Using plasterboard in bathroom renovation

The first thing we try to get rid of as quickly as possible after acquiring an old prefab flat is usually the Umakart core. And no wonder! Classic Umakart in no way meets the demands of modern living.

Umakart belongs to the past

Even if we set aside its aesthetic shortcomings and the fact that most cores are warped in various ways due to their age, we definitely must not forget how easily mould forms on such Umakart and how badly, by contrast, it is removed from it. In short – the original Umakart cores are long past their prime. But what to replace Umakart with during a complete bathroom renovation?

What to build the apartment core from?

Mainly two materials are used today for renovating an apartment core. The first of them are aerated concrete blocks. These are relatively light, easy to tile, and yet they hold even a large load without reinforcement. But if you're in a big hurry with the renovation or want to reduce the building permit requirements, it pays to reach instead for another material – plasterboard boards.

Plasterboard: an overlooked material with lots of advantages

Plasterboard is a fully-fledged solution that can completely replace the popular Ytong.

Dry-process construction, as a bathroom renovation using plasterboard is also called, can, thanks to the size of the boards and the different technology, be managed significantly faster than when using aerated concrete blocks.
When mounting the walls there's no waiting for drying. The surfaces can also be worked on right away.
There's no need to chase out grooves in it for electrical wiring and pipes for water and waste.
When tiling we'll also appreciate its perfectly flat surface.
What's also great is that much less construction waste is produced when working with plasterboard.
But probably the biggest advantage of plasterboard is its weight. It is in fact similarly light as Umakart.
So if the ceiling supported the original core, it will support a new plasterboard core without a problem too.
Plasterboard is thus also suitable for buildings where blocks could cause problems.

The advantages of plasterboard are also appreciated by officials. So if you plan to renovate your bathroom by the dry process, you'll probably get the building permit sooner.

Only the green one for the bathroom

So we can use plasterboard boards during a bathroom renovation completely without worry. The only thing to bear in mind is the fact that even if we have quality ventilation in the bathroom, it is still a space where there is naturally higher humidity than anywhere else in the flat. When renovating the bathroom we therefore always reach for impregnated green plasterboard boards with increased corrosion resistance.

Two are better than one

Plasterboard is a strong material. But if we decide to use it during a bathroom renovation, it is always better to use two boards on top of each other. The cost of material and the labour won't increase in any fundamental way, but the quality and durability of the walls will increase significantly. Slipping in the bathroom is not as rare as it might seem. Thanks to the double wall thickness, however, we can be sure that if, for instance, our foot slips while showering and we fall against the wall, we won't immediately damage our new bathroom.

How to renovate a bathroom using plasterboard?

Renovating a bathroom with plasterboard is simple. The first step is erecting the metal frame. We fix it into the existing wall with wall plugs. We screw the plasterboard boards directly to the structure with self-tapping screws. From the other side we then run the electrical wiring, water and waste. We ensure enough privacy (and undisturbed singing performances) in the shower by filling the free space between the plasterboards with mineral wool. Glass wool insulates the bathroom not only thermally but also effectively dampens sounds. Then we close off the other side too and carefully seal the joints of the boards.

We have to take care over the perfect connection of the partitions to the ceiling and floor. In places where a washbasin, toilet, bidet, cabinets or, from the other side of the core, a kitchen unit will hang, we reinforce the plasterboard. We paint the walls that we won't want to tile. We won't forget about the access panels either. You can choose from several types of access panels for plasterboard. We prime and tile the rest of the walls. We coat the walls around the bathtub and shower enclosure with a water-repellent membrane. Finally we fit out the bathroom with fittings. And our renovated bathroom is finished!