Wall Work

On site today I worked on my own in the lounge area putting up the gib for the walls.  Had already had a go at doing this during the holiday, so was quite happy to go off and do this on my own anyways.

I started off with the corners where it required bracing elements in the form of 'braceline' gib sheet.  This is much stronger gib that has been mixed with fibre glass, and is distinguished as it has a slight blue tinge to the colour of the boards paper.

When cutting this sheet, the same principles apply using a craft knife (or sometimes a saw if it is cut outs for window frames - as pictured above and to the left).  Glue is also used in the middle sections of the gib where no screw or nail fixings will be.

         Once cut out & ready, the board was held as tight up near the ceiling gib as possible & then braceline gib could be held up onto the wall temporarily using a screw nail gun.

This is the part where it is critical to check against the plan to ascertain what size of the bracing element is required.

When this measurement is known, for example 1.2m, then markings with 50/50/50/150mm from each corner is carried out along 1.2m of the braceline gib, with the rest of the intervals for the gib line brace nails all at 150 cr's (photo below of nails).

It is important when hammering down gib line bracing nails, that they are flush with the surface for when the gib stopper comes (as it makes it easier for them to smooth out with their plaster).   For the rest of the sheet that runs over the 1.2m bracing element requirement, standard fixings with the screws is done, every 300mm along the edge.  When putting the fixings on, it should not be less than 18mm, as this can cause weakness to the board & it eventually breaks away.

As the sheets are run horizontally on the wall, the height of the building allows for two sheets to fit easily along the wall.  When placing the sheet on the top section of the wall, it is important to ensure the SE goes against the ceiling gib & the TE inwards, & for the bottom the SE runs along the floor line & the TE inwards.

When aligning the bottom sheet, it was helpful for me to have a crow bar to help push it up from the ground so it was tight against the top sheet already fixed in.  It is better that there is a gap at the bottom than between the sheets, as often this will be covered with skirting boards.