Below we’ve laid out the key problems most contractors typically run into when installing plasterboard, with our suggestions on how you can avoid them.

The plasterboard is damaged during construction

For all its great benefits, one of the biggest downsides of plasterboard is how easily it cracks and tears. It’s painstaking having to go through and repair every little mark on your plasterboard, and let’s face it — things like this are bound to happen in every build.

Rather than spend the time repairing the plasterboard, the better solution could be to plan for the damage in advance and have panels ready to install over the top of it. Not only will this cater for any misgivings, but it can add to the overall style and aesthetic of the space.

Holes left for electrical boxes or access panels don't match up

Even with careful measuring, this is a problem that crops up frequently — a hole is cut into the plasterboard sheet to go over an electrical box or allow access to wiring and when the plasterboard goes up, it doesn’t align. To circumvent this, sometimes installers will screw the plasterboard to the framing before trimming the opening, but often this just results in the plasterboard breaking around the box and then time needs to be spent repairing it.

To avoid all of that, we recommend employing the Fastmount panel mounting system, which involves a unique Centrepoint designed for every range, guaranteeing perfect alignment. Essentially the Centrepoint fits into the female clip installed into the substrate and marks the drill holes in the panel, so that you know exactly where to install the male clip. Check it out below:

The finishing screws cracked the plasterboard

The plasterboard is in, just the final touches to go… then some overzealous drilling pushed the screws in too far and cracked the plasterboard. Or it popped out completely and now your sheet is bowed. This is one of those problems that can happen all too easily and delay your project unnecessarily. There are ways to repair it, but sometimes it’s more effective to avoid these mistakes altogether and rethink your strategy. Fastmount's clips are designed to be hidden behind the panel, so there’s no concern that your finished look will be damaged from hammering or drilling once the panel has been installed. The clips are robust and secure too (with pull out loads anywhere from 5kg to 30kg), so you can ensure a reliable result while maintaining a sleek finish.

Wear and tear over time

We’ve already addressed the fact that plasterboard is fragile and can easily tear and break, but the other concern is the movement of a structure over time. The natural expansion of wood framing means that slight shifting of many houses and buildings is inevitable and can result in plasterboard breakages — especially if the joints were too tight when installed. Fixing all the joints and other damage caused can be a massive job, possibly meaning a huge renovation project. One of the biggest benefits of using Fastmount is the removability factor. Because of the simple ‘click on, click off’ nature of the clips, panels can quickly and easily be removed to assess any damage control to plasterboard and begin repairs.

Uneven surface results in panels that aren't level

As mentioned above, mounting panels over the top of your plasterboard is a great way to add some aesthetic to a room, and has the benefit of hiding any tears or holes that may have happened during construction. However, there’s a good chance that the walls you’re wanting to mount the panels on to aren’t straight and true. Often this isn’t something discovered until well after the initial build, and it affects the precision of panel installation. With Fastmount's Stratlock Rail System you can still achieve perfect alignment of your panels. Once the framing is in place and clips attached, you have 360° adjustment of the panel before locking into place, allowing you to compensate for any irregularities with the wall itself and line your panels up perfectly.