Builders use dot and dab where there is no stud wall to screw (or nail) the plasterboard to. If dot and dab isn't suitable for your project, then stud work may be a better option. This technique involves attaching the plasterboard to metal studs or timber studs that have been placed at regular intervals along the wall.
Can I drill into dot and dab walls? Yes, dot and dab walls can be drilled in, though the process is not straightforward for the inexperienced.
If it sounds mostly hollow with semi-random, fairly large, circular solid sections, it's probably dot and dab. If you're really not sure, put a bit of masking tape where you find a solid bit, you'll soon spot a pattern.
Dot and dab is widely used because it can be used on both wooden and masonry internal partitions as well as ceilings and walls.
Knocking Sound Test
Listen closely to the sound produced. - A hollow or less dense sound usually indicates a stud wall. The sound will be louder, echoing, and less solid. - A solid and denser sound is most likely a clue that you're dealing with a solid wall.
Builders use dot and dab where there is no stud wall to screw (or nail) the plasterboard to. If dot and dab isn't suitable for your project, then stud work may be a better option. This technique involves attaching the plasterboard to metal studs or timber studs that have been placed at regular intervals along the wall.
Down sides of dot and dab
Block work walls are generally built by bricklayers 'on a price' and as a result they are of a less than perfect construction, with frequent gaps and cracks that remain unfilled. These are then covered over by the plasterboard linings.
Mounting a TV on dot and dab insulated plasterboard
There are a few fixing options for dot and dab walls including anchor bolts or specialist steel-cored rawl plugs which transfer the load through the plasterboard and into the wall.
Corefix 100 heavy duty steel-reinforced fixing for dot and dab (plasterboard over blockwork) walls. Suitable for all brick and block types, including lightweight blockwork. Ideal for fixing brackets, shelves and heavy items such as TVs, wall units, boilers and radiators.
Before fixing plasterboard onto a wall, you must ensure that your wall is well-prepared. Paint a coat of polyvinyl acetate (PVA) mixed with water. It's best to follow the manufacturer's recommendation for the ratios. The preparation will ensure that your wall won't take moisture out of your adhesive.
Take a push pin and press it into your wall in a hidden area. Does it go in relatively easily? You likely have drywall. If it takes more effort (or doesn't go in at all, even with a hammer), it's probably plaster, concrete or brick.
Repeat the process until all your plasterboard sheets have been secured to the wall. Once dry, you can seal the joints between the plasterboards and skim the wall ready for decorating.
Simply tapping on the wall at various points it will sound hollow in most areas but there will be some more solid sounding areas, this would indicate that you have Dot and Dab Plasterboard.
The best ways to attach plaster boards to a brick wall is to use either the dot and dab method, attach them to timber battens, or use a plasterboard adhesive foam.
It is in every new build house built 2000 to date, If you have aerated blocks then you need to sound deaden them to prevent the noise transmitting through them into other parts of the property.
As a result, fixing using dot and dab adhesive installation methods is not advisable - and plasterboard screws or plasterboard nails are essential fixings. The key is fixing the plasterboards to the ceiling joists, which form the equivalent support structure for the ceiling as studs do in a stud wall.
The standard thickness of adhesive dabs tends to be around 10mm once compressed between the board and the substrate. You also have the additional 12.5mm of the plasterboard sheets on top of this so, with thicknesses combined, you can expect an altogether depth of around 22.5mm.
They're always spaced either 16 or 24 inches on center (measured from center to center) along the wall and run between the floor and ceiling. Drywall or lath (for plaster walls) attaches to the edge of the studs.
Moisture damage can be a big problem with tiles that have been applied through the dot and dab method. Even waterproof adhesive cannot compensate for gaps where the area between the back of the tile and underlying surface is not filled.
Use a Magnet.
Use tape or dental floss with a magnet attached and drag it across the wall to find the stud. This method works because the metal screws used to secure the drywall are typically secured to a stud. Wait until the magnet sticks to the wall and mark the location of the stud—it's that easy.
TWC TOOLS:
The TWC includes a set of three tools: a Wall Punch, a Clearing Drill, and a Camera Probe that is an ultra-miniature camera housed in a 2mm stainless steel probe. The TWC tools are designed to bore a 2mm hole through two layers of drywall and make discreet entry into adjacent rooms.
Magnets can be used to find studs in walls by detecting the presence of metal objects that may be embedded in the studs. By moving a magnet along a wall and paying attention to areas where the magnet is more strongly attracted, it is possible to locate metal objects that may be hidden underneath the surface.