WONDER WALLS

In the last issue of How To magazine, we took a close look at interior wall and ceiling linings and some of the different products that were available for renovating or redecorating around your home.
From GIB plasterboard to products from James Hardie, there are a number of options available, depending on what you are trying to achieve and what your requirements are. However, there are a number of situations where a slightly more specialist wall or ceiling lining may be required.
 
Wet areas
One of the most common situations where specialist wall or ceiling linings are required is in bathrooms and ensuites, or other areas where moisture and/or heat can be an issue, such as a laundry or even a kitchen.
Bathroom renovations can make a huge difference to a home from the way it looks to it’s market value. If you are trying to sell a home with an unappealing bathroom, spending a bit of money to update it can often pay dividends. However, choosing the wrong wall and ceiling linings can quickly cause major issues; the heat and moisture that are part of the bathroom environment will play havoc with ‘standard’ wall linings.
Just because you can’t see any damage occurring, it doesn’t mean it’s not happening, so choosing the right walls linings for your wet areas is essential.
One of the most common wall linings for wet areas is GIB Aqualine. This has a water-resistant wax polymer-impregnated core, designed to stop water penetration and ‘wicking’ up through the core; both can cause ongoing issues with the quality of the wall lining.
Distinguishable due to its green surface, GIB Aqualine is just as easy to work with as other products in the GIB Plasterboard range, with simple techniques, tools and installation methods.
Like other products in the GIB range, Aqualine can be painted or wallpapered. Importantly, it also provides a suitable substrate for fixing tiles, which is useful in shower linings or shower-over-bath situations. In both these instances, though, a waterproof membrane needs to be applied to provide an extra level of protection against water before any tiles are installed.
It also is worth considering the weight of the tiles you are considering installing. GIB Aqualine® is suitable as a substrate for tiles weighing up to 20kg/m2 (10mm Aqualine) or 32kg/m2 for 13mm Aqualine, although this is unlikely to be a huge hindrance, as most ceramic and porcelain tiles weigh less than 20kg/m2. You will need to check your tile weights if you are planning to fix stone tiles like marble or granite.
If a pre-finished lining product is what you’re looking for, HardieGlaze Lining from James Hardie is a tough one to beat. This product has a hard-wearing, high-gloss polyurethane coating over a fibre-cement backing, which creates an easy-clean ceramic look, making it an excellent choice for bathrooms, laundries and kitchens.
If a crisp, smooth finish is what you are after, HardieGlaze Lining has a profile that’s perfect for a modern, minimalist appearance. It also has three different embossed tile patterns, two of which are new on the market - Listello and Grande. These can range from a contemporary horizontal  ‘brick’ style to a more classical vertical design.
HardieGlaze Lining comes in two thicknesses – 4.5mm and 6mm – and can be joined using PVC or aluminium jointers. Alternatively, 6mm HardieGlaze Lining can be silicone joined if needed.
Most sheets of this product come in standard 2400mm x 1200mm sizes, although it is possible to get some sheets in sections that are 2700mm long or 900mm wide.
HardiGlaze Lining can be installed right down to the floor level in a shower, as it’s resistant to water damage. Sheets can also be installed over existing linings, reducing the amount of time it may take to complete your renovation. If you are in doubt about the wall framing beneath, it does pay to remove existing linings and check the framing.
 
Noise control
Whether it’s a kids’ party, a teenage sleepover, or a rugby supporters’ bash, it’s difficult to control the amount of noise that can be transferred from one room to another.

Although near impossible to completely stop noise filtering from one room to another, it is possible to reduce it, which can often be enough to keep the little ones asleep in the bedrooms while the adults loudly cheer in the living room.
There are a number of other reasons that noise can be such a big issue in a home. Two-storey homes are becoming more common as homeowners look to make the most of smaller sections. This can result in increased noise transfer between floors. Gaming consoles, computers, home entertainment systems and home theatres have also become more affordable, making them more common, while appliances such as dishwashers and dryers are also commonplace. All these devices can add noise to a home.
On the outside, more sections are being created on the inner areas of towns and cities; homes are being built closer together and once-quiet streets are now much noisier due to increased traffic volumes.

Noise reduction should be viewed as a system to enable the best results.

Ideally, to reduce the effect of sound transfer, it’s best to plan areas of your home into ‘zones’ so that quiet areas such as bedrooms are all close to one another, away from noisier areas such as living rooms, kitchens and rumpus rooms.
However, if that’s not possible due to an existing home layout, it is possible to reduce the amount of sound or noise being transferred from one room to another. Solid core doors combined with blocking gaps where noise can pass through can both have an effect, but a combination of specially designed wall linings and sound-reducing insulation can really make a difference. Rather than looking at these as separate components, it needs to be viewed as a ‘system’ to get the most benefit.
GIB Noiseline^® (which also doubles as GIB Braceline^®) is a high-performance plasterboard designed specifically for reducing the level of sound transmission between rooms. Its higher density core can reduce noise transmission between rooms and also between floors in two-storey homes.
The addition of Pink® Batts® Silencer® insulation behind the wall linings adds considerably to the effectiveness of this noise control system.
GIB Noiseline^® is easily recognisable by its blue surface and comes in 10mm or 13mm thicknesses ranging from 2400mm up to 4800mm in length. It’s also available in GIB Wideline format in sheets that are 4800mm long.
Replacing your wall linings is truly an opportunity to add value to your home in terms of look and functionality. Take the time to assess what products are best for your home and always make a thorough inspection of the framing behind your linings while you have the opportunity. The expert team at Mitre 10 can always help you through the process and if you have any doubts about your DIY skills, enlist the help of a professional.