Drywall Partition Walls

A properly built drywall partition will serve for many years; its lifespan depends mainly on moisture, knocks and the quality of installation. Workmanship within the agreed scope is guaranteed for one year.

Yes — with timber reinforcement inside the frame they hang securely.

Yes. An empty partition with a single layer of board gives about 33–36 dB; double boarding on both sides with stone wool infill gives 47–50 dB; a twin independent frame reaches 55–60 dB. The figure depends on the build-up.

Yes — with moisture-resistant green board and waterproofing underneath. Green board resists moisture but is not waterproof, so surfaces in constant contact with water, such as inside a shower, get cement board instead.

No. It is not structural: it carries no floor or beam loads and only divides the space.

It depends on the build-up, and the spread is wide. Single layer each side, empty cavity: roughly 33–38 dB — speech is audible. Single layer plus mineral wool: 44–47 dB. Double layer plus wool: 50–55 dB, which is comfortably enough between a bedroom and a living room. Twin independent frames: above 60 dB. So "drywall lets sound through" is true of an empty single-layer wall, and false of a properly built one.

Total thickness is the stud width plus the board on each face. A 50 mm stud with 2×12.5 mm board gives 75 mm; a 75 mm stud gives 100 mm; a 100 mm stud gives 125 mm. Double-layering adds 12.5 mm per face. For comparison, a masonry wall reaching the same acoustic performance approaches 200 mm. In a small flat that difference is usable floor area.

Two different cases. For light shelves and pictures on cavity fixings (toggle or molly anchors) the practical limit is around 25–30 kg, spread over at least two fixings. Heavy, cantilevered loads — a TV, wall units, a basin, a wall-hung WC — are never carried by cavity anchors. For those a steel or timber noggin is built into the frame at that position and the load goes into the structure. That reinforcement has to be decided before the wall is closed; it cannot be added afterwards.

Two different products, and they should not be confused. Moisture-resistant (green) board is for the *splash* zones of a bathroom or kitchen — it tolerates humid air, not standing water. Inside a shower, around a bath and on any directly wetted surface, a cement- and fibre-based building board is used — BoardeX and Knauf AQUAPANEL are products of this kind: it does not swell and is a sound substrate for tiling. In both cases a sealing tape goes under the track so floor water cannot travel into the frame.

It is certified as a system, not by the board alone. Typically a single layer of standard board reaches EI 30, a double layer EI 60, and dedicated fire board with the right cavity fill EI 90 and beyond. For the figure to hold, the board, studs, screw spacing and jointing must match the tested system; a wall assembled from mixed manufacturers cannot claim that period.

Weight, speed and thickness. Drywall runs about 25–30 kg/m² against 100–180 kg/m² for masonry, which materially reduces the load on the structure — decisive in mezzanine and conversion work. Being a dry system there is no mortar to cure, so painting can follow in the same week. Services run inside the wall rather than requiring chases to be cut. The trade-off is that heavy fixing points must be planned in advance.

Yes. We agree the scope in writing before starting, send dated progress photographs at each stage, and can hold a video call on site whenever you want to see something specific. Keys are handed over against a written record, and the flat is cleaned and photographed again at handover.

After the survey you receive a written scope listing the rooms and areas covered, the system chosen for each, the brand and product of the boards, profiles and insulation, the surface finish level, and the number of working days. Anything not on that list is not in the price, which is what stops the mid-project additions that make contractor quotes unreliable. Nothing is charged beyond the written scope without your approval.

Ceilings and partitions leave the space usable as soon as the crew finishes. Painting needs longer: the film cures over roughly a week, and the smell in a ventilated flat clears within two to three days. If a flat is being prepared for tenants, plan on a few extra days after handover for airing and cleaning rather than scheduling a viewing for the day of completion.