When screwing into wood and steel framing the spacing is 12 inches on ceilings and 16 inches for walls.
Drywall screws for ceilings
For ceilings, the spacing is slightly different. The screws are recommended to be installed 7-8 inches from all edges from the sheet, and 12 inches apart from each other across the surface of the board.
In general, drywall screws should be spaced a maximum of 16 inches apart on wall fields and 8 inches on wall edges. On ceilings, space the fasteners 12 inches apart on the fields and 7 to 8 inches apart on the edges. Keep the fasteners around 3/8 inches from the ends and edges of the drywall panels.
We recommend placing a screw every 200mm to 300mm. A standard piece of plasterboard is roughly 2.4m x 1.2m, and if you have rafter spaces of around 400cm, then you would need around 36 screws for a vertical piece of plasterboard and 26 screws for a horizontal piece of plasterboard.
Generally speaking, drywall screws should be placed 8-16 inches apart on each side of a 4×8-foot sheet of drywall. If using a larger sheet of drywall, such as a 4×10 or 4×12, then the screws should be spaced 10-20 inches apart.
The distance between screw centers shall not be less than 2.5 times the nominal diameter of the screw. The distance from the center of a screw to an edge of a part shall not be less than 1.5 times the nominal diameter of the screw.
In general terms for partitions, screws are located at 300mm centres (200mm centres at external angles). For ceiling systems, the screws are located at 230mm centres within the field of the board and 150mm centres at board ends. For encasement systems, screws are located at 150mm centres.
How many screws should I use for each plasterboard? There is no hard and fast rule for how many screws to use, but for most sizes of board, 32 screws per panel should provide enough support.
When driving the screws, leave the head to sit slightly below the drywall surface. Once the screw head is flush with or slightly recessed into the plasterboard, stop driving the screw. To keep the screws straight, drive them perpendicular to the surface, preventing damage.
This thickness is often used for ceilings or commercial buildings. In such cases, screws that are 1 5/8-inches are commonly recommended. Again, if you're dealing with metal studs, you might want to scale down to a 1 1/4-inch screw.
Line the length of the screw up against a ruler and count how many threads there are over a 1-inch span, and divide by the length to calculate the thread pitch. The most common inch numbers are between 35 and 40.
Determining the Ideal Screw Length in Woodworking
For most woodworking projects, the rule of thumb is that your screw should be at least twice the thickness of the thinnest piece being joined. For example, if you're fastening a 1/2‑inch thick board, you would ideally use a 1‑inch long screw.
For the ceiling, start in a corner with the panel tight against the walls. For walls, place the sheet tight against the ceiling and against one wall. Get a friend or drywall lift to hold the sheet in place while you attach it to the studs with drywall screws.
General Rule for Screw Spacing
The screws should be spaced no more than 16 inches apart for walls and no more than 12 inches apart for ceilings. Additionally, it is advised that screws be kept at least 3/8 of an inch away from panel ends and edges.
Use a tape measure and pencil/chalk line to mark the desired spacing between the battens. The spacing typically ranges from 450mm to 600mm centers apart, depending on the size and weight of the ceiling plasterboard you plan to install.
Nail or screw every 300mm around the ends of the sheet and any openings, avoiding any of the daubs of adhesive. 7. Where the short ends of sheets meet at a stud, nail at 150mm maximum centres or screw at 200mm maximum centres.
The Gyprock HD Screw is specifically designed for use on Gyprock high density plasterboards and can be used for both Timber and Steel substrates. Download the Gyprock HD Screw product flyer for more information.
15mm Acoustic plasterboard is denser than standard plasterboard for increased sound insulation. Use these 15mm soundboards to soundproof walls and ceilings and reduce airborne sound. Soundproof plasterboard is supplied in full size 2400mm x 1200mm (2.88sqm) and half size 1200mm x 1200mm (1.44sqm).
Plasterboard is a common material in homes up and down the UK. Plasterboard is more fragile than brick or stone as it is primarily designed as a lining. You should never screw right into the plasterboard, so you will need to drill a hole to fit a wall plug to put up a shelf bracket, mirror, or picture.
Leave a 3mm gap between boards: this helps the filler to get a good grip.
The distance between fasteners parallel to grain (center-to-center) shall be not less than 21/2 inches (64 mm). The distance between fasteners across grain (center-to-center) shall be not less than 1 inch (25 mm).
Adding glue won't increase the strength of the drywall, and it can make it much harder for you to remove and replace damaged drywall. Adhesive can bridge gaps, though, and it can keep temperature-controlled air from escaping or entering through the ceilings, making rooms more energy efficient.
5/8-inch drywall is generally reserved for use on ceilings and in commercial construction jobs. While significantly heavier and more expensive than the others, its thickness makes it a preferred choice for soundproofing spaces that expect plenty of noise.