Drywall Installation Course

Lesson 1 • Reading Drawings and Specifications

Teaches interpretation of architectural drawings, schedules, and written specifications relevant to dry lining. Students extract dimensions, system types, and performance requirements from documents.

Lesson 2 • Materials and Components Overview

Surveys plasterboard types, metal sections, fixings, and jointing compounds. Students recognise material specifications and understand how components work together.

Lesson 3 • Health, Safety, and PPE Basics

Covers mandatory safety principles, hazard identification, and personal protective equipment for dry lining work. Connects safe practice to every subsequent practical task.

Lesson 4 • What Is Dry Lining

Defines dry lining, distinguishes it from wet plastering, and outlines its role in modern construction. Establishes the trade context students will build on throughout the course.

Lesson 1 • Access Equipment and Scaffolding

Covers safe use of stepladders, hop-ups, mobile towers, and scissor lifts for ceiling and high-wall work. Students select appropriate access equipment for task height and duration.

Lesson 2 • Power Tools and Fixings Equipment

Covers screw guns, drills, and powder-actuated tools used to fix boards and frames. Students operate each tool safely and select correct settings for different substrates.

Lesson 3 • Workspace Organization and Housekeeping

Establishes principles of site organisation, material storage, and waste management specific to dry lining. An organised workspace reduces accidents and improves productivity.

Lesson 4 • Measuring and Setting-Out Equipment

Introduces laser levels, plumb bobs, chalk lines, and profile gauges for accurate layout. Precise setting out is the foundation of plumb, level, and square installations.

Lesson 1 • Plasterboard Properties and Sizes

Examines board dimensions, weights, core compositions, and face paper types. Understanding board properties informs correct handling and cutting technique selection.

Lesson 2 • Measuring and Marking Boards

Covers accurate measurement transfer, marking with pencil and chalk, and squaring boards before cutting. Accurate marking is the prerequisite for precise cuts.

Lesson 3 • Safe Manual Handling of Boards

Teaches correct lifting postures, two-person carries, and mechanical aids for moving large boards. Proper handling prevents musculoskeletal injury and board damage.

Lesson 4 • Cutting Openings and Shapes

Teaches methods for cutting electrical boxes, pipes, arches, and irregular shapes using saws and hole saws. Students produce accurate openings that require minimal remedial work.

Lesson 1 • Setting Out Partition Lines

Covers transferring partition positions from drawings to floor, walls, and ceiling using lasers and chalk lines. Accurate setting out ensures partitions align with the design intent.

Lesson 2 • Door and Opening Frames

Covers reinforcing door frames with timber or steel, setting head heights, and bracing openings. Properly framed openings support door sets and prevent long-term deflection.

Lesson 3 • Fixing Floor and Ceiling Tracks

Teaches correct fixing of floor and ceiling tracks to concrete, timber, and steel substrates. Track alignment and fixing centres directly affect partition stability.

Lesson 4 • Partition Performance Requirements

Explains how stud gauge, spacing, and height affect acoustic, fire, and structural performance ratings. Students select system configurations to meet specified performance criteria.

Lesson 1 • Quality Checks After Boarding

Introduces straightedge, level, and visual checks to verify flatness, plumb, and fixing quality before jointing. Early defect detection prevents costly remedial work at finishing stage.

Lesson 2 • Boarding Around Services and Obstacles

Teaches accurate cutout marking and fitting around electrical boxes, pipes, and structural elements. Tight, accurate fits reduce remedial work and improve finished appearance.

Lesson 3 • Fixing Boards to Metal Stud

Demonstrates correct screw type, length, spacing, and depth for fixing boards to metal stud frames. Proper fixing prevents board movement, cracking, and fixing failure.

Lesson 4 • Board Orientation and Layout Planning

Teaches vertical and horizontal board orientation decisions, joint staggering, and layout planning before fixing begins. Good layout minimises waste and maximises surface quality.

Lesson 1 • Types of Ceiling Systems

Distinguishes direct-fix, independent, and suspended grid ceiling systems and their appropriate applications. Understanding system types guides correct material selection and installation method.

Lesson 2 • Setting Out Ceiling Levels

Covers establishing a datum level, transferring it around the room, and marking perimeter angles. A consistent datum is the foundation of a flat, level ceiling.

Lesson 3 • Boarding Ceilings

Demonstrates safe board lifting, fixing sequence, joint staggering, and screw patterns for ceiling boards. Ceiling boarding requires precise coordination and correct fixing to prevent sag.

Lesson 4 • Bulkheads and Ceiling Features

Covers framing and boarding of bulkheads, soffits, and coffered ceiling features using metal sections. Students construct complex ceiling geometry accurately from drawings.

Lesson 1 • Internal and External Angles

Teaches taping internal corners with folded tape and applying metal or plastic bead to external angles. Correct angle treatment ensures sharp, durable corners.

Lesson 2 • Jointing Compounds and Tapes

Identifies setting-type and drying-type compounds, paper tape, and mesh tape, and explains when to use each. Correct material selection is critical to crack-free, durable joints.

Lesson 3 • Sanding and Surface Preparation

Covers wet sanding, dry sanding, and pole sanding techniques to achieve a flat, smooth surface for decoration. Dust control and surface inspection complete the finishing process.

Lesson 4 • Filling and Feathering Coats

Covers applying second and third coats with progressively wider knives to feather compound flush with the board surface. Feathering eliminates ridges visible under raking light.

Lesson 1 • Quality Assurance and Handover

Introduces inspection checklists, snagging procedures, and documentation required to hand over completed dry lining work. Students verify installations meet specification before sign-off.

Lesson 2 • Curved and Shaped Partitions

Covers kerfing, flexible board, and multi-stud techniques for constructing curved walls and arched openings. Students set out and build curves to specified radii from drawings.

Lesson 3 • Acoustic Partition Systems

Explains acoustic principles, resilient bar systems, and multi-layer boarding to achieve specified sound reduction. Students select and install configurations that meet acoustic performance ratings.

Lesson 4 • Fire-Rated Partition Assemblies

Covers fire-rated board selection, intumescent sealing, and installation sequences for partitions with specified fire resistance periods. Correct assembly is mandatory for life safety compliance.