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Fermacel Contractors?


Visti

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I'm still keen on the fermacel approach to drywalling, but can't for the life of me find contractors who've experience with it. I've reached out to fermacel UK with no response.

 

I just don't have the time to DIY it myself (about 2-3 months work est, and I have 8 days holiday left!)

 

Any recommendations from folks on the forum for anyone specific?

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I have used Fermacell in the past.  It is a real pain to work with, expensive and your sparky will hate you when they try to cut out backboxes.  I also found it seems no less prone to mould than plasterboard.

 

I have used Knauff Soundshield Plus in the past.  Good value, sound attenuation, tough etc.

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Thanks @Mr Punter, I've heard all the wonderful stories of just how hard it is to work with material, hence why I'm keen to contract it out! Hehe.

 

It'll all be price based, so I'll be comparing it to some quotes For standard double board and soundboard for internal walls. 

 

This is a long shot, but determined to give it a fair shot before I make up my mind

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Sorry I can't help with a specific contractor recommendation for you, @Visti. My impression was that any drywall contractor could do it but that they will inevitably grumble. I have heard of some bodge jobs so, like you, I'd be certainly be looking for someone who'd had some experience with it.

 

Generally. I am interested in your decision, I am seriously considering Fermacell myself, because of the lack of the need for any plastering, but in my case I am tempted to try and DIY it as I have the time. 

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Have you considered Habito (british Gypsum)  instead?  As with Fermacel (and regular plasterboard) it can be taped and jointed and not skimmed, although most people prefer a skim finish.  Try commercial dryliners as they will often work without skimming.  

 

 

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I plan to use it via a dry lining company. They weren’t over keen on it (have used it in the past) due to the weight of the sheets but it was within a couple of hundred pounds, if I applied the FST, of a plasterboard and skim. That is without factoring in costs for noggins so probably equivalent or less - ask me in a few months if doing the FST myself was a good idea....

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On 04/11/2019 at 12:52, Dreadnaught said:

 

Generally. I am interested in your decision, I am seriously considering Fermacell myself, because of the lack of the need for any plastering, but in my case I am tempted to try and DIY it as I have the time. 


its pretty easy to use but brutal on tools. Buy cheap ones and you’ll need the warranty a couple of times but will do it. If you’ve got timber studs then an air stapler with 40mm crown staples is much quicker and easier. 
 

FST is the weirdest stuff ever - only needs a squeegee to apply it ..! Looks like it’s not gone on but  dry in minutes and perfectly flat. 

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2 hours ago, Russell griffiths said:

You don’t need to plaster any of the plasterboard products @Dreadnaught if you don’t want to, my last house had no wet skim plaster and this one won’t either. 

 

Fascinating. Which boards are you using? Anything exotic like Habito or just plain old plasterboard?

 

Really sorry @Visti, don't want to hijack your search for a contractor.

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I haven’t decided on a board yet, but whatever it is will be taped and jointed and a fst applied

look up level 5 finish on drywall, too many people over here think you need to skim to get a good finish, what utter rubbish do you think a $5 million  house in the states has a poor finish because they don’t wet plaster. 

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  • 3 weeks later...

@Russell griffiths  Interested in what you are saying with tape and jointing.  When you say FST do you use the Fermacell stuff but just on normal plasterboard, or can you get similar stuff in another brand?  Do you use this over the whole board or just the joints?

 

Wondering whether this would overcome the issue with wallpapering - if you wallpaper straight onto a taped and jointed wall and then decide to change it in future you basically have to remove the plasterboard entirely...

 

 

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38 minutes ago, Russell griffiths said:

All of the board manufacturers make their own surface finish, some you spray on, some you put on with a roller. 

Most are aimed at commercial builds, where they want a good finish without skimming. 

 

Edit: found an answer (and can't see how to delete the post). 

Edited by eandg
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  • 1 month later...
On 05/11/2019 at 11:44, Judy C said:

Try commercial dryliners as they will often work without skimming.  

It always looks shite  ove time -

EG.  you tell its was just joints done 

If you building an office block --OK 

but your house --skim it

 why do think "artec" became so popular with mass builders --cos it covered up skrim tape and fill jobs

Edited by scottishjohn
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3 minutes ago, scottishjohn said:

It always looks shite  ove time -

EG.  you tell its was just joints done 


From that I don’t think you’ve seen Fermacell installed. I’ve got a couple of jobs been done for over 10 years and only a couple of cracks where small panels were used to make up walls. The rest - including a 65 square metre sloped ceiling is still as good as when it was done. 
 

Fermacell joints are glued which makes a significant difference. 

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3 minutes ago, PeterW said:


From that I don’t think you’ve seen Fermacell installed. I’ve got a couple of jobs been done for over 10 years and only a couple of cracks where small panels were used to make up walls. The rest - including a 65 square metre sloped ceiling is still as good as when it was done. 
 

Fermacell joints are glued which makes a significant difference. 

 

Pretty sure he was talking about taped plasterboard rather than Fermacell.

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35 minutes ago, PeterW said:


From that I don’t think you’ve seen Fermacell installed. I’ve got a couple of jobs been done for over 10 years and only a couple of cracks where small panels were used to make up walls. The rest - including a 65 square metre sloped ceiling is still as good as when it was done. 
 

Fermacell joints are glued which makes a significant difference. 

yes you are correct  I have not seem fermacell  done 

 was the big job you mention TF or ICF or block work  steel stud work?

I suspect TF will suffer more due to shrinkage of frame 

 

15 minutes ago, Russell griffiths said:

As with everything it depends on your actual spec you want. 

i have seen some very poor skimming jobs and terrible boarding, yet have seen some fantastic tape and jointing. 

If you specify a top notch then taping and jointing will look and last equally to skimming. 

as the americans say 

" I will take that under advisement"

 

 

 

Edited by scottishjohn
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