How to choose and install a profile for fixing drywall

Drywall is one of the most popular building materials. It is used for leveling wall surfaces, as well as for forming partitions and other drywall systems. One of its drawbacks is fragility. Therefore, you have to use special fasteners that are designed to work with such products. The right choice of fasteners will allow you to get a reliable and durable design that can withstand significant loads.

Features

Drywall specifications differ from other materials. This is due to the fact that the product consists of loose gypsum, which is held with the help of external paper sheets. Therefore, working with such a product should be especially careful and careful. Today, various fasteners and screwdrivers are used to solve these problems. Externally, these products do not differ from standard self-tapping screws for wood or metal and consist of several main parts.

Dowel

This element is optional, it is used in the case when you need to create a strong grip between fasteners and drywall. Externally, such a product may have a different shape. It is adjusted to the material in which the screwdriver will be located. Almost always they are used when you need to fix the GKL sheet to the wall.

Screws

These products are made of metal or plastic. The shape of such hardware may be different. This is due to the fact that each of these screws must withstand various loads. In most cases, they are used in tandem with a certain type of dowel.

Technically, drywall fasteners are adapted in such a way as to obtain a system that distributes the load as evenly as possible, and is also unable to destroy the product under high loads. Hardware for working with drywall differ in several technical characteristics. But in most cases, classic screws are used here, which fasten wood or metal. It is possible to conditionally divide such systems into self-tapping screws and dowels. They are independent elements, but are often combined to create a strong connection. You can fix the plasterboard sheet or work with it using several types of screws.

This class of screws is the most common. Such products are conventional fasteners that are used to work with wood or metal. They differ only in thread pitch and color. Systems in most cases are complemented by classic plastic dowels. It is recommended to use them in cases where a sheet of drywall is fixed to a wooden or concrete base. In most cases, this involves wall or ceiling cladding.

These products are short in length. In most cases, such fasteners are used to fasten the metal profile from which the entire drywall system is formed. A distinctive feature of the product is the presence of a kind of drill at the end of the self-tapping screw. Therefore, it is not necessary to drill holes under them in the metal, since they themselves destroy this material well.

Self-tapping screws of this class are used to fasten metal parts from which the frame is formed. They are small in size, the tip of these products is sharp. Therefore, experts recommend stapling metal profiles with a screw top with a sheet thickness of not more than 1.2 mm. Otherwise, these products will not be effective.

As for dowels, they also come in several types.

Butterfly

This fastener is used to fix products with a small weight directly on the surface of drywall (for example, lamps, paintings). Butterflies are made from special types of polypropylene. The technical dimensions of the dowel may vary. A feature of this product is the presence of opening elements. When screwing the screw, the dowel is compressed, forming an additional plane.

Driva

A dowel of this kind resembles a self-tapping screw, since self-tapping elements are present on its outer surface. This allows you to significantly speed up the installation of such structures. They are made of plastic and metal. Use this dowel to fix the drywall to the base.

Molly

The principle of operation of this dowel is similar to a butterfly variety. The screw being screwed makes the frame shrink, forming an additional support. A distinctive feature of such fasteners is the fact that they are made of metal. Therefore, molly is able to withstand fairly high loads.

Which to choose?

The type of fastener is one of the main factors affecting the reliability and quality of drywall mounting. Therefore, special attention should be paid to their choice.

When buying screws, it is advisable to take into account a few simple rules.

• Prefer countersunk head screws. This will make it easy to drown them in the structure of drywall. It is undesirable to use hardware for such work that has a head in the form of a hemisphere.

• The self-tapping screw should fit the type of base. For example, in a log house, wood fasteners are used that easily enter the tree and fasten the sheet. A similar algorithm can be used for wooden frames, formed during the sheathing of the ceiling or walls.
• The screw length is selected individually for a specific situation. It is important that it enters the frame no less than 2-3 cm. This is especially true for self-tapping screws, which are not complemented by dowels and represent the main fixing element.

• Material matters. Almost all self-tapping screws are made of steel, but the metal structure may vary. The cheapest are black hardened screws. They withstand the load perfectly, but can rust over time. These changes may affect the decorative finish.

The choice of dowels for drywall constructions is an important step and involves the assessment of several parameters.

Appointment

Today dowels can be used for attaching drywall to the base or fixing other products on top of this material. If you need to attach a baguette or baseboard in the kitchen, then a butterfly or a drava may be the solution. The expansion bolt shield molly perfectly copes with fixture of shelves or bathroom equipment.

Mounting technology

Screw in the dowel-driver is not difficult. If you need to use other types of structures, you should understand that they need additional space. This is due to the fact that when the butterfly opens, the support systems move. Therefore, if a sheet of drywall is attached tightly to the main wall, it is technically unrealistic to use such fasteners. The solution to this problem is the usual dowel nails and the right size of the self-tapping screw.

Carrying capacity

Almost all varieties are used to mount structures on top of drywall. The fixation of heavy products (for example, a massive chandelier, shelf, cabinet) is carried out only with the help of special anchors or dowels molly. These systems are capable of supporting up to 50 kg. Driva has proven itself in fixing structures weighing up to 30 kg. Butterflies are considered the simplest and most unreliable, with the help of which it is possible to suspend structures weighing up to 11 kg.

How to calculate the flow?

The number of fasteners affects the reliability of fixing the plasterboard ceiling or partition. Therefore, it is important to carry out the calculation of all components before starting work in order to pre-purchase them. There is no universal formula for calculating self-tapping screws or dowels. The last elements are not used without hardware. By calculating the number of screws, you can find out the volume of auxiliary products.

To correctly calculate the volume of hardware, you should be guided by several rules:

• Consider the mounting step between the screws. A distance of 35 cm is considered optimal. Note that end fasteners cannot be fixed close to the end of the sheet. It is advisable to leave a gap of at least 1 cm around the entire perimeter.
• If you are installing a two-level ceiling or a structure of several layers, then on the first layer the screws are fixed at a distance of 60 cm from each other. On the top sheet, hardware is placed in increments of 35 cm.

It is important to properly form the crate, which often acts as a frame for attaching drywall. If the dimensions are not a multiple of the previously specified values, you can slightly reduce the distance between the elements to obtain the desired quality of fixation.

Tips

Working with drywall is optimally simple, but requires compliance with some nuances. This is especially often the case with hardware.

To get a high-quality and durable design, you must follow the basic rules:

• Mounting hardware should only be installed at right angles to the base. This applies to screws and dowels. If the last products are not mounted correctly, it will not work to twist the hardware into such a system.
• If you screwed the screw at an angle, you must definitely remove it and install it correctly. Experts do not recommend placing the self-tapping screw in the same hole. The best way is to step back 5 cm from it.

• All fasteners must be completely hidden deep into the sheet of drywall. However, they should not be deepened much, since it is possible to destroy the material.
• When mounting sheets, ensure that there are no third-party objects between them and the frame. In another case, they can cause structural deformation or cracking.

Fixture for drywall is the main element on which the life of this material depends. Use for such work only unique and high-quality hardware of proven brands that have worked well in the market. Do not forget that the work must be carried out very carefully so as not to damage the drywall.

About what fasteners to use when working with drywall, is described in detail in the video.

Materials of manufacture

Drywall mounting profiles can be made:

• from wood. Such fasteners have a short life, as they are very susceptible to moisture that destroys the structure,

Wooden profiles for drywall

• from metal (picture above). The metal profile serves a longer life. It is not exposed to the negative effects of moisture, sun and so on. For additional protection of products against corrosion, the profile is made of aluminum or galvanized steel.

Varieties and typical sizes of profiles

Depending on the purpose, the metal profile can be:

1. guide (marked with the letters PN). Profile section - letter P. Purpose - construction of racks and main jumpers for partitions. The guide profile is mounted around the perimeter of the frame of the future design and is installed around the perimeter of doors and windows,

Basic profile for the frame

1. rack (marked with the letters PS). The profile also has a section in the form of the letter P, but on the sides it is supplemented with stiffeners and shelves, which gives the device higher strength. It is fixed on the guiding elements, and it is to this type of profile that the sheets of drywall are fastened,

Device for attaching drywall sheets

1. ceiling (marked with the letters PP or PPN). The profile for the ceiling is also divided into guide and rack. The main difference from the previous types is overall dimensions, which are significantly smaller than the above types,

Devices for the construction of the frame on the ceiling

1. arched - a special profile for the construction of arches and other radius structures.

Profile for the construction of curved structures

1. angular. It is a right angle. It is used for the correct design of the corners of the structure of drywall.

Profile for reinforcing drywall corners

All types of profiles have their typical sizes, which are presented in the following table:

Thickness selection

Profile dimensions are not only overall dimensions, but also the thickness of the metal used to manufacture the fastener.

On sale you can find profiles at a low cost, but made of metal with a thickness of 0.2 - 0.4 mm. Such elements are not recommended for use when covering the ceiling, walls and the construction of large-sized partitions, since the strength of the finished structure will be minimal.

Specialists recommend the use of profiles with a thickness of 0.5 - 0.6 mm for cladding the ceiling and walls if the height of the room is not more than 3 m, and 0.6 - 0.8 for partitions and cladding of rooms with a ceiling height of more than 3 m.

Manufacturer's choice

Particular attention is recommended to be paid to the profile manufacturer. The most popular are companies:

• Knauf. The company's products are fully consistent with the declared parameters and are distinguished by the correctness of geometric shapes, but the cost of building materials is quite high,

Profile with exact dimensions and geometry

• Giprok. A distinctive feature of the profiles is the corrugation of the metal surface, which on the one hand increases the structural rigidity index, and on the other hand, does not allow maximum contact when connecting individual structural elements, which can lead to a gradual "loosening" and the formation of creaks,

Grooved profile

• The metalworker. Profiles are distinguished by lower cost, but also by some mismatch of sizes, which makes assembly of the frame somewhat difficult.

Profile Calculation

The next step is the calculation of the number of profiles required to create the frame. The calculation is carried out according to the following scheme:

1. First of all, the number of guides is determined. To do this, it is necessary to determine the perimeter of the wall (ceiling, partitions) and the perimeter of each opening (windows, doors, and so on). The sum of the perimeters will be the length of the profiles necessary for cladding,

Determining the total length of guide profiles

1. then the number of racks is determined. It is important to consider the following rule - the distance between the posts should not exceed 60 cm. Even if the last distance is 70 cm, the rack should be installed at a distance of 10 cm from the edge. To get the total length, you need to multiply the number of racks by the height of the room,
2. number of jumpers. Horizontal jumpers can be installed at a distance of 60 - 80 cm from each other. The total length is found by multiplying the number of jumpers by the length of the room,
3. the number of rack profiles is defined as the total length of the racks plus the total length of the jumpers,

Determining the number of rack profiles

1. all corners, not covered with skirting boards or other devices, must be equipped with corner profiles. You can determine their total number in accordance with the layout of the room.

Profile mounting technology

To install profiles in accordance with the previously developed scheme, you will need:

• drill (perforator),
• screwdriver
• self-tapping screws
• marking tools
• notch - a tool for fastening metal profiles together,
• additional elements: suspensions (perforated for walls, anchor for ceilings), connectors (single-level and two-level), extension cords, allowing to quickly increase the length of the profile.

Elements for fastening and connecting profiles

The general framework for the construction of the frame is as follows:

1. on the wall (ceiling and so on), marking the location of the profiles is applied,
2. fixation points are determined for each profile (recommended at a distance of 60 cm),
3. holes are drilled
4. dowels are inserted
5. suspensions are fixed
6. profiles are fixed to the suspensions.

Profile assembly and fixing sequence

For more information about the rules and sequence of the construction of the frame for drywall, see the video.

Properly selected and installed profiles can last several decades without any additional maintenance.

Rivets

An alternative to self-tapping screws when mounting a frame from profiles can be rivets.

The method is excellent, the rivets hold well, nothing falls off, the head has a minimum bulge. But this connection method is used much less often, it requires an additional tool and more time.

Cutter

Profile cutter is not a fixture, it is a tool. The fastener in this case is the profile itself. The notch pierces both profiles at the junction, cutting down the fixation mustache from the back.

The notch has a lot of advantages over self-tapping screws and rivets - there is no cost for fasteners, no convex surfaces, the connection occurs instantly, and its strength is consistent with the design.

Anchors

A variety of anchors will come to your aid in the event that the walls lack strength, they crumble and crumble during drilling. Or when you need to hang something very heavy on the wall.

Anchor wedge. Not to be confused with a wedge anchor, this is another type of fastener and is not suitable for a profile. A wedge anchor, which is shown in the photo, is well suited for mounting suspensions on the ceiling.

Most often, threaded dowel nails are used for the ceiling, but they may not be reliable in the upright position due to the poor strength of the ceiling. The dowel-nail can hang, and with it the entire frame.

An anchor wedge keeps excellent even in loose concrete, its design tightly wedges the mechanism so that pulling it back will be a difficult task. In addition, the wedge anchor meets the fire safety requirements, since it does not have plastic components and is made entirely of metal. For this type of fastener you will need a hammer drill and a hammer.

Anchor bolt. Or wedge anchor. For fixing the frame and sheets of drywall, anchor bolts are not needed, but they are excellent for hanging very heavy objects on the drywall. Boiler, bracket for a large TV, wall cabinet.

An anchor bolt is not mounted in drywall or in the frame, but in the main wall. It is important to understand that the length of the anchor bolt must be chosen so that most of it is in the main wall and only a small piece of it sticks out of the drywall. Only in this way will it withstand a large load and will not break.

Folding anchor. Fastens directly to a drywall sheet, not to a concrete wall. Folding supports increase the strength of the fasteners.

Folding anchor can have different type of studs - hook, ring or screw. Supports can be either folding or tipping. Folding supports are provided with springs, tipping - no.

Folding anchors are useful for not very heavy interior items - shelves, watches, paintings, mirrors. On the ceiling with their help you can hang a chandelier.

Dowels

Dowel butterfly. Simple and convenient fasteners for small interior items hung on a plasterboard wall. It got its name because of the form. Initially sold in flattened condition. During installation, the screw is screwed in and folds the dowel, increasing the area of ​​the support and forming the shape of a butterfly.

The drywall sheet is mounted in an upright position. To prevent turning, it has special ribs. Requires adequate space inside the wall.

Dowel Molly. Structurally similar to a butterfly dowel, but made of metal. The dowel itself is always the same, but the stud can have different options - a ring, hook, angle and screw.

When tightening the threaded element, the dowel body turns into a kind of umbrella, abutting against a sheet of drywall from the back side.

This increases the support area of ​​the fixture and its reliability. To prevent turning, the dowel is equipped with spikes.

Dowel Driva. It has an external taper thread and an internal thread for self-tapping. It happens both metal and plastic.

A sharp drill bites into a sheet of drywall and is fixed in it using an external thread. The dowel is screwed in with a screwdriver.

After that, you can screw in a self-tapping screw and hang up not heavy objects.

Hartmut dowel. Fasteners company Knauf. The threaded element is only a screw.

The metal support is folded along the plastic rails, inserted into the hole in the drywall, aligned parallel to the wall and attracted by a plastic retainer. The extra mustache simply breaks off.

Liquid Nails

A strange name hides the usual construction glue. The glue has little in common with nails and self-tapping screws, but, nevertheless, our selection of fasteners is also present for a reason.

You can glue various materials with liquid nails, including drywall. To do this, you do not need to erect a frame from the profile, the sheets are glued directly to the wall.

Liquid nails in tubes are supplied and applied using a special gun.

Profile Connectors

In addition to screws, rivets, dowels, nails, profiles are joined together using special connectors.

Crabs. Create X-shaped or T-shaped connection profiles.

Crabs have special latches for profile size. For greater reliability of the connection, the crab and profiles are better fastened with self-tapping screws; holes for them are also present in the crabs.

Extension cords. If you need to increase the profile, this is simply done using an extension cord.

We join two profiles through the extension cord, fixed with four self-tapping screws. The connection is ready.

Two-level connector. It will be needed if you are planning a two-level framework of profiles. Its function is to create X-shaped joints at an angle of 90 degrees.

It goes on sale in the form of a scan and during assembly it is bent into a U-shaped element.

Side connector Forms a T-shaped connection profile.

If there is no side connector for sale, you can use a crab by cutting off one extra side.

Corner connector. Fixes the ends of the profile at an angle of 90 degrees.

It is delivered flat. Before assembling the frame, the corner is bent at the perforations. Fastens to a profile by means of self-tapping screws.

Profile hangers

With the help of suspensions, the profiles are attached to the walls or ceiling. Any suspension is designed so that its length can be changed. In total, 5 suspension options for drywall profiles can be distinguished.

Direct suspension. Suitable for fastening the profile to both walls and the ceiling.

Direct suspensions are sold in expanded form and during installation are easily bent by hands, forming a U-shape. Attached to the wall with threaded dowel nails. In rare cases, if the wall or ceiling is friable, a wedge anchor is used.

Vibro-suspension. This is the same direct suspension, but with a special rubber insert that eliminates the direct contact of the metal suspension and the solid wall.

The rubber insert dampens sound vibrations, increasing the sound insulating properties of the decoration. Together with the vibration suspension, soundproofing material is laid in the cavity between the wall and the drywall.

Like a simple direct suspension, vibro-suspension is used both for walls and for ceilings.

Gimbal with clip. This fastener is also called an anchor or sliding suspension. It is used for mounting the frame on the ceiling.

This suspension consists of two parts - traction and suspension with a spring clip. Traction length can reach 1 meter. Such a suspension is used if you need to strongly lower the ceiling or make it multi-level.

Suspension clamps in view of their design are used only on the ceiling.

Suspension nonius. It looks like an anchor suspension with one difference - the fixation is stepwise. Instead of traction, this suspension has a bar with holes in which a cotter pin is inserted to fix it.

Nonius suspension is also used only on the ceiling.

That's all. We tried to show all possible options for fasteners, which are used in the decoration of rooms with drywall.