Plasterboard Profiles

Plasterboard Profiles: Carriers, Corner Beads and Trims

The quality of a plasterboard job is decided not by the board but by the framework beneath it. The right profile and the right spacing mean a surface still free of cracks years later. This section holds 15 products and every one of them has a published price.

Profile Types

• Wall C and U profiles: build the partition frame. U works as the track horizontally, C as the stud vertically.
• Ceiling carrier and furring profiles: take the load of the suspended ceiling and connect to the hanger rods.
• Corner bead: protects external corners against impact and gives a straight line.
• Trim and stop profiles: finish the board edge cleanly against a wall, a ceiling or a different material.

Spacing and Stiffness

The wider the stud spacing, the more the surface flexes; in wet areas and on walls that will be tiled the spacing is reduced. On ceilings the hanger spacing is set by the profile section and by the load the ceiling will carry — extra support must be added at points where a light fitting, a curtain box or a fan will sit.

Steel Thickness

In profiles the sheet thickness decides the stiffness directly. Thin sheet deforms even during handling and will not give a straight line at installation. Our catalogue holds products between 0.25 mm and 0.40 mm; at load-bearing points a thicker sheet should be preferred.

Choosing the Corner Bead

The galvanised bead is the classic, economical solution. The PVC mesh bead grips the plaster better and carries no risk of rust on an external corner; it is preferred in damp areas. The slotted arch bead is used on curves and circular forms.

Budget

All 15 products are priced: from 0.60 EUR to 6.28 EUR, with a median of 1.32 EUR. When calculating lengths, remember to allow for cutting waste.

Plan the Lighting From the Start

If the position of the light fittings is not settled while the framework is being built, the hole for a downlight can end up exactly over a carrier once the board is closed. Then either the fitting is moved or the carrier is cut — neither is desirable. Measure the ceiling void needed for recessed spots, panels and concealed light recesses at the framing stage; if a recess is planned, allow for the section of the strip and its profile too. In the same way, extra support is added at the framing stage wherever a curtain box, a fan or a heavy chandelier will go.