Manufactured suspended-ceiling systems are made from slim metal sections, which provide a fairly lightweight structure for acoustic or translucent panels. They are quick and easy to fit and do not require specialist tools. Manufactured systems Manufacturers... 

You can build a new ceiling at any practical height. However, the height of window openings may limit your choice. About 2.4m (8ft) is a useful height for a lowered ceiling; it is a common room height for modern houses and relates to standard wallboard... 

For a lightweight non-loadbearing partition, cellular-core dry-partitioning is easy to construct. Made from two sheets of plasterboard with a cardboard core, it makes a rigid wall when installed. The panels can be purchased from larger builders’... 

A stud wall can be built to divide a room into two and provide alcoves for storage at the same time. The method of construction is the same as described for the straight partition, but also includes right- angle junctions. Constructing a staggered partition... 

Unlike solid walls of brick or block, stud walls are mainly hollow, presenting problems when wall fixtures are to be hung. Wherever possible these should be fixed directly to the structural stud members for maximum support, but if the positions of fixtures... 

Making a stud-partition wall is the easiest way to divide a room into two: you can construct a plain wall or add a doorway, serving hatch or glazed area to ‘borrow’ light from an existing window. You can build the partition directly on to... 

Building a partition to divide a large area into two smaller ones is quite straightforward to do, using a frame of timber studs. You can clad the wall and plaster it so the new addition looks an integral part of the house. Before you can go ahead, however,... 

When the joists run parallel with a wall that has been removed, you may find that one floor is not level with the other. This may have been caused by slight movement in parts of the building or it may be that the floors were never intended to be aligned.... 

Lightweight partition walls which are not loadbearing can be removed without consulting the authorities for approval, and without the need to add temporary supports. You must, however, be certain that the wall is in fact not structural, as some partitions... 

Removing a dividing wall — to create a through living-and-dining room, for example — leaves you with a rectangular opening formed by the RSJ and its piers. If you prefer a curved archway, you can buy ready-made metal formers that are fitted in the...