Installation of Plasterboard Partition/Wall with Knauf Habito Boards (Extreme Strength/Load-bearing Capacity)

Both are high-strength boards, but each suits a slightly different purpose.

• Habito is mainly about carrying weight. According to the manufacturer, a single correctly driven screw placed straight into the board holds roughly 20 kg, with no wall plug. It works well in kitchens, living rooms, dressing rooms and home offices
• Diamant is mainly chosen for its hard surface and better sound insulation between rooms. It suits walls that take knocks and places where quiet matters, for example between a bedroom and a living room or in an office

Why is standard plasterboard not enough? On an ordinary board, a heavy cabinet has to go on cavity fixings or into a timber or metal reinforcement built into the frame. With a hard board, the hard core spreads the load. That gives you much more freedom about where you hang things. Very heavy items are a different matter. A wall-hung WC, a basin or a large solid bookcase still need a proper mounting frame or a reinforced structure.

The process is much the same as for a standard stud partition. Harder boards are less forgiving of inaccuracy, though, and they need different screws and tools.

1. Measure up and mark the line of the partition on the floor, ceiling and side walls. Note where doors, services and wall-hung items will go.
2. Fix the track to the floor and ceiling into a solid base. Put sealing tape underneath first, so less sound gets through.
3. Fit the vertical studs at the spacing the manufacturer gives, usually around 600 mm. Check that they are plumb and in line.
4. At door openings, use reinforced studs, with a timber insert where needed, so the frame does not loosen as the door closes.
5. Run the services. Electrical work inside the partition must be connected and certified by a qualified electrician.
6. Board one side, fit mineral wool into the cavity, then board the other side. Fix the boards with self-drilling screws made for high-density boards, at the spacing in the manufacturer's instructions. Stagger the joints so they do not line up with the joints on the other side.
7. Tape and fill the joints, fit corner beads, sand, and prepare the surface for primer and paint or for tiling.

Two partitions of the same area can take very different amounts of work. These are the main factors:

• Room height, because tall walls need heavier studs and work from a scaffold or platform
• The number of doors, corners and recesses, and joins to sloping or uneven walls
• How many layers of board go on each side and what level of sound insulation you need
• The number of cables, pipes, back boxes and openings that have to be left in the wall
• The finish you expect. A wall lit from the side or painted in a gloss finish needs more careful filling
• Site access, carrying heavy boards up to higher floors, and working in a home that is lived in

Keep in mind that high-strength boards are heavier and harder to cut. Fitting them usually takes longer than fitting standard plasterboard.

A more expensive board does not guarantee a strong wall on its own. When something goes wrong in practice, the cause is usually an installation detail, not the material.

• Standard screws in a hard board: they will not go in properly, tear the paper face or stand proud. Use screws designed for that type of board
• Screws or studs spaced too far apart: the wall flexes under load and the joints crack
• An inaccurate frame: boards cannot straighten crooked studs, and the error shows in the filling and when units are hung
• Mixing components from different systems: the manufacturer's performance figures apply to its own build-up, not to a mixture
• No reinforcement at doors: the frame works loose over time and cracks appear around it
• Overloading one point: even Habito has limits. Hang heavy items on several screws or on a rail that spreads the load

A new partition changes the layout of your flat or house. Rules on whether internal alterations need notification, approval or nothing at all vary by country and region. Check with your local building authority before work starts, and do not just assume that no paperwork is needed. Fire separation, escape routes and ventilation can also come into it, for example when a new room is created. In a block of flats, tell the building management or owners' association in advance as well, especially if there will be demolition, drilling into ceilings or work on shared services. A lightweight partition does not normally affect the structure of the building. If a load-bearing wall is being altered at the same time, though, you need a structural engineer.

At handover, ask to see which boards and screws were used, and look over the wall with light coming from the side.

• The partition is plumb and flat, and a straightedge held in different directions shows no noticeable gaps
• The board type is legible on the boards, or you have the delivery note
• Joints and corners are filled with no cracks, bubbles or visible tape
• Screw heads sit just below the surface and have not broken through the paper face
• Doors close freely and the frame does not move when a door is slammed
• The junctions with the ceiling and walls are sealed with a flexible sealant and have no gaps
• Sockets and outlets are in the agreed places, and you have an electrical certificate if new wiring was installed
• You have a record of where services run and where the studs are, so you do not damage anything when drilling