Interior Dry Construction Partitions

Solutions & Applications · Dry Construction

An internal dry-construction wall is not a ‘cheap partition’. It is a system which, from a thickness of 7.5 cm, can achieve sound insulation, fire resistance and load-bearing capacity that a conventional brick wall of double the thickness cannot guarantee. The key question is not ‘which plasterboard should I use?’, but what the wall needs to do — and from this, the framework, the boards and the infill are determined.

What must the wall do?

Requirement	Framework	Slab	Spacing
Simple partition	CW 50 / UW 50	Type A, single layer	Stone wool for basic sound insulation
Bathroom · kitchen	CW 50 or 75, thicker where tiles are to be laid	Type H2 · in the AQUAPANEL Indoor water zone	Stone wool
Sound insulation between rooms	CW 75 or 100, track membrane	Double layer · Piano DF, Silentboard	Solid, dense stone wool
Fire protection	In accordance with the certified system	DF, DFH2, Fireboard A1	A1 stone wool
Heavy loads	UA or structural reinforcement	ULTRA BOARD, Diamant	Stone wool
Radiation protection	Per project	SAFEBOARD, lead-free	Per project

The thickness is determined by the stud

The CW stud (EN 14195; 0.6 mm profiles also comply with DIN 18182 T1) is always fitted into a UW track of the same width. The width determines the permissible height, the space for insulation and penetrations, and, together with the layers, the final thickness:

Framework	Single layer 12.5 mm	Double layer 2×12.5 mm	Track membrane	When
CW 50 / UW 50	75 mm	100 mm	50 mm	Standard partitions, low-rise buildings
CW 75 / UW 75	100 mm	125 mm	70 mm	Higher and sound-insulating walls, M&E penetrations
CW 100 / UW 100	125 mm	150 mm	95 mm	Maximum heights, sound insulation and fire resistance

For tall or load-bearing walls, CWs are installed in pairs, back-to-back. In door frames and openings, the UA reinforcement profile (2 mm), of the same width as the wall, is used.

The slab per room

• Dry areas — Knauf Type A, the standard board in accordance with EN 520.
• Wet areas — Type H2 damp-proofing; where the surface is directly exposed to water (shower), AQUAPANEL indoor cement board.
• Fire protection — Type DF, moisture- and fire-resistant DFH2, and FIREBOARD (A1) for the most demanding systems.
• Sound insulation — Piano DF and SILENTBOARD DFR: greater mass per m², better sound reduction.
• Strength and loads — ULTRA BOARD DFIR and DIAMANT DFH1IR: hard surface, support for heavier loads.
• Radiation protection — SAFEBOARD for medical facilities, lead-free.

Step-by-step construction

1. Marking out on the floor and transferring to the ceiling using a laser level.
2. Apply a track tape to the rear of each UW before fixing — this decouples the framework and seals the perimeter.
3. UW tracks on floors, ceilings and walls, with fixing plugs in the load-bearing structure.
4. CW studs within the UW, vertical, usually spaced 60 cm apart; more densely spaced where tiling or heavy loads are to be accommodated. Reinforcements and UA in the openings are now to be installed.
5. Electrical and mechanical penetrations through the factory-made holes in the studs.
6. First side: slabs vertical, joints on the stud. TN screws in 0.6 mm profiles, TB screws in UA profiles — length equal to the thickness of the slabs + ~10 mm.
7. Stone wool that fills the entire cavity, with no gaps at the joints.
8. Second side with joints offset in relation to the first; in a double layer, offset both from one another and between the layers.
9. Joint filling with Fugenfüller Leicht and Kurt paper tape; in wet areas, use Uniflott moisture-resistant product. Finish with Super Finish.

Load distribution: the real question

The question ‘Will the cupboard hold?’ is answered in the design stage, not on site:

• Light loads — metal plasterboard fixings: M6/58 for single-layer boards, M6/71 for double-layer boards.
• Heavy loads (wall-hung cupboards, sanitary ware, large screens) — provision in the framework: UA, cross-braces or reinforcing elements within the wall, before the panels are screwed into place.
• Walls subject to multiple loads — ULTRA BOARD, which provides the strength of fibreboard when fitted with plasterboard.

Mistakes that cost

Incorrect	Consistency
No reinforcement for loads before the wall is closed up	Removal of slabs or cupboards that are unstable
Leave a void where sound insulation is required	The wall acts as a drum
No track tape; unsealed perimeter	Sound and fire pass through the perimeter
UW and CW of different widths	Unstable framework, crooked walls
Joints in a straight line on both sides	Cracks and sound bridges
Type A in a bathroom	Blistering and mould on the slab

Framework & Fixing

Plasterboard & Cement boards

Cavity Insulation, Screws & Jointing

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