;
moisture resistant;
fire resistant.

Moisture-resistant building materials contain impregnations that prevent the formation of mold and fungi. Such sheets have low moisture absorption. The external difference is that the paper shell is marked green.

Fire resistance is expressed in the inability to maintain combustion and maintain strength at elevated temperatures. Such panels usually have a pink tint. Any panels may differ in their protective characteristics. Which plasterboard for the ceiling is better must be determined in each specific case.

Applications by type

The main area is mounted using ceiling plasterboard, which has average characteristics in terms of weight and strength. As already mentioned, plasterboard for the ceiling has a thickness of no more than 9.5 mm. The thinner one - arched - is used for bent elements, which are usually installed vertically. Here, flexibility comes first, and strength is less important, since vertically installed elements do not experience loads.

Drywall can be called universal material, which is used for leveling bases, making false partitions and niches, and preparing the surface for finishing. There are two types of this material on sale - ceiling plasterboard and gypsum plasterboard for walls. Ceiling sheets have a reduced thickness, so they weigh less, which makes them easier to mount on walls. Using this material, you can make single- and multi-level ceilings and level surfaces. Plasterboard construction can be finished different materials– painted, wallpapered, tiled. This is why gypsum board is in such great demand.

Types of drywall depending on purpose

The main advantage that ceiling gypsum boards have is their light weight and ease of installation. The material can be attached to the base glue method or mount on load-bearing frame. In any case, you will get a perfectly flat surface. Gypsum sheet is easy to cut to required sizes. There are several types of drywall. Materials differ in scope and technical characteristics. Let's consider the features of each type separately.

Moisture resistant

Moisture-resistant gypsum sheet is used in places with high humidity levels. It is installed in the bathroom, kitchen, swimming pool or toilet. Of course, this variety does not tolerate direct contact with water as well as high humidity, but still for some time the surface of the sheet will resist moisture absorption.

To distinguish a regular gypsum board from its moisture-resistant variety, just look at the color of the cardboard. U moisture-resistant type it is greenish, while a regular leaf is gray. Moisture-resistant boards can be puttied, plastered and painted. In your work, you can use compositions with a high water content. The surface will not swell or deform.

Fire resistant

This variety has a cardboard covering with a characteristic pinkish color. Fire-resistant gypsum board is capable of resisting fire for some time after a fire. This type is installed on escape routes or in other premises subject to strict fire safety requirements(warehouses of explosive materials, staircases, corridors and halls of public institutions).

Standard

Most often on sale there are ordinary plasterboards for the ceiling. This type is widely used when performing finishing and installation work, as well as when remodeling premises. The standard sheet is suitable for installation in a room with normal humidity. These are gray slabs with blue markings on the surface. Such sheets are not used on escape routes and in places where fire safety is important.

Regarding the thickness plasterboard ceiling, then it depends on the type of gypsum board. Ceiling plasterboard is the thinnest - 9.5 mm, and slabs for wall mounting have a thickness of 12.5 mm, because they need greater mechanical strength.

Acoustic

Perforated panels have increased sound insulation characteristics. Attenuation of the sound wave is achieved due to its multiple refraction in the perforation holes. Acoustic plasterboard is used for cladding the walls and ceilings of recording studios, cinema and concert halls, hotels, lecture halls and other rooms where noise is observed. high level noise.

Important! The material dampens well not external noise, but sounds propagating indoors.

Acoustic plasterboard can also be installed in ordinary apartment where a loud music lover lives, or in a room with a home theater. This will protect your neighbors from noise coming from your premises.

Arched

Typically, arched plasterboard is used to form curved surfaces, figured ceilings and arches, because it has minimum thickness. The sheet bends well, but the bending radius is limited. From standard slabs it differs only in thickness.

Arched plasterboard is very difficult to find on sale, but instead you can use a regular sheet, which can also be bent after appropriate processing:

The surface of the gypsum board is pierced with a needle roller and moistened with water. After a few minutes it bends easily.
Also for bending with back side Make shallow cuts at equal intervals. After this, the strip of material is bent and attached to the frame.

Dimensions and thickness of gypsum boards

Main dimensions plasterboard sheets are the same for most manufacturers. You can find standard and reduced slabs on sale. Depending on this, the sizes of plasterboard sheets for the ceiling differ. The sheet width can be 60 and 120 cm, and its standard length is 2.4 meters, but there are slabs with a length in the range of 1.2-3 meters.

If you need gypsum boards of certain dimensions, then the size of the ceiling plasterboard is as follows:

standard sheets have dimensions of 200x120 cm;
Some manufacturers have the same slabs in sizes 120x250 cm;
there is also gypsum board with a width of 120 cm and a length of 300 cm;
Not all manufacturers produce panels with halved dimensions; their size is 120x60 cm.

The standard thickness of wall plasterboard is 12.5 mm. This durable sheet, resistant to mechanical damage, is used for constructing false partitions when remodeling rooms, niches, built-in wardrobes and leveling walls. But due to the large thickness wall material It weighs a lot, so it is better not to use it for lining the ceiling. Otherwise, the suspended ceiling will greatly weigh down the ceiling, which is very bad for a dilapidated house.

Since the thickness of the ceiling plasterboard is 9.5 mm, it weighs less, is easier to install on the ceiling and does not exert a significant load on the ceiling. However, this does not affect the strength of the sheet, and multi-level ceiling structures can be made from it.

The thinnest is arched plasterboard. Its thickness is only 6.5 mm, but it is rarely found on sale. Thanks to this thickness, curved surfaces and arches can be made from this material. However, keep in mind that the bending radius is still limited, so you should not make very small arches, because the sheet may simply break.

On a note! To line the ceiling in a room with normal humidity and without increased requirements in terms of fire safety, ordinary ceiling plasterboard with a thickness of 9.5 millimeters is sufficient.

Material storage rules

After purchase, the gypsum board should be stored in optimal conditions so that everything specifications and the parameters of the plate did not change.

Drywall is stored under the following conditions:

You should not install gypsum boards immediately after purchase, because they must adapt to the conditions in the room (humidity and air temperature). During the adaptation process, the material will release street moisture that it accumulated during transportation. If the slabs are not allowed to sit for a couple of days in the room where the installation will take place, they may become deformed after fastening and lead to cracking of the surface.
It is prohibited to store drywall near heating radiators, stoves, heaters and other sources of thermal energy. From such proximity the leaf can become fragile and fragile. It is allowed to store gypsum boards no closer than half a meter from heat sources.
To prevent the surface from deforming and the edges from breaking, the slabs are stored only horizontally. They are placed on special pallets that provide ventilation from the bottom and protect against moisture absorption from the base.
GCRs are not stored under open air, even covering them plastic film. The film will not protect against condensing moisture that will accumulate due to daily temperature fluctuations. This moisture will be absorbed into the material and cause the slabs to deform.

Drywall manufacturers

Today in construction hypermarkets you can find plasterboard of Ukrainian, Russian, Polish, German and French made. If you want to purchase quality slabs at an affordable price, then the products of the Russian Kipros plant meet these requirements. Gypsum sheet standard size costs $4.3 (280 rubles).

The most popular are gypsum boards manufactured by the German company Knauf. The plant's product range includes conventional slabs, fireproof and moisture-resistant sheets.

The popularity of this material is due to its reasonable cost and high quality:

ceiling plasterboard measuring 250x120 cm and thickness 9.5 mm can be purchased for $3.75 (250 rubles);
moisture-resistant gypsum board has the same dimensions with a thickness of 12.5 mm and costs $6.5 per sheet (430 rubles).

When purchasing a gypsum sheet, please note that in addition to this material you will need steel profiles for assembling the frame, putty, primer, screws and other components. For the strength and durability of the structure, it is recommended to buy components from the same manufacturer as the drywall.

Among different types plasterboard sheets, you can choose a material that meets the operating conditions and purpose of the room. If the gypsum board was correctly stored and installed in compliance with the technology, then plasterboard construction will last for many years.