If renovations are planned in the house, alignment of the ceiling is inevitable. In some cases, the ceiling is curved to such an extent that no plaster can help. Then most often they resort to leveling the ceiling with plasterboard.
How to level the ceiling with plasterboard, not many people know. But in fact, this process can be performed independently, without seeking help from specialists.
The technology for leveling the ceiling with plasterboard is reliable and simple. It has the following advantages:
1. Plasterboard installation has minimal lines.
2. There are no wet processes.
3. It is possible to use the space between the base and the mounted plasterboard ceiling (installation of sound insulation and communication networks).
4. The ability to implement any design solution.
5. No special tools are required for installation.
6. Garbage is minimal.
Ceiling leveling repair consists of two main stages - the construction stage metal frame and the stage of plasterboard cladding.
Aligning the ceiling with plasterboard must begin with the calculation of materials. Calculation of materials will allow you to minimize the percentage of waste. When calculating, it is necessary to take into account the position of the sheets. It can be longitudinal or transverse. Cruciform connections are not permitted!
Repair (alignment) of the ceiling begins with the construction of a metal frame. First you need to make the markup. The plane of the future frame is marked with a level. From the very top, measure the given size (usually a few centimeters), then attach a level to the wall and draw a line with a pencil. This procedure must be done around the entire perimeter of the repair area. If the starting line exactly matches the ending line, then the work is done perfectly well.
Then, in the resulting lines, you need to screw in the screws and pull the cords. This will be a kind of plasterboard ceiling level. Instead of cords, you can immediately install a guide metal profile around the perimeter of the room.
Then the supporting profiles are installed. Bearing metal profiles are inserted into the guides, observing a step of 40 cm. It is very important to observe their location in relation to the future sheets of gypsum cardboard. Simply put, the profile should be located along the length of the drywall sheet.
So that repairs to align the ceiling do not have to be redone, jumpers should be installed. This will prevent the seams from cracking, and will also make the frame more rigid and therefore more reliable. Jumpers are installed around the entire perimeter of the room in 50 cm increments. They are attached using cross-shaped connectors.
Then the entire frame must be fixed on the floor slabs. This can be done with brackets, boots, quick suspensions.
Before starting the next stage "leveling the plasterboard ceiling", check whether electrical wiring, communications, air ducts, and also insulating material are installed in the metal frame.
Having calculated all the materials, having decided on the location of the drywall sheets, having installed a metal frame, you can begin to resolve the issue of how to level the ceiling with drywall.
Plasterboard leveling of the ceiling is the easiest, not difficult job. The installation stage is as follows: you need to lift a sheet of drywall to the ceiling and fix it on a metal frame using self-tapping screws. To level the ceiling with plasterboard, the gypsum sheet must be fixed both along the supporting profile and along the guide, observing a step of 15 cm.
Repair (alignment) of the ceiling is completed by masking the joints. To make the seams invisible, first they need to be fastened with assembly gauze, on which a layer of putty is then applied.
Thus, this article reveals the question of how to level the ceiling with drywall, what materials are needed for this, what sequence of work is necessary in this case. Taking advantage of this step by step instructions, it is possible to level the ceiling with plasterboard on your own.
When conducting internal renovation works the most important step is the alignment of the walls and ceiling. The problem with most houses, especially multi-apartment ones, is that the rooms, in addition to uneven walls, have rather crooked ceilings. The most optimal solution to this problem would be to use drywall.
Today there are several ways to level the surface (using plaster, drywall or plastic panels), but not all of them are suitable for the ceiling. The best way here would be to use drywall boards.
Ceiling alignment drywall available even to a beginner in construction works and it is quite possible to carry out such an alignment with your own hands.
When uneven surfaces are found and a desire to sheathe it with plasterboard sheets, the question naturally arises "how to level the ceiling with plasterboard?" Today there are two ways to level the surface using this finishing material:
Both methods can be easily implemented with your own hands, subject to certain rules.
Since plasterboard ceiling structures are often made multi-level and with built-in additional lighting, only the method with the construction of a frame from metal profiles can be used here.
Note! The wireframe method will help you not only to mask strong curvatures and defects in the ceiling, but also to create a unique and original ceiling structure.
Calculations are needed in any construction. Without them, it is impossible to determine the amount of material required. Aligning the ceiling with plasterboard also requires such calculations. First of all, you need:
Note! The complexity of the required calculations will depend on the type of ceiling structure.
Construction drawing
All profiles and jumpers should be specified here. This will make it much easier to calculate what is required to create the selected false ceiling number of materials. If there are additional lighting fixtures on the plan, you can display the locations of the wiring. It is imperative to indicate the fixing points of the luminaires.
Do-it-yourself ceiling alignment requires the following tools:
In addition to tools, you will need to purchase the following materials:
Note! When carrying out this kind of work in the bathroom and in the kitchen, only moisture-resistant sheets should be purchased.
With such tools and materials, you can easily align the ceiling with your own hands.
On preparatory stage in order to improve the quality of work, you should do the following manipulations:
Preparation for work
Experts, especially if the alignment takes place in the bathroom or in the kitchen, recommend priming the ceiling with a primer deep penetration, or an agent that prevents the development of fungus and mold.
After adding the primer, you can start applying the markings. With its help, it will be much easier to assemble the frame with your own hands.
Note! Before you start marking the ceiling, you need to determine the level of lowering of the entire structure. Usually the ceiling is lowered by 10-15 cm. This is quite enough to make a multi-level device. For leveling, it is enough to lower the ceiling level by 2.5 - 5 cm, which will correspond to the thickness of the guide profile.
The marking is done as follows:
Marking
After that, you can proceed to the main stage - the installation of the frame.
The most used method of leveling the ceiling is the assembly of a metal frame, followed by plasterboard sheathing.
First, we carry out the installation of the structure frame:
Note! The evenness of the ceiling depends on how smoothly you install the profiles around the perimeter.
U-shaped hangers
The suspensions are aligned using a nylon thread. It is pulled under the frame, then each "CD" profile is tightened with a hanger. After that, the suspension must be bent under the profile. Only then can each profile be aligned individually. When they are all aligned, we fix them with self-tapping screws.
Finished frame
Now you can start plastering the structure with drywall with your own hands.
Note! At this stage, you will need a partner, since it will be problematic to fix the sheets alone.
Plasterboard installation is carried out as follows:
Sheathing of the structure
If the device involves built-in lamps, then in the sheets of drywall, in the right places, we make holes for spotlights.
Ultimately, you should have a perfectly flat ceiling surface.
To give the ceiling a finished look, we carry out the following operations:
Final putty
For professionals, a perfectly flat surface is obtained immediately. If you are a beginner and you have small roughness, they can be easily rubbed with sandpaper.
Now you can decorate the ceiling: paint, wallpaper, paint by hand, decorate with plaster, etc. When decorating a ceiling in a bathroom or kitchen, you should choose the finish that suits the microclimate of these premises.
As you can see, the whole process seems to be quite simple. If you follow the instructions, you will get along with everything, and a perfectly flat and beautiful self-made ceiling will delight you for a very long time.
Today, many people level the ceiling with plasterboard, which is attached to the ceiling using special metal structures. However, the alignment of the ceiling can be done without using a metal frame. But how to do that? What glue should you use to fix drywall to the ceiling? And what are the advantages and disadvantages of the frameless mounting method? Below we will find out the answers to these questions.
Frameless leveling of the ceiling with plasterboard
Before fixing the drywall, it is necessary to carry out preparatory work:
Important! If you will be fixing drywall in the kitchen, bathroom or toilet, you must use a moisture-resistant type of material.
After preparing the ceiling and cutting the plasterboard sheets, you must proceed with the installation. Below we will look at two methods of frameless mounting.
You can attach drywall to the ceiling using special mastic:
note, In the case of using mastic at the preparatory stage, it is advisable to cut the drywall sheet into smaller pieces (for example, into quarters) so that the drywall adheres well to the ceiling.
You can also attach drywall using screws and foam:
Fastening to polyurethane foam
The frameless method has both advantages and disadvantages.
The advantages are:
Sealing sheet joints
However, the frameless method also has disadvantages:
Probably everyone knows how crooked the ceilings in our apartments can be. If the differences between the floor slabs are insignificant, then they can be successfully leveled with a thin layer of plaster or putty. But in the case of large curvatures, when it comes to slab differences exceeding 3 cm, the plaster will not the best way solutions to the problem - such layers of solution may one day just fall on your head. The only way out of this situation is to level the ceiling with plasterboard. It is this question that we will consider today on the website "Dream House". Having studied all the subtleties of this work with the help of this master class, we will learn how to mount an even plasterboard ceiling with our own hands.
Aligning the ceiling with drywall is not such a difficult process, and you can try it yourself. For convenience and a more correct understanding of the entire technology, we will divide it into two main stages - the construction of a metal frame and the subsequent one.
Approaching the question of how to level the ceiling on your own, you should understand the importance of correct assembly of the metal frame for drywall - the reliability, durability and evenness of the structure as a whole depend on it. The frame assembled from the profiles is 80% of the work done.
At the first stage of the construction of the frame, it is necessary to mark the level of the position of the future ceiling. The plane is set using hydraulic or laser level... There is no other way - if you tie to existing walls or floor slabs, you will get a curve.
In order not to bother with the ceiling markings for a long time, using a level mark the plane of the frame in all corners of the room. After that, we arm ourselves with a chopping thread and connect all these points with horizontal lines.
The plane of the ceiling is set, now you can go to further work... At the next stage, do-it-yourself ceiling alignment involves the installation of uv guide profiles. They are fastened with dowels or self-tapping screws relative to the marked lines along the entire perimeter of the room. For ease of use, the guide profiles must be placed above the marked line.
How can the ceiling be leveled
We move on, and at the next stage, the solution to the question of how to properly align the ceiling with drywall involves the installation of cd bearing profiles. The principle of their installation is quite simple - they are inserted into the guide profiles with a step of 400 mm. The direction of their installation should correspond to the position of the drywall sheets. Let's just say they should be located along the length of the sheet. If the length of the bearing profiles is not enough, then, if necessary, they can be extended using cd connectors.
Asking the question of how to level the ceiling with your own hands, it should be understood that the installed bearing profiles will not be enough. And in order to give the frame rigidity and prevent cracking of the seams in the future, it is additionally necessary to install jumpers. Their installation is carried out with a step of 500 mm along the entire plane of the future ceiling.
The jumpers are fastened using crab or cross-shaped cd connectors. It is better to install them in advance and fix them with self-tapping screws in all provided places (and these are 8 attachment points).
Once the crabs are in place, the jumpers can be cut and mounted. As a result of all efforts, a metal frame should be obtained with a lathing pitch of 400 by 500 mm along the centers of the profiles.
Move on and fix the ceiling to the floor slabs. There are a lot of fasteners used to level the ceiling with plasterboard with your own hands - the frame can be hung on U-shaped brackets, boots made of ud guide profiles, or, as in our master class, quick suspensions. The latter are used with a large distance between the slabs and the frame. By the way, quick hangers are very convenient - with their help it is not difficult to align the frame in the plane.
So, we install fast hangers with a step of 600 mm along the entire length of each profile. The suspensions are attached to the ceilings with dowels through a special eyelet on the spoke of this product, and in the profile they simply wedge with a turn.
How to properly align the ceiling
The next step in solving the question of how to level an uneven ceiling will be its leveling - the frame must be installed in accordance with the one marked on initial stage works of the plane. For this purpose, either a long level or threads stretched across the bearing profiles are used. The adjustment of the hangers is very simple - the spring, which the fast hangers are equipped with, is compressed by hand, after which the profile is set to the required position. Here you need to try very hard and achieve an almost ideal position of the cd profiles in the plane - none of them should be higher or lower than the guides fixed to the walls.
Do-it-yourself ceiling alignment
Sheathing the frame with sheets of drywall is the easiest of the tasks on the way to solving the issue of leveling the ceiling. The only difficulty that arises when sheathing the frame is the dimensions of the drywall sheets - here you will need an assistant. In principle, it is quite possible to cope with this task together. We lift a sheet of gypsum to the ceiling and fix it with self-tapping screws for metal ø3.5mm and a length of 25mm for all installed profiles, without exception. Gypsum must be fixed both along the bearing profiles and along the guides with a step of 150 mm.
If you look at a sheet of drywall, you will see that the factory edges are made a little thinner than its entire body. This is done for the subsequent high-quality sealing of seams. Keep in mind that all hand-cut drywall edges must be re-stitched, i.e. cut the chamfer. Only in this case, when sealing the joints, they will not crack during the operation of the ceiling.
This is how you can independently align the ceiling with plasterboard. Hard? Judge for yourself. In any case, the above information will be useful. Even if you yourself are not going to level the ceiling with your own hands, but consider it necessary to hire specialists for these works, you can always control their work.
An ideal ceiling with an equal surface serves as an excellent decoration for any apartment, its quality and modern renovation will allow you to radically change the entire interior and transform it. If there are any flaws with other objects in the room, a beautiful ceiling can draw attention to itself and distract it from other imperfections.
What is this article about
Plasterboard ceiling alignment will become excellent option, if the overlapping slabs served as deformation of the finish and provoked the appearance of cracks. In this case, leveling the ceiling is the most optimal, inexpensive and low-cost method that can be done with your own hands in the shortest possible time, without resorting to the help of specialists. It will save not only money and time, but also energy. You can use it if you need to create a ceiling alignment with plasterboard without a frame or with a frame.
The leveling base of the ceiling can be plaster, tension structures, as well as drywall. The use of the first 2 options entails some difficulties, for example, plaster is applicable only if the irregularities do not exceed 5 cm, while its use is quite laborious, takes a lot of time and effort, and stretch ceiling often they are not allowed to work alone. Drywall is the most convenient and practical option.
Drywall is great for DIY ceiling leveling. Editing it many times easier work with plaster.
Also, there is an option for leveling the plasterboard ceiling without using a metal frame, however, this method has its own characteristics and limitations, which we will talk about at the end of the article.
To carry out a high-quality leveling of the ceiling, it is worth choosing, purchasing and preparing everything in advance necessary materials and tools so that everything is ready by the beginning of the first stage of work. This will significantly reduce the installation time.
*Attention! All results are approximate - accuracy depends on wall material, condition and shape of the room
For self-calculation follow the instructions below. Aligning the ceiling with plasterboard involves the following material consumption:
Aligning the ceiling with plasterboard requires the presence of a drawing pattern of the surface to be leveled. It will clearly show how the sheets will be located on the finished ceiling, it will also be possible to see at what distance the drywall panels will be from each other (it should be noted that it should be at least 1 step of the bearing profile).
The sheet itself is presented in a size of 1200 mm, which allows you to create distances of 60 cm. Having created the most accurate drawing, you can do all the work as quickly as possible, efficiently, and most importantly on your own.
How to level the ceiling with plasterboard? To begin with, you need to make the correct marking of the ceiling, for this you need to indent 15 cm from the ceiling and make a note for further drawing a horizontal line, using a bubble level. The line should run along all the walls of the room (if its end was connected to the beginning, then it was drawn correctly).
The next step is to install screws along the length of the resulting line, while you will need to pull the rope, which will serve as a guide and ensure the creation of a perfectly flat ceiling in the room. You will also need to mark several places necessary for the further installation of the profiles, they should be at a distance of 60 cm from each other. it is ideal for fixing plasterboard panels with a width of 1200 mm.
The leveling of the ceiling with plasterboard depends to a greater extent on the quality of the frame, because the final result of the installation will depend on it. It will also affect appearance ceiling. What are the stages of assembly and installation of the structure?
Since any room requires lighting not only by daylight, natural, but also by evening artificial light, it is worthwhile long before installation to decide on the installation locations of the lighting fixtures and see which chandelier will look as impressive as possible at a certain point on the ceiling. In other words, it is necessary not only to level the ceiling drywall, but also make electrical wiring. If the room is large enough, you need to mark places for placing several lighting fixtures.
To install chandeliers and lamps, you need to create holes. Experts advise you to mark these places even before installing the drywall sheets, because it is much easier to do this in advance than when the repair is completed. If it was not possible to mark them in advance, this can be done after installation, using special nozzles for a perforator.
It is worth noting that the electrical wiring is carried out before the start of all repair work, here, unfortunately, you need to have special knowledge and skills, therefore it is recommended to seek help from specialists. In this case, it will only be necessary to control the process so that the workers stretch the wires exactly where the lighting devices should be installed.
After the electrical wiring is carried out, all wires must be secured with corrugated pipes so that water cannot get on them. After that, you can start leveling.
Before abruptly, it is imperative to create a layout that will allow you to cut sheets of the ideal size. In order for the installation to be of high quality, the preliminary marking should be drawn on paper, here it is worth noting that the formation of cruciform joints should not be allowed, they should be staggered, because this is the method that contributes to the creation of an ideal flat surface ceiling.
When working, you need to remember that the step should be in the range from 10 to 20 cm, while all the plates must be fixed on 2 or more profiles.
In the middle of the ceiling, you need to create an insert, and lay the sheets around the edges of the room, before proceeding with this stage, you need to make sure that all the drywall sheets are prepared and of the correct size.
To carry out the correct cut of the sheets, you can use special knife, which is carried out several times along the drawn line, after which the structure breaks, and the uneven edges are leveled with a plane.
To proceed to the next stage of finishing, you need to enlist the support of an assistant who will ensure well-coordinated work on leveling the ceiling surface, because it will be extremely difficult to cope on your own.
Here you need to agree with your partner who will hold the sheet and who will fix it. You need to take the prepared sheet and lift it to the installation site, which is carried out using self-tapping screws, which are recommended to be installed at a distance of 25 cm from each other (the head should be slightly recessed in the drywall sheet).
When fixing the sheets, it is necessary to remember that it is imperative to leave gaps of about 5 mm, they help to protect against cracks.
The final stage is the putty and painting of the ceiling surface, before that you need to glue all the joints with tape and putty the entire ceiling. This method is good in that it effectively covers up all the irregularities, joints and screws. After that, you need to wait for the putty to dry and clean it up so that the surface takes on a perfectly smooth and even appearance. The ceiling can be painted if desired.
Plasterboard can be fixed to surfaces without first installing the battens. This is done with glue. If this method is closer to you, then you need to know some features:
If all of the above has been done, you can start gluing. There is a special glue, it looks like this.
Apply glue pointwise. And apply firmly to the surface.
If the ceiling is very crooked, we still recommend working with a frame, but if you still decide to work with drywall without a frame, then you will have to put something under the places where there are strong dips, screwing or again gluing to the ceiling so that the finishing sheet lay flat.