Thursday, January 24, 2013

British Gypsum Tools

Plasterboard is one of the most common building supplies used in interior finishing and remodeling.


British Gypsum Tools is one of the leading manufacturers of tools for use with drywall (sometimes known as plasterboard, wall-board, or gypsum-board). Drywall is the most common material used for finishing the inside of buildings, and is made up of a plaster filling between two sheets of paper-products. Drywall comes in a variety of standard thicknesses, sizes and compositions, but the tools used to shape and install it are the same regardless of what type you are using.


Drywall Measuring/Marking Tools


There are a number of tools used to measure and mark drywall to facilitate the cutting process. Tools of this type include: drywall tee-squares, levels, and chalk-lines. Drywall tee-squares have a lip along one of the edges that hooks over the top of a sheet of drywall, ensuring that the other leg hangs perpendicular to the edge of the sheet. Chalk lines are used to mark the surface of the board with a string covered in blue chalk, helping the builder make a straight cut. Levels are used to make sure that a piece of drywall has been hung parallel to the ground.


Drywall Shaping Tools


Drywall shaping tools are those which are used to cut and abrade drywall into the appropriate shape to be installed on a wall surface. British Gypsum Tools manufactures a full range of such tools, including: drywall saws, edge trimmers, slide cutters, circle cutters, and sanders. Drywall saws are relatively similar to those used to cut wood but for smaller teeth. Edge trimmers and slide cutters use a razor blade mounted on a frame that fits onto a standard sized drywall sheet to make straight cuts, while circle cutters have the blade mounted on an arm that extends from the frame and rotates like the arm of a compass to cut holes in the drywall. Sanding the edges of drywall helps get rid of any ridges or imperfections caused by the cutting process. Sanders are typically made up of a replaceable sheet of sandpaper mounted to a block with a handle.


Drywall Installation Tools


Drywall installation tools include all those tools used to hold and maneuver drywall, as well as those used to attach it to the wall. These include carriers, lifts, jacks, stands, and drywall hammers. Carriers and lifts fit over the edge of drywall sheets, letting one or two people carry larger numbers of sheets or to more easily maneuver a sheet into place. Jacks and stands are used to lift or hold sheets of drywall in place with minimal human effort, especially for installing sheets on the ceiling. Drywall hammers have a textured head to better grip drywall nails and a hatchet-head to make rough-cuts in drywall sheets.


Mudding Tools


Once the drywall is installed, it must be "mudded," or have drywall tape and compound applied to it to fill and seal joints between sheets of drywall. British Gypsum tools for this include various knives, hawks, and drywall compound mixers with accessories. Drywall "knives" are used to shape and smooth the drywall compound when it has been applied to a joint and are usually made up of a flat, rectangular piece of steel joined to a handle. Hawks are rectangular metal plates with a handle on one side that are used to hold a dab of compound so that the builder doesn't need to scoop more out of the bucket every time they finish with the compound they had on the knife. Electric mixers are used to mix the drywall compound prior to use.








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