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’ merchants, but will probably have to be ordered. Tapered-edge panels for decorating and square-edged panels for plastering are available. The panels provide a reasonable level of sound insulation, but gaps between boards reduce their performance. Acoustic sealant can be applied to all the jointing surfaces during erection.

Partition components

1. Softwood sill at base of panel.

2. Wall batten (hidden inside long edge of panel).

3. Ceiling batten.

4. Locating block (hidden).

5. Cellular-core panel.

6. Intermediate locating block.

7. Vertical joint batten.

8. Skirting-fixing plug.

The panels are fixed to a lightweight timber frame. Mark out the floor, walls and ceiling in the same way as for a stud partition. Nail to the floor a 50mm (2in) planed (PAR) softwood sill, which matches the thickness of the partitioning. Plane 18mm (3/4in) thick softwood ceiling and wall battens to make a snug fit in the gap between the plasterboard sheets. Remove the arris from the outside long edges of the battening and then nail or screw the battening to the wall and ceiling. To locate the bottom of the partition, cut a point on a 150mm (6in) locating block cut from wall battening, and nail it to the sill with its square end against the wall batten. Use 50mm (2in) wire nails.

Using a saw, cut the panels to fit between the sill and the ceiling with a 3mm (Vein) tolerance . Rip out the cardboard core with the claw of a hammer to the depth of the battens — about 18mm (3/4in)— along the top and two long edges. Also remove 150mm (6in) of the core from each end of the bottom edge. Use a wood chisel to trim away any lumps of glue.

Drive 150mm (6in) lengths of battening into the core at the bottom of the partitioning approximately 400mm (1ft 4in) apart. These plugs are used to fix skirtings. Mark the position of each plug on the surface of the partition for future reference.

Lift and locate the top of the first panel over the ceiling batten about 200mm (8in) from the wall. Swing the panel into the vertical position and locate it on the floor sill. Slide the panel carefully along the sill to locate over the locating block and wall batten. Cut an intermediate locating block 300mm (1ft) long and taper each end. Tap half of its length into the bottom corner of the panel’s core and nail it to the sill.

Cut a length of square-section vertical joint batten to fit between the ceiling batten and intermediate locating block. Tap the batten halfway into the edge of the panel and then skew-nail it at the top and bottom. Fix the boards to the framework with galvanized nails at 225mm (9in) centres.

Prepare the other panels and secure them in the same way. Butt the edges of the tapered panels, but leave a 3mm (Vain) gap between square-edged ones.

To make a T-joint, nail a vertical wall batten to one of the joint battens or to plugs cut from the joint battening and driven into the core of the corresponding partition. Fit the 150mm (6in) long plugs horizontally, about 600mm (2ft) apart, before erecting the partition. Hammer them into the edge, following a line of cells. Use a spare length of battening to drive the plugs further in if required. Always mark the position of the plugs on the surface.

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Dry Partitions

From a practical point of view, a high ceiling can be a liability. It incurs greater heating bills, and decorating costs will be higher as more material is required to cover the walls. Lowering the ceiling can help solve these problems as well as providing a distinctive feature in a room.

High ceilings are generally found in older houses. Some are ornately moulded, while many have more simple yet attractive cornice mouldings. These should be preserved to maintain the character of the house, but where a room is plain and the ceiling needs attention, or where the proportions of the room would benefit from alteration, a lowered ceiling can be an improvement. It can be used to hide ducting, improve sound and heat insulation and provide a space for flush or concealed lights.

Changing the character of a room A room’s character is largely determined by the relation of its area to its ceiling height. Low cottage ceilings are considered charming and cosy, while tall rooms are felt to be very imposing when they are altogether large in scale. However, small rooms with high ceilings often feel rather ‘uncomfortable’.

The sense of cosiness or otherwise may be based on practical experience. For example, a cottage room is smaller in volume than a room with the same

floor area but with a higher ceiling, so it is easier to heat evenly — and a room with an even temperature feels more comfortable than one where the temperature varies due to rising and falling currents of air. Also, the acoustics in a small room may be better, inducing a relaxed atmosphere. Yet the qualities of light and space in a room are often due to a high ceiling, and if that were lowered, drastically changing the room’s proportions, tall windows may look awkward and the sense of space be lost.

Making a model

Making a card model of a room is a good way to check that planned alterations will suit the room before you spend time and money on the real thing.

Measure the length, width and height of the room and the height, width and positions of the windows and doors. Mark out and cut rectangular pieces of stiff cardboard for the floor and walls to a scale of 1 : 10 (1mm = 1cm) or, in the imperial measure, 1 : 12.

Mark the positions of the doors and windows on the cardboard walls and cut out the openings with a craft knife. Hinge a card door in its opening, using self-adhesive tape. Draw lines on the walls to represent the skirting and architraves around the doors and windows. You can colour these details to make them more realistic. Draw the fireplace to the same scale. If necessary, make a projecting chimney breast from card and glue it in place.

Punch a small peep-hole in each wall at a height scaled to the average eye level, and assemble the floor and walls, using glue or self-adhesive tape.

Cut a cardboard panel, representing the ceiling, to fit closely between the walls. If the proposed ceiling is to be the suspended type, with lighting round its edges, cut the model ceiling panel smaller to provide the equivalent gaps at the sides of the room.

Cut two strips of card about 50mm (2in) wide and as long as the width of the ceiling piece, then glue them on edge across the back of the ceiling. Cut two strips a little longer, and use clips to attach these to the shorter ones. With the longer strips bridging the walls, adjust the paper clips to set the card ceiling at various heights. Check the effect on the room by viewing the interior space through the peepholes, and the door and window openings.To simulate an illuminated grid- system ceiling, make a balsa-wood framework to the same scale and cover it with tracing paper.