The ceiling is one of the most visible places in the room. Alas, irregularities and floor defects cannot be hidden under the putty and finish. Aligning the ceiling with plasterboard will help to save the situation. Learn more about the installation technology and the rules for choosing high-quality gypsum boards. There are several ways to level a curved ceiling surface. To achieve perfect evenness and smoothness, you can use traditional plaster, modern stretch fabrics or such a "universal assistant" as drywall. The first option is good only with minor differences between concrete floor slabs, the second is quite expensive and specific in terms of installation. That is why the most practical, affordable and effective leveling of the ceiling with plasterboard is considered.
Benefits of using drywall to level the ceiling
The advantages of using drywall to level a defective ceiling are as follows:
- Correction of the ceiling surface of any curvature;
- Placement of electrical wiring, ventilation ducts, plumbing fixtures and other communication elements in the ceiling space;
- Construction of both single and multi-level structures;
- Application in kitchens, bathrooms and other rooms with high humidity;
- Do-it-yourself installation work without the involvement of hired builders.
How to choose drywall for your ceiling?
Experts recommend purchasing gypsum plasterboard (GKL) for interior work not in spontaneous markets, but in large retail chains that specialize in the sale of high-quality construction products. When buying drywall, it is important to pay attention to the following details:
- Marking … The best option for leveling the ceiling is moisture resistant sheets marked with gypsum plasterboard. They are resistant to humidity and temperature changes, easy to cut and flexible to install.
- Dimensions (edit) … On sale there are gypsum plasterboards with a thickness of 6 to 12, 5 mm. For the correction of curved surfaces, it is recommended to use a 9 mm thick gypsum board.
- Appearance … Before buying, carefully examine several samples from the pallet - high-quality drywall is distinguished by the absence of dents, scratches, cracks and other mechanical defects. In this case, the dimensions of each panel must strictly correspond to the manufacturer's declared dimensions.
On a note! You can calculate the exact number of plasterboard sheets and related accessories required to level the ceiling using special online calculators posted on professional construction portals.
Plasterboard ceiling leveling technology
The whole process of self-leveling the ceiling using gypsum board consists of several successive stages. Let's take a closer look at each of them.
Preparatory work before leveling the ceiling with plasterboard
Before directly leveling the ceiling, a number of preparatory work should be carried out:
- In order to increase heat and sound insulation, all cracks and joints in the concrete floor are carefully sealed with a rough putty. A number of mandatory preliminary works include the removal of all mold stains and deposits. The affected areas are cleaned with a stiff brush and treated with special antibacterial compounds.
- A wooden base ceiling also needs some preparation. First of all, it is cleaned of old finishes and plaster, then the defective areas are repaired. Otherwise, the wooden floor may not support the weight of the plasterboard structure.
Ceiling marking for leveling with plasterboard
At the next stage of work, it is necessary to correctly mark the base ceiling. To do this, using a bubble or hydraulic level, you should determine the lowest place on the ceiling surface and, starting from this starting point, outline the room around the perimeter with a chokline (dye thread).
Ideally, the start and end of the wall loop should match. If the laid line does not converge at a single point, it is most likely that mistakes were made during the marking.
For convenience, several screws are screwed in along the outlined contour, and a strong twine is pulled between them. Such a visual reference will allow you to additionally control the level of horizontality during subsequent installation work.
Installation of a frame for attaching drywall to the ceiling
The construction of a frame system is one of the main stages in the process of arranging a plasterboard ceiling. Strength, durability and appearance of the structure directly depend on it.
Fastening of frame elements is carried out in the following sequence:
- First of all, a guide profile is installed around the perimeter of the room. It is important to fix this plank so that its bottom is flush with the wall markings. The length of the wall profile is adjusted during installation, based on the size of the room. If necessary, the bar is cut with special scissors or a grinder with a metal ring attachment.
- To fix the guide profile, use plastic dowels and hammer screws. Holes in the wall for the dowels are drilled with a puncher. The optimal spacing between fasteners is 40-45 cm.
- After that, suspensions are attached to the base ceiling, maintaining a step of 55-60 cm between them. The same dowels and screws are used as fasteners. To avoid the formation of "sound bridges", a sealing tape is laid between the concrete floor and the suspensions.
- Then proceed to the installation of the longitudinal profile. Fitted slats are inserted into the guides and attached to the hangers using self-tapping screws. Further, the structure is reinforced with transverse profiles.
At the end of the installation, the quality of the work performed must be checked: all fasteners must be adjusted and tightened, and the frame lathing must be fixed.
Laying of communications when leveling with plasterboard
The intermediate stage between the arrangement of the frame structure and its cladding is reserved for laying heat and sound insulating material and installing electrical wiring and other provided communications. It is important to think in advance about the location of the lighting fixtures and make the corresponding holes for them in the cladding sheets. To cut round holes in drywall, it is advisable to use a drill / perforator with a crown attachment, for curly holes - a hand hacksaw.
For safety reasons, it is recommended to place all electrical wires in flexible insulating corrugated pipes, as they reliably protect the wiring in cases of flooding and spontaneous combustion.
Cut drywall to level the ceiling
In the process of leveling the ceiling with plasterboard, you have to work both with solid sheets and with their segments. Therefore, it is important to pay special attention to the marking and cutting of the gypsum board:
- First, they make marks on the sheets corresponding to the schematic sketch using a tape measure and a pencil, then proceed to the direct cutting of the material.
- It is most convenient to cut drywall on a flat horizontal surface, for example, on the floor or on a table, and the sheets are laid back on the working base.
- GKL cutting is performed on the front side. A two-meter rule is applied to the previously indicated marks and a single cut is made strictly along its edge with a fine-toothed hacksaw or a construction knife.
- Next, the material is carefully cracked along the notch line and finally cut from the back. The cut edge is cleaned with a roughing plane or a special float.
Plasterboard ceiling sheathing
At the stage of attaching drywall to the frame, it is recommended to enlist the support of an assistant and act as follows:
- The first supports the sheathing sheet at the required height, the second fixes it to the frame structure using self-tapping screws.
- Fasteners are screwed into the gypsum board at a right angle, while the heads of the screws should be buried in the facing sheet by 1-2 mm. Mistakenly installed self-tapping screws are carefully removed and replaced with new ones, fixing them at a distance of 4-6 cm from the previous ones.
- Compensation gaps of 3-5 mm are left along the perimeter of the room between the leveling cladding and the walls. A similar distance is maintained between adjacent sheets.
- At the end of the installation, they proceed to the finishing of the plasterboard ceiling covering: the leveled base is primed, the joints are glued with reinforcing tape, filled with putty and, after drying, polished with fine sandpaper.
Frameless leveling of the ceiling with plasterboard
Aligning the ceiling with plasterboard without a frame is advisable only in small rooms and with slight differences (up to 3 cm) between concrete floor slabs. In this case, the gypsum board is attached to the ceiling surface using special gypsum-based adhesives.
The order of leveling the ceiling is as follows:
- Before directly attaching the drywall, the ceiling base is thoroughly cleaned of old finishing materials, plaster, mold lesions and dust. Next, the prepared surface is covered twice with a primer mixture with antimicrobial action.
- Then they start cutting the gypsum board according to the preliminary sketch plan. Drywall scraps are used to construct a kind of sheathing. To do this, the remnants of the leveling material are cut into strips 8-10 cm wide and alternately glued to the ceiling in the form of a mesh net.
- After that, using a notched trowel, a layer of adhesive is applied to the ceiling surface. Immediately after applying the glue, they begin to fix the gypsum board, while the material is pressed as tightly as possible to the base.
- After complete drying, the plasterboard ceiling is covered with deep penetration soil. The seams between the sheets are first glued with a reinforcing tape, then they are sealed with a putty mixture and cleaned with fine-grained sandpaper. The ceiling is now ready for subsequent finishing work.
Note! It is most convenient to control the process of installing drywall for horizontality in small rooms using a rule with a built-in bubble level. How to level the ceiling with plasterboard - watch the video:
As you can see, leveling the ceiling with plasterboard with your own hands is a simple task, but it requires knowledge of certain technical nuances and installation rules. Having familiarized yourself with them, even a novice home craftsman can transform a defective ceiling base.
