Planning on zoning the room? Would you like to calculate the drywall partition before going to the store? Agree, I would not want to order the delivery of one missing sheet of drywall or overpay for excess material.
Having spent a little time on preliminary calculations, you can purchase everything at once, as well as assess in advance the cost of a future partition. You will have the opportunity to make adjustments to the estimate and the project, or to choose another option for the partition, while nothing has been purchased.
There are online material calculators for drywall structures, but their calculations are very approximate, not suitable for complex partitions. We have classified all types of partitions and teach you how to calculate the number of building materials for any of them.
Types of drywall partitions
Online calculators will help you calculate the simplest, solid partitions, deaf or with a doorway. In the modern interior, drywall constructions are much more diverse.
They can have complex shapes and an additional purpose, in addition to dividing the space. Next, we classify, arrange all types of drywall partitions.
Form and Purpose Options
By the presence of openings, partitions are divided into deafrepresenting a continuous wall, and fishnet. The second category includes not only piers with decorative cutouts of complex shapes, but also those in which there are doorways or windows, shelves.
According to the location in the room, the partition can be solid - from wall to wall, or intermittent, with a free end. Also, a discontinuous partition can be low, not reach the ceiling. For the second type, the design and shape of the end face is important.
A low partition effectively divides the room into zones, but visually practically does not reduce its volume. Great solution for a studio apartment
Partitions of complex shape are most often discontinuous and openwork.
The most common design decisions:
- butt curved by the wave;
- through holes for various purposes: with lights, shelves, windows, cutouts of complex shapes that form the pattern;
- curved plane of the septum;
- built-in sliding door;
- convex semicircular end face.
The pliability of drywall allows you to realize the most daring ideas. To calculate the amount of materials for such structures is the most difficult, therefore, a significant amount of waste is inevitable.
Bearing and functional characteristics
With relative lightness and subtlety, drywall has high bearing capacity. If it is necessary to erect a full-fledged wall on which you can hang furniture or give another load, use a wider profile, place it with less indentation, sew GCR in 2 layers.
For solid partitions that completely separate the room, the organization of heat and sound insulation is relevant. Partially, this function is also performed by 2-layer cladding, but more often mineral wool slabs are laid inside the partition, between the profiles.
The degree of mobility of the septum
Basically, the structures for drywall are stationary, when installing a sliding door they serve only as the box in which it hides.
A plasterboard sliding door combines the noise and heat insulation of an ordinary wall with the door's mobility. She instantly changes the layout of the room
But sometimes the moving part can be made of 2 sheets of gypsum plaster, sewn through a thin profile. This solution is original and functional, but you need to choose reinforced guides and rollers.
List of materials and calculations
To calculate the amount of necessary materials, the first thing you need to do is to think through the shape of the partition in all details, carefully measure all the parameters, and also prepare a tool for cutting drywall.
It is desirable to draw partitions of complex shape on a convenient scale, for example, 10 cm = 1 m. Thus, it will be easier to calculate or measure all the perimeters of the holes and wavy lines. In addition, you will see and evaluate the result in advance, you will definitely not get confused during the construction, build exactly the form you planned. If you change the project in the process, it is impossible to calculate the amount of materials in advance.
The basis of any partition is the frame on which the GCR is sewn. As a rule, it is made of steel profiles - it is cheap, fast and reliable. You can use a wooden beam or combine these two materials - the calculation method does not change from this.
Profile guide UD
When calculating the profile for solid partitions, it is important to measure all sides of the perimeter. The geometry of the room can be imperfect, its width in the same place can vary by 3 - 10 cm, as well as height.
The guide profile has flat, not bent inward shelves - side parts. PN is attached to the walls, ceiling and floor, PS is inserted into it
When buying a UD profile, decide on its width, because it sets the thickness of the future partition. It can be 50, 75 or 100 mm, that is, the maximum thickness of the partition even with 2-layer cladding is 150 mm. If this is not enough, lay 2 profiles in parallel, forming a double frame.
For partitions with a width of up to 4 m and a thickness of up to 15 cm, 2 guide profiles are sufficient. In other cases, consider the total footage of the required profile and divide it by the standard profile length, 3 m or 4 m.
Profile rack CD
PS is installed vertically, to the entire height of the structure, in increments of 60 cm. So each sheet of drywall is fixed on 3 profiles, along the edges and in the center, and all vertical joints of the sheets will fall on the metal frame. If a rugged construction is needed, for example, for hanging furniture, CD profiles are placed every 40 cm, each sheet is fixed on 4 racks.
To calculate the number of racks, it is enough to divide the length of the base of the partition by the selected step. It is not necessary to calculate the total footage, the length of the CD profile is selected according to the height of the partition so as to avoid the need for connection.
The width of the rack profile must coincide with the width of the PN so that it is fixed tightly even without screws and rivets
For structures with a door or window, the racks should limit each opening on the sides. In practice, the closest rack, which is in the middle of the sheet, is shifted to the edge of the opening, but it is better to purchase an additional profile. Also, an additional section of the profile will be needed to strengthen the convex part of the end wall of the partition.
Jumpers are also made from the rack profile. They are necessary in places of horizontal joints of sheets and holes to secure the edge. To increase the strength of large area partitions, such jumpers are installed between the posts every 40 to 80 cm.
To calculate how many profiles to buy on jumpers for a reinforced frame:
- Calculate the number of horizontal rows of jumpers. Divide the height of the partition by the selected step. For example, with a ceiling height of 2.6 m and a pitch of 0.7 m, we get 3.7, rounded - 4 rows.
- Multiply the number of rows by the width of the partition. For example, with a width of 3.5 m for 4 rows you will need a 14 m CD profile.
- Add 20% to the waste, we get 16.8 m.
- Divide by standard profile length. In our example, we get 5 pieces of 4 m or 6 pieces of 3 m.
If jumpers are needed only for horizontal joints of drywall, and not for reinforcement, a calculation is made for 1 row of jumpers.
To calculate the total length of the jumpers that limit the holes or recesses in the partition, add the width of all the holes. Then multiply the resulting number by 2, because the jumper should be both above and below the window.
If the edge of the window is too close to the main rack, you may need vertical jumpers, and for a double frame, as on the left in the photo, also cross, between two walls of the partition
Do not forget to multiply the number of posts and jumpers by 2 when constructing a thick partition on the basis of 2 parallel guide profiles.
Other frame materials
The profile must be attached to the wall, floor and ceiling every 30 to 50 cm. For this, dowels or long wood screws, depending on the material of the walls, are used.
To calculate their number, multiply the perimeter of the adjacency of the partition to the bases by 3. For example, for a solid partition of 2.6 x 3.5 m, you need (2.6 + 2.6 + 3.5 + 3.5) x 3 = 37 pcs .
Between the profile and the wall, along the entire perimeter, a damper tape should be laid. The required length is equal to the perimeter of the abutment.
To fasten the profiles between themselves, a special tool is used - a notch. If it is not, buy small metal screws. You will need to prepare 4 pieces for each rack and each jumper.
For the doorway, it is recommended to strengthen the racks and the lintel with wooden blocks. The cross-section of the beam is equal to the width of the profile, usually 100 mm.
There is a special arched profile to form curved lines of the end face or hole. But it is not always on sale and is expensive, so it is often made independently of PN or ceiling guide profile.
The number of such a profile corresponds to the total length of all curved lines.
It is easier to bend and fix independently a profile of a smaller width. When choosing a narrow profile, buy it 2 times more, for attaching to each side of the partition.
Sound insulation is usually carried out with mineral wool 50 or 100 mm thick. It is sold with slabs or rolls 60 cm wide, so it is conveniently located between the racks from the profile. The total area of cotton wool is equal to the area of the partition.
To achieve maximum sound insulation, make a partition on a double frame with 2 layers of insulation, leaving a gap between them. If you add 2-layer gypsum plasterboard, sound insulation will be 3 times better than with 1 layer of cotton wool 50 mm and 16 times better than without it. True, the cost of such a partition doubles.
Calculation of drywall for cladding
There are two ways to calculate the required amount of drywall: by total surface area or drawing up a layout and cutting sheets.
The first method is universal, it is much faster and easier. The second method is more accurate, it minimizes the amount of waste, and the resulting plan helps in the process of cutting and installation of material. But you need to draw up a diagram for each case individually.
First of all, you should calculate the surface area of the partition by multiplying its height by width. Multiply the resulting number by 2, because the partition is sheathed from 2 sides.
For structures of irregular shape, for example, with an uneven end, take the largest value of the width and height. Cropping will turn out to be irregular in shape, so they cannot be used in further work.
Only GKL parts cut from doorways can be useful for partitions more than 2.5 m high, where the length of a standard sheet is not enough
For a solid blank partition, a wall with a door or window, these are all necessary calculations. That is, in order to fence off a room with a width of 3.5 m with ceilings of 2.6 m, you need 3.5 x 2.6 x 2 = 18.2 sq.m. drywall. Given the standard size of the gypsum plasterboard 1.2 x 2.5 m, with a margin for trimming 15%, you need to buy 7 sheets.
For reinforced, 2-layer skin, multiply the resulting number by 2.
For discontinuous and openwork partitions, you should additionally calculate drywall for sheathing the end and walls of the holes, shelves. Please note that only straight, straight sections should be included in the total area.
For curved elements, you should buy an arched gypsum board, 6.5 mm thick, or at least ceiling, 9.5 mm. When creating an arch, only its curved part is measured, you can sew up even slopes with the plasterboard that will be cut from the opening.
To calculate the amount of arched drywall, measure or calculate by the formulas the total perimeter of all the curved holes and the end.
For example, the perimeter of a circular cutout is equal to the diameter of the circle times 3.14. Then multiply the resulting footage by the thickness of the partition, expressed in meters - this will calculate the total area. Add to it 20 - 40% for trimming, reinforcing shelves and unsuccessful bending attempts.
As practice shows, 1 standard sheet of arched gypsum board is enough to cover curved elements 1 - 2 partitions of complex shape
In the same way, you can calculate the amount of drywall needed to finish holes with smooth edges, for example, rectangular. In this case, the resulting number is added to the total GCR area, because here you can use a material with a thickness of 12.5 mm.
If you decide to carry out the calculation by drawing up a layout and nesting sheets, keep in mind that the most common drywall dimensions are 1200 x 2500 mm, but sheets of other sizes are also available.
GOST 6266-97 “Plasterboard sheets. Specifications ”allows products from 2 to 4 m in length, 60 or 120 cm in width. Using them, you can save, reduce the amount of trim.
In the diagram, horizontal joints of adjacent sheets should be spaced apart. When cutting a thin sheet, note that drywall is bent along, along the length of the sheet. Buy material with a margin in case the sheet breaks during cutting, bending, or fixing.
In addition to the drywall itself, do not forget to buy screws to fix it. Each sheet is screwed around the perimeter, in increments of 20 - 40 cm, plus one or two posts in the middle.
About 1 piece takes 1 whole sheet. For bent and small elements, the fixing step is reduced to 10 - 15 cm, and for the 1st layer of double skin - increase to 40 - 60 cm.
The more small and curved parts in the construction of drywall, the higher the consumption of screws per 1 sq.m.
For simple blind partitions, take 20 - 25 self-tapping screws per 1 sq. M. partitions, for complex shapes - up to 80 - 100 pcs / sq.m.
Materials for decorative decoration
After installing all of the drywall parts, the partition must be given an elegant, finished look.
To do this, you will need:
- reinforcing mesh-serpyanka - along the length of all joints of sheets;
- primer - for the entire area of the structure, the consumption depends on the manufacturer, is indicated on the package;
- starting putty - for sealing joints and hats of screws;
- finishing putty - about 600 g per 1 sq. m. area;
- corner profile, metal or plastic, smooth and arched, simple or reinforced with mesh. The total length along the perimeter of the holes plus the length of the end, multiply by 2.
- Finish: paint, wallpaper, tile, decorative plaster, or a combination of these options. If necessary, glue.
Thin emery paper can also be added to consumables for grinding putty before painting or pasting.
Examples of summary calculation of materials
To show all the calculations clearly, we take 2 common design options, the simplest and most complex.
Calculation of a solid partition with a door
Take the most common simple option: a partition that separates a new room, 4 m wide, ceiling height 2.5 m, door 2 x 0.8 m.
A guide profile UD is needed along the perimeter of the partition. For this option, it is convenient to use 2 pcs of 4 m and 2 pcs of 3 m.
The profile width sets the thickness of the future partition, determines the maximum thickness of mineral wool, but does not affect the amount of materials needed
Sealing tape under the profile is needed around the perimeter. 2.5 + 2.5 + 4 + 4 = 13 m.
Dowels for attaching the profile need 3 pcs. Per 1 m of the perimeter, 13 x 3 = 39 pcs.
The CD rack profile for such a partition can be used in 2 ways: only racks with a pitch of 40 cm or racks with a pitch of 60 cm, reinforced with horizontal jumpers.
For the first option, 4 m / 0.4 m = 10 pcs of a profile of 3 m + 1 spare will be required. For the second case, you need 4 m / 0.6 m = 7 pcs of racks of 3 m. For jumpers located in increments of 65 cm, you need 2.5 / 0.65 = 4 rows of 4 m, that is, 16 m of profile. With a margin for waste, you need to buy 5 pcs of profile 4 meters in length.
For reinforcing the profile around the door, a beam with a section of 100 x 100 mm, with a total length of 2 + 2 + 0.8 = 4.8 m, is desirable.
Mineral wool for sound insulation is laid over the entire partition area: 2.5 x 4 = 10 sq.m.
Plasterboard needs to be sheathed the entire area from 2 sides, 2.5 x 4 x 10 = 20 sq.m. or 7 standard sheets of 3 sq.m.
Self-tapping screws for attaching drywall - 30 pcs per sheet or a total of 210 pcs. Serpyanka tape for all joints of drywall sheets: 7 joints of 2.5 m = 17.5 m each. Starting putty is needed a little, 3 kg of packaging will be enough, and finishing needs 0.6 kg per 1 sq.m, only 0, 6 x 20 = 12 kg.
Partition with arch and windows
Complex structures are best calculated after drawing up a drawing. We calculate the materials for the partition from the drawing in the picture.
You can draw up a drawing, perhaps less beautiful, but just as functional, yourself. It is more convenient to do this on a sheet in a box
UD profile - 1 pc. 4 m long and 2 pcs. 3 m. The sealing tape needs 0.6 + 3.4 + 2.7 + 1.9 = 8.6 m.
CD profile - 4 whole racks + segments 0.22 + 0.11 + 0.22 + 0.45 + 0.79 + 0.5 = 2.29 m. We also need jumpers at the top and bottom of each window: 0.2 m x 6 pcs = 1.2 m. In total, you should buy 4 profiles of 3 m and 1 pc 4-meter.
An arched profile or additional CD is needed for the entire length of the curved line. You can approximately calculate the length of half the circumference of the average radius, 125 mm. 1.25 x 3.14 x 2 = 7.85 m = full circumference, that is, its half length is 3.92 m.
Our arch is slightly larger than half the circumference, so you need to buy 2 profiles of 3 or 4 m. The drawing shows the exact calculations of the length of each section of the arch, in total - 435 cm.
An ordinary, 12.5 mm drywall is needed for the main plane and the skin of the windows. For most of the partition, you need 1.9 x 2.7 x 2 = 10.26 sq.m. For the top piece you need 1.5 x 0.6 x 2 = 1.8 sq.m.
The thickness of the partition will be 75 + 12.5 + 12.5 = 100 mm. The perimeter of the windows is: (20 + 20 + 30 + 30) x 3 = 300 cm. For their lining you will need: 3 x 0.1 = 0.3 sq.m. In total, taking into account the margin for trimming, you need (10.26 + 1.8 + 0.3) x 1.2 = 14.8 square meters, that is, 5 sheets.
An arched or ceiling drywall is needed for a curved strip of the butt. It has dimensions of 435 x 10 cm, that is, you need less than 0.5 square meters of drywall.
For curved elements, it is especially important to provide a stock of material. In this case, even a narrow sheet, 2500 x 600 mm, will provide a sufficient supply
To strengthen the corners of the arch and the windows on both sides of the partition, a special profile is needed. Only 4.35 x 2 = 8.7 m of the arched corner and 3 m (the total perimeter of the windows was calculated earlier) x 2 = 6 m of ordinary corners.
Self-tapping screws will be required much more than for a simple partition, about 50 pcs for each sheet of drywall. In total, we have 6.5 standard sheets, this is 325 screws.
Also, our other article may be useful to you, where we tell in detail how to install sockets in drywall.
If you carefully conduct all the calculations, you can fairly accurately assess the cost of materials for the future partitions, save on their purchase and facilitate the installation process.
Have you installed a drywall partition? Conducted preliminary calculations of building materials? Share your experience in the communication unit, which is located under the article. You can also ask interesting questions on the topic there, and our specialists will try to answer them promptly.