# Forum Home Renovation Kitchens  What to sheet kitchen walls in?

## skidave

Hi all, 
Just about to do a kitchen reno, and am replacing the wall sheeting (it is currently masonite). I will have a tiled splash back, and was wondering what is the best sheeting to use? Would plasterboard be ok? And use joint tape with only base coat? 
All help appreciated!

----------


## Jordy3738

I've never seen a tile backsplash done any other way that what you have described. 
So, with this in mind, my answer is yes plaster board would be OK.

----------


## AIRMAN

I wouldn't use plaster board for any area where is has the potential to get wet, if any moisture get on you tiles it will soak into the grout and make it's way to the plaster board. I use blue board or normal FC sheeting.

----------


## skidave

Hmm, any other thoughts?

----------


## Vernonv

> I wouldn't use plaster board for any area where is has the potential to get wet, *if any moisture get on you tiles it will soak into the grout and make it's way to the plaster board*. I use blue board or normal FC sheeting.

  I think that may be a bit extreme for a kitchen, unless of course you hose your kitchen down daily. If you had serious water issues, your cupboards would probably fall apart before the plasterboard would. 
Personally I would choose an option based on price.

----------


## chuth77

Go the FC sheeting... Or at least wet weather plasterboard... 
FC sheeting is simple, and unless the joins are visible why do you need to set them? Glue and nail it up, tile straight over the top....

----------


## China

Use aquacheck, it is water resistant plaster board designed just for your purpose

----------


## arms

when I do a full kitchen reno (gut and replace) if there was masonite or fibro on the walls I would remove all the trims and cover strips hammer all nails and protrusions flat then sheet over the entire existing surface with either plasterboard or ac sheeting whichever was the most practible for the situation , the amount of trouble that is caused by removing existing sheeting is not worth it in the end

----------


## skidave

At this stage I'm thinking I might go with aquacheck - to be on the safe side.

----------


## bricks

you need wet area plaster board for behind the sink 600 high and 600 either side.
you also need fire rated plaster board for behind any cooktops.
 the rest can be standard.
also do not use the cheap glass tiles behind the stove tops, the glass can shatter if exposed to too much heat.- read you stove top install instructions.

----------


## skidave

Ok great. What would be the best compound to do the base coat with?

----------


## bricks

> Ok great. What would be the best compound to do the base coat with?

  tape the joins and use general purpose base coat, 
for my jobs I normally use the premix stuff coz I can't be bothered with the money saving in mixing plaster.

----------


## skidave

And will this be ok to tile over? I assume you are talking about Gyprock's premixed total joint cement?

----------


## jacy_m

> you need wet area plaster board for behind the sink 600 high and 600 either side.
> you also need fire rated plaster board for behind any cooktops.
>  the rest can be standard.

   I am about to strip back my kitchen as well and was wondering what to sheet it in. With 3150 ceilings I would need 3 boards horizontally. For the wall with the sink would you do 1 wet board, then 2 standard? And the one with the oven, 1 fire board and 2 standard? Can you mix and match like this?   thanks  Just wanted to add: I am a newcomer to renovation and willing to give anything a go myself. Just want to ask the right questions to making sure I get it right.

----------


## PlasterPro

standard 10mm board is fine for splash backs, as was stated cupboards will fail before plaster,
for behind cooktop cut out 1000mmx 600mm and slot in some ac sheet on 3mm packers nail off and tape joins in with base don`t use `all pupose joint compond` for base buy a small bag of base and mix it up as per directions.

----------


## bricks

> I am about to strip back my kitchen as well and was wondering what to sheet it in. With 3150 ceilings I would need 3 boards horizontally. For the wall with the sink would you do 1 wet board, then 2 standard? And the one with the oven, 1 fire board and 2 standard? Can you mix and match like this?   thanks  Just wanted to add: I am a newcomer to renovation and willing to give anything a go myself. Just want to ask the right questions to making sure I get it right.

  Here in SA you are required to use wet board- or - water proof behind a splashback. Your state may be different. 
Yes you can mix and match the plaster board 
Wet areas you need to go 600mm past either side of the wet zone, and 600 above. 
The fire check I'm not exactly sure on but I usually just put 2 sheets high. 
I don't know if the wet board is a requirement in other states, but the fire check definately is because thats national code. 
The cost of a couple of sheets (3 in your case) of special product = about $20 bucks extra, why bother with ac sheet? 
Did you know also that you can also buy 3.2 m lengths of plaster board - 3200mm x 1200mm - and fix them vertically. That way you could cut 50mm off each sheet and have less joins. You need to make sure the stud spacing works out though, but it might save you a couple of sheets in wasted board. and you'll have a recessed edge on both sides of every join which is less work and easier to finish.

----------


## jacy_m

> Did you know also that you can also buy 3.2 m lengths of plaster board - 3200mm x 1200mm - and fix them vertically. That way you could cut 50mm off each sheet and have less joins. You need to make sure the stud spacing works out though, but it might save you a couple of sheets in wasted board. and you'll have a recessed edge on both sides of every join which is less work and easier to finish.

  My room is 3700 long however, 100mm too long for 3 vertical sheets. And, I'm pretty sure I'm not going to find any standard stud spacing what so ever. The ceiling joist spacing varies from 450-700 (and everywhere in between). Nothing seems to be standard in this house.  :Doh: 
Also, I had also read that laying the sheets horizontal dealt with uneven studs more easily. Willing to be corrected otherwise tho...

----------


## Vernonv

> My room is 3700 long however, 100mm too long for 3 vertical sheets. And, I'm pretty sure I'm not going to find any standard stud spacing what so ever. The ceiling joist spacing varies from 450-700 (and everywhere in between).

   Just add in a new stud 100mm from the corner (have enough "face" for the 2 edges to be screwed to) and use a 100mm strip of plasterboard. You might have a bit of wastage, but plasterboard is pretty cheap.

----------


## barney118

> Wet areas you need to go 600mm past either side of the wet zone, and 600 above. 
> The fire check I'm not exactly sure on but I usually just put 2 sheets high. 
> I don't know if the wet board is a requirement in other states, but the fire check definately is because thats national code.

  Interesting debate, I have looked at some other threads and the jury is out for debate. I checked out the CSR web and they have a product FyrchekMR which is for both wet and fire areas anyone used this for a kitchen to solve the debate on where to put the sink and stove and if the cost is worth it?

----------

