Services › Stud work, dry lining & plasterboarding
Stud Work, Dry Lining & Plasterboarding in Barnstaple & North Devon
Stud walls and stud partitions, dry lining, plasterboarding and skimming – plus general carpentry alongside the building work. One local tradesman from the frame to the finished wall.
Stud work and boarding, done by one trade
As well as plastering, we do building and carpentry work, so we can build the stud wall, board it and skim it ourselves. The frame goes up with the finish in mind, and the joints, corners and edges are right before the plaster goes on – no waiting between trades. We’ve also spent more than 10 years working on new-build homes, so framing, boarding and skimming new rooms is everyday work for us.
We work on homes across Barnstaple, Bideford, Ilfracombe and the rest of North Devon, from a single partition wall or ceiling to boarding out a whole renovation.
Stud walls and stud partitions
A stud wall is a frame of timber or metal studs, covered in plasterboard and skimmed. It’s the usual way to add or change internal walls without heavy masonry. Stud work we do includes:
- Timber stud partition walls
- Metal stud partition walls
- Dividing a large room into two, or creating a new bedroom, bathroom, en-suite or cupboard
- Studwork for new rooms in extensions and renovations
- Stud walls for loft conversions and garage conversions
- Boxing in pipes, soil stacks and other services
We build the frame, board both sides and skim it, so the new wall looks just like the rest of the house.
Dry lining and plasterboarding
Dry lining, including dot-and-dab
Dry lining means fixing plasterboard to the inside of a masonry wall instead of plastering the wall directly. With the dot-and-dab method, dabs of adhesive are applied to the wall and the boards are pressed onto them and lined up straight. It’s a good way to get a flat, even surface on an uneven wall. Insulated plasterboard can be used in the same way to make a cold external wall warmer – see our internal wall insulation page.
Plasterboarding walls and ceilings
We board new and old walls and ceilings, including replacing damaged or sagging ceilings and boarding out extensions and loft rooms. Boards are fixed securely, with joints and edges set up neatly ready for the finish.
Skimming for a smooth finish
Once the boards are up, we skim them with a thin coat of finishing plaster for a smooth, hard surface that is ready to paint once dry. More on our plastering and skimming.
Carpentry
Alongside the building and plastering work, we also do general carpentry – the woodwork that goes with stud walls, boarding and renovations, so the job can be finished without bringing in another trade. If your job needs carpentry as well, just mention it when you get in touch and we’ll talk it through. See also our building and renovation work.
An example: insulated plasterboard in South Molton
On this internal wall insulation job in South Molton, adhesive dabs were applied to the bare wall, Celotex insulated plasterboards were fixed over them, and the wall was then skimmed smooth around the window.
Frequently asked questions
Do you do stud work?
Yes. We build timber and metal stud walls and stud partitions – for dividing rooms, boxing in, new rooms, and loft or garage conversions – then board and skim them.
Can you build a stud wall to split a room?
Yes. We build the frame, board it and skim it, so the new wall matches the rest of the room.
Do you do carpentry as well?
Yes. We do general carpentry alongside the building and plastering work, so the woodwork that goes with a job can be done at the same time.
What is the difference between dry lining and plastering?
Dry lining fixes plasterboard to the wall; traditional plastering applies wet plaster directly to the masonry. Dry lining is quicker and good for uneven walls, and the boards are usually skimmed afterwards for a smooth finish.
Do new plasterboard walls need skimming?
Skimming gives the smoothest, hardest finish and hides the joints, so we usually recommend it before decorating.
Get a free quote
Tell Julian a little about the job – where it is in North Devon, what needs doing and roughly how big it is. Photos help a lot. All our quotes are free. Call 07881 688372 (mobile) or 01271 314623 (landline), WhatsApp, or send the details online.