Plasterboard

Plasterboard is a flat sheet of gypsum faced on both sides with paper. It is screwed to a frame of metal studs to make suspended ceilings, wall linings and light partition walls. The joints between sheets are closed with tape and fillerFillerA fine paste or powder that fills holes, fine cracks and dents so a wall, ceiling or piece of wood is smooth before it is painted., and the surface is painted like any other wall.

In renovations it is often used for ceilings, because it hides cables, pipes and ducts and takes recessed lights. In one bathroom, the ceiling was closed in with plasterboard that later took recessed lights.

In wet roomsWalk-in showerA shower with no tray and no step, level with the rest of the bathroom floor. The water drains through a floor drain or a linear channel drain. such as bathrooms and kitchens, a moisture-resistant board is used, usually recognisable by its green colour. Even so, plasterboard is not waterproof: it needs good ventilation so it doesn't collect condensationCondensationMoisture in the air turning to water on cold surfaces such as windows, outside corners and ceilings. It is the most common cause of mould indoors. and mouldMouldFungi that grow on damp surfaces, leaving black or greenish spots and a musty smell. It is a symptom of damp, not a problem with the paint., and a water stain on it points to a leak above that needs finding.

Plasterboard can't carry heavy loads just anywhere. Cabinets, shelves or heavy light fittings need special fixings or fixing to the frame.