Domakihub How to Fit Plasterboard to a Wall: A Step-by-Step Guide
Everything you need to board a stud or masonry wall cleanly, from marking out to screwing off.
Reviewed by Domakihub home & decor pros · 2026-06-23 · 5 min read
Plasterboarding — also called drylining — is one of the most satisfying renovation tasks you can tackle yourself: a bare brick or timber-framed wall becomes smooth and plaster-ready in a single day. The video above walks through the sequence on a stud wall; this guide adds the detail for both timber-stud and dot-and-dab masonry methods you will encounter across Greek homes, holiday rentals, and hotel rooms. No structural permits are needed for straightforward internal lining, but if you are covering damp masonry, enclosing a gas line, or altering a load-bearing wall, stop and call a licensed professional first.
Stud Wall vs. Dot and Dab: Which Method Applies?
Timber or metal stud framing is the standard approach when you are building a new partition or lining a wall that needs a service void — for hiding cables, pipes, or insulation. Boards are screwed directly to the studs at regular centres, producing a solid, hollow-free surface.
Dot and dab (also called direct bond or adhesive fixing) sticks plasterboard directly to an existing masonry wall using blobs of bonding compound. It is faster and loses less floor space, making it the go-to method in Greek apartments and stone-built villas where you want to upgrade a rough block wall without a full frame. Both methods end at the same point: a taped, filled, and skimmed wall ready for paint or tile.
When to Call a Licensed Contractor
Internal drylining of a non-structural wall is generally permit-free in Greece, but several scenarios require a licensed engineer or contractor. If the wall is structural (part of the load path of the building), covering it does not make it disappear — any penetrations or removals need a static study. Active damp behind masonry must be treated by a waterproofing specialist before you board over it; sealing damp in only makes it worse. If the wall cavity will conceal a gas pipe or meter, a certified gas technician must sign off the installation.
For hotel and rental property owners, check with your local municipality (Δήμος) and your building's condominium rules before altering any shared-wall surfaces. When in doubt, a brief consultation with a licensed civil engineer (πολιτικός μηχανικός) costs far less than a demolition order.
How to Fit Plasterboard to a Wall
- 1
Prepare and mark the wall
Clear the room and check the wall for moisture with a damp meter before you touch a board. On a stud wall, use a stud finder or knock-and-probe method to mark every stud centre on the floor and ceiling with a chalk line — studs are typically at 400 mm or 600 mm centres. On masonry, check for high spots with a long spirit level; anything proud by more than 12 mm will need packing out or grinding back so the boards sit on a consistent plane. Mark the floor-to-ceiling height at the lowest point: that measurement sets your board cut length.
- 2
Cut plasterboard to size
Standard boards are 2400 x 1200 mm and 12.5 mm thick (use 15 mm for better sound and fire resistance in rentals and hotels). Score the paper face with a sharp trimming knife against a straight edge, snap the board away from you, then cut the backing paper. For door reveals and irregular cuts, a padsaw or jab saw gives cleaner results. Always cut boards face-side down when using a circular saw to prevent face-paper tear-out. Keep off-cuts — they fill gaps above doors and under sills.
- 3
Fix to studs (timber or metal frame method)
Start at one corner, holding or propping the board tight to the ceiling (a foot lifter made from scrap timber is the traditional trick). Drive 3.5 x 38 mm drywall screws every 200–250 mm along each stud, keeping screws at least 13 mm from the board edge to avoid crumbling. Countersink each screw just below the paper face — a slight dimple, not a tear. On metal-frame systems use self-tapping wafer-head screws. Stagger board joins so no four corners meet at the same point, and leave a 3 mm gap at floor level to prevent moisture wicking.
- 4
Dot and dab to masonry (adhesive method)
Mix bonding compound (such as Gyproc Drywall Adhesive or equivalent) to a thick peanut-butter consistency. Apply vertical columns of blobs roughly 250 mm apart, starting 50 mm from the edge, each blob about 50–75 mm wide and 25 mm proud of the wall face. Press the board firmly onto the blobs, check plumb immediately with a spirit level, and tap with a rubber mallet to adjust. Hold or prop the board for two to three minutes until the compound grips. Leave 24 hours minimum before taping joints or applying plaster.
- 5
Tape, fill, and finish joints
Apply jointing compound (or finishing plaster, depending on your preferred finish) into each recessed joint with a 150 mm jointing knife. Bed paper jointing tape or fibreglass mesh tape into the wet compound and smooth flat. Once dry (typically overnight), apply a second coat feathered 50–75 mm wider on each side. Sand lightly when cured and wipe clean before a skim coat of finish plaster, or go straight to a fine filler and paint if using tape-and-joint dry finish. Fill each screw dimple with two thin coats of filler. The wall is now ready for your preferred surface treatment.
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FAQ
- Do I need a building permit to plasterboard an internal wall in Greece?
- For straightforward lining of an existing non-structural internal wall, no permit is typically required under Greek building law (Law 4495/2017 and subsequent regulations). However, if you are altering the structural envelope, creating a new partition that changes the approved floor plan, or working on a listed or heritage building, you may need to notify your local planning authority or obtain a small-works approval. Always verify with a licensed civil engineer before starting work on anything structural.
- How thick should plasterboard be for a hotel or rental property?
- For standard residential walls, 12.5 mm boards are the norm. In hotel rooms, holiday rental units, or any space where sound insulation and fire resistance matter, use 15 mm boards — or double-layer 12.5 mm with staggered joints for even better acoustic performance. Moisture-resistant (MR) boards, sometimes called green board, should be used in bathrooms and kitchens where humidity is elevated, though they are not a substitute for proper waterproofing behind tiles.
- Can I plasterboard over a damp wall?
- No. Boarding over active damp traps moisture behind the new surface, accelerating mould growth and causing the boards to delaminate within months. The damp source — whether rising damp from the foundation, penetrating damp from the exterior, or a concealed leak — must be identified and fixed first. A damp-proofing specialist (εταιρεία στεγανοποίησης) can diagnose the cause and apply the appropriate treatment. Only once the wall has dried out fully (at least 4–6 weeks, or as confirmed by a damp meter reading below 20%) should you proceed with drylining.