Interior Wall and Ceiling Finish

Interior finishing
Definition: Prerequisites to
 The installation of Construction:
cover materials to  Utilities, heating, and
walls and ceilings insulation are
installed
 Exterior doors and
windows must be
hung and installed.
Interior walls can be covered with any
one of a number of materials:

Gypsum Plywood and Plaster

wallboard particleboard
(drywall)
Gypsum Hardboard Cement
wallboard for and fiberboard board
plaster
veneering
Predecorate Solid wood Special
gypsum paneling finishes
paneling
Gypsum wallboard (drywall)
Def:
 A laminated material with
a gypsum core and paper
covering on either side.
Has fireproof core
Variety of thickness,
shown on right, and
lengths (4’ x 8’, 7’, 9’,
10’, 12’, and 14’
Also requires special
tools (next slide):
Gypsum wallboard for plaster veneering

This is a base of gypsum board

Usually ½” thick

It’s applied as a backing for a thin coat

of plaster
Predecorated gypsum paneling
This is the same as
gypsum wallboard.
The difference:
 Decorative vinyl
finishes have been
applied and edges
have received special
treatment so no
other finish work is
needed.
Plywood and particleboard
Picture to the right
is fabricated in 4’
widths.
Lengths: 7, 8, 9,
and 10’
Prefinished in a
variety of colors and
patterns
Hardboard and fiberboard
These are produced from wood fibers
in sizes and thicknesses similar to
plywood.
The face finish is simulated to look like
wood.
Variations of fiber board are used as
ceiling coverings.
Solid wood paneling
These are boards or pieces of solid
wood.
Widths: Vary from 2 to 12”
Thicknesses: Either 1” or 2”
Lengths: Vary from 4 to 10’
Faces may be rough-sawed, plain, or
molded in a variety of patterns.
 Plaster
The most popular A plastered wall
wall covering. system includes:
It is made of  A base support, such
powdered gypsum as metal or gypsum
lath
to which other
 Coats of wet plater
materials are added
to improve drying
time.
 Cement board
Definition:
 A versatile fiber-
reinforced cement
panel material that is
used as a base
(underlayment) for
finishing materials
used on walls, floors,
and countertops.
 Fireproof, & water
and impact resistant
Special Finishes
These include a variety of products and
materials:
 Brick
 Stone
 Glazed Tile
 Plastic Tile
 Plastic Laminates
Often found in kitchens and bathrooms
 Ceilings can be covered with many of
the same materials used for walls.

Composition tiles are especially suitable

because they are easy to install.
Drywall Construction
Drywall materials,
such as gypsum
wallboard, (shown
on left) are the most
common coverings
used in modern
construction b/c:
 It saves time
 Dries faster than
regular plaster
Single Layer Construction
* Cover ceiling first, then walls.

Method One: Method Two:

 Perpendicular
 Parallel  Long edges of panels
are at right angles to
studs and joists.
 Long edges of panels
run in the same
direction as studs and  Generally more
joists. prefered method.
 In either method,
vertical wall joints
must fall over and
center on studs.
 Both parallel and
perpendicular are
shown to the right
Carpenter will use
whichever method
has fewer joints.
Measuring and Cutting
1. Score face with sharp
knife pulled along
straight edge, cut
should penetrate the
paper and enter the
gypsum core
2. Support main section of
sheet close to scored
line
3. Snap the core by
pressing downward
sharply on overhang.
4. Support the cutoff
with other hand
5. Score the backing
paper, as shown on
right, and snap the
cutoff upward
6. The cut can be
smoothed with file
or sandpaper
 Nails and Screws
For single layer
const., nails are
spaced no further
than 7” (ceiling) and
8” (wall).
Keep 3/8” from
ends and edges
(On right) drywall
fasteners
Walls Ceilings
 Wallboard must be
 Double nailing method
of attachment ensures
drawn tightly firm contact with framing
 Start nailing at  Nails in field of board
abutting edge should be spaced 12” on
center
 Nail the field (area
 After panel is secured,
between edges) first
another nail is driven
 Drive nails straight approx. 2” from first
Adhesive Fastening
Produce a sturdier wall that is more resistant
to impact sounds
Some have flammable solvents
Application:
 Apply continuous bead to the center of all studs,
joists, or furring.
 Should be ¼ to 3/8” wide
 Use temporary nailing or bracing to ensure full
contact of the wallboard.
Joint & Fastener Concealment
1. Apply a bedding coat of compound into the
depression formed by the tapered edges of board
over all butt joints
2. Center reinforcing tape over joint and smooth out.
3. Press tape by drawing 5-6” knife along joint with
pressure
4. Apply skim coat over tape.
5. Apply second coat over tape.
6. Feather edges and apply third coat.
7. Sand if necessary.
Corners
Outside corners are
reinforced with a metal
corner bead.
 Fasten by nailing into
wallboard and frame
 Conceal with joint
compound
Internal corners
 Coat joint compound to
both sides
 Fold tape along center
and smooth
Double Layer Construction
Also called two-ply
 Double layer
wallboard apps. over
wood framing
Base can be drywall
or backing board
 A gyp. board with a
gray liner paper on
both sides
Attaching the Layers
Base layers are applied to framing with
staples, nails, or screws
The finish layer is laminated to base
layer with an adhesive or compound
 Joints should be offset at least 10” from
the joints of base layer
Adhesive is usually applied to entire
surface
Boards
Cement board
 Manufactured from a slurry of portland cement
reinforced with polymer-coated fiberglass mesh
embedde3d in both sides.
 Rigid or flexible
Moisture Resistant (MR) Wallboard
 Plywood processed to withstand the effects of
moisture and high humidity
 light green facing
 can be used as base under ceramic tile and other
nonabsorbent finishing materials
Veneer Plaster
 A high-strength material applied as a coat less
than 1/8” thick
 Dries rapidly
 one- or two- coat application
Predecorated Wallboard
 Usually applied vertically
 Walls must be dry before installation
 Use of adhesive to bond panels is common
Wallboard on Masonry Walls
Two methods of
preparing masonry
walls for interior finish:
 (top) Wallboard can be
attached to metal furring
channels. Rigid
insulation is used

 (bottom) Wood furring

strips and blanket
insulation
Installing Plywood
1. Before, panels should be adjusted to
room temp. and humidity
2. Plan layout, begin at corner
3. Cut upward against the panel face
4. Attach directly to wall studs with nails
or adhesives
5. Recommended use: ¼” plywood over
½” gypsum wallboard base
Plaster
Qualities:
 Beauty, durability,
economy, fire
protection, structural
rigidity, highly
adaptive to shapes,
and sound resistance
 made from gypsum
 Plaster Base
Sheet materials and
metal lath
Plaster base
materials:
A. Gypsum lath
B. Insulating fiberboard
lath
C. Perforated gyp. Lath
D. Expanded metal lath
Plaster Materials & Methods
Three-coat work
 Scratch coat
 Applied directly to plaster base
 It is cross-raked after having stiffened
 Brown coat
 Applied and leveled with the grounds and screeds. A long flat
tool called and darby and rod are used
 Finish coat
 Applied when third coat is somewhat dry
Two-coat work
 Scratch coat and brown coat are applied almost at the
same time
Ceiling Tile
Can be installed over
engineered metal strips,
wood furring strips,
solid plaster, drywall, or
smooth continuous
surfaces
Many materials can be
used
Standard size is
12”X12”
Estimating Materials
Determining Area of Rooms
 Ceiling area is usually the same as floor area
 Multiply length times width
 Wall area
 add all the wall lengths together and multiply by the wall
height
Sheet Materials
 Always plan to use the longest practical sheet.
 Divide total length of walls by the width of sheets to find
the number of sheets needed
 Estimate each room separately
Estimated Solid Paneling
 Based on nominal and unfinished size
 Calculate the square footage of the wall to be
covered then multiply by the various factors
taken from lumber tables:
 For 1x6 tongue and groove boards, use 1.17
 For 1x8 tongue and groove boards, use 1.16
 On standard vertical applications, add 5% for
waste
Gypsum Lath
 Produced in smaller sections than full
sheets
 Figure the area of the ceiling and add to this
the area of the walls (length of walls x height)
 Prices are normally based on square yards
 Ceiling tile are estimated by figuring the
area to be covered (square footage)
 Round up