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How to Gyprock internally in steel framed shed?

anthward1972

Hi all. I’m about to frame out the inside of the walls and ceiling in my colorbond shed using framing pine and then gyprocking it. I’m led to believe that due to the expanding and contracting of the steel frames of the shed that this could cause cracking in the gyprock joints. Is there any way to reduce or eliminate the cracking? I will be putting sarking on the frames and insulation to help reduce heat within the shed, but will this be enough. Would love some suggestions on how I can stop too much cracking.

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MitchellMc

Welcome to the Bunnings Workshop community @anthward1972. It's fantastic to have you join us, and many thanks for your question about plaster internal shed walls.

If you fix your stud work directly to the shed walls, they will move with the shed. Whether it is buffeting winds or expansion and contraction, some movement will be experienced. The plaster fillers used for setting joints are rigid and will crack if movement is experienced.

A way to counteract this would be to make the timber frames self-supporting. So, instead of attaching studs to the steel shed, you'd create an entire stud wall. Since this wall is a rigid structure, it can then be attached to the shed for support. Here's a helpful step-by-step guide: How to build a stud wall.

Please let me know if you have any questions.

Mitchell

anthward1972

Thanks for the reply Mitchell. I was thinking that might be the remedy, but wasn’t sure. I’m thinking that this will reduce the interior size of my shed though, so I may build the frames so they’re separate from the steel, but recessed to the same depth as the shed walls if that makes sense. I think I’ll have to come up with a method to attach the frames to the steel shed frame for stability, but with the ability to counteract the flex of the steel. Maybe bolts through the pine frame and through the steel frame but with heavy duty springs between the two to allow some movement. Sounds like a wild idea, but I like doing things a little out of the ordinary to achieve what I’m after, haha. What do you think about that idea? Do you think it could be plausible?

EricL

Hello @anthward1972

Would it be possible for you to post a picture of the interior of your shed? This will give our members a better idea of what the steel framing looks like. We can then make recommendations on how to anchor the timber stud wall frame to your shed.

Putting springs in sounds like an interesting idea. I was thinking along the lines of a suspended type framing anchored to the floor, but the sides are to be just held in place with a galvanized nut and bolt assembly. Or something along to that effect.

Let me call on our experienced members @Dave-1, @Nailbag and @diy_hausdesigns for their recommendations.

If you need a hand posting those photos, please let me know.

Eric

Dave-1

Afternoon @anthward1972

I know that want to use ever cm of space that we can 🙂 I had the same thing when I lined my garage with a false wall.

Garage lining for stud walls stage 1 is my project, there are two stages.

If you do the math you are only going to loose a small amount of overall space and gain a nice air gap/insulation beetween the shed wall and the interior wall you put up.

75mm stud width = 12mm plaster linuing and maybe a couple of mm for the glue. So 180mm across the width of the garage.

I kind of did what you are suggesting and that is to frame between the steel posts (for me the brick piers) It worked well and I did save myself probarlly 20-30cm width of space by doing it that way.

I will wait for some pics 🙂 and maybe come up with other space saving ideas. But ballance that between making the project harder and running into small space issues is something Id consider.

Dave

anthward1972

Hi EricL. Attaching some photos. I’ve made one frame up which basically fits the whole gap between the steel posts in the wall of the shed. My original intention was the have these frames throughout the shed, and was kind of hoping that because they were so tight to the steel frames, plus the fact that they would be screwed and/or bolted to the steel, that it may not have too much of a problem with expansion or contraction. I guess I need to allow for the probability that this movement of the steel is likely to happen, no matter what I do with my timber frames, but I can limit the amount of problem it causes the gyprock that’s screwed to the timber.

anthward1972

Hey Dave-1. I’ve attached a few photos to my reply to EricL above if you want to check them out. I will contemplate building the frames off the steel shed frames, but I’m wondering how much more difficult that will make it for me with regards to the ceiling. Because I’ll potentially not be screwing the timber frames to the steel that’s already there, how will this affect the span of the timber frames. Unfortunately my skillset doesn’t go any further than building the frames and screwing/bolting them to what’s already there. At least not at this stage.

MitchellMc

Hi @anthward1972,

Now that you've built a standalone frame, I'd be happy for you to connect it directly to the vertical steel posts. It will be best that the corner of this frame and the next be mechanically fixed together. That will add rigidity to the corner and help prevent flexing there. Since you now have self-supporting frames, the chances of cracking in the joints have been minimised.

I think you'll be fine attaching to the steel on the roof as long as you do the same as the walls and create a frame. With movement, the whole timber frame will move instead of individual timber lengths attached to the steel. Remember, even houses move with expansion and contraction, so a little movement will be fine.

Mitchell

Dave-1

Afternoon @anthward1972

Thank you for the photos and you are doing pretty much what I did with my lining in the garage. I agree with @MitchellMc's comment about the walls should be fine. The only bit I would sugest is not to wedge the frame in so tight (I did that a few times and it created an issue when I was trying to get things straight)

One other thing I found as I was doing the frames in segmants to fit between pillars and not a long wall was keeping them all level, top and bottom along the whole length. Frames on the own = fine, Frames with plaster on them, you need it straight. Looking at your steel posts, you have a plate at the top that will impact the plaster if you are worried about a purely plaster wall. You could just plaster up to the plate and then give it a straight edge and make it look like its meant to be 🙂 (The same way you make an edge for a corner or a span above a alcove say)

Instead of screwing the frames to the steel frame directly, you could use some steel straps between the timber and the posts. Gives it solidness without it being totally ridgid?

Cant wait to see how it goes 🙂 Reminds me of framing my garage. Take a wander through the fitouts and it may answer some questions.

Dave

WeirdyBeardy

Hey @anthward1972 just wondering how this project went for you in the end? I'm in the planning process of timber framing and gyprocking my shed, and looks pretty similar to yours. Any advice or learnings you'd be willing to share?

Cheers!

JacobZ

Hi @WeirdyBeardy,

A warm welcome to the Bunnings Workshop community, it is fantastic to have you with us.

I'm sure @anthward1972 will get back to you with their experiences shortly, but in the meantime, if you have any specific questions or concerns, I'd be happy to help out. I have a fair bit of experience with fit outs of this nature.

You might also like to start a discussion of your own with some photos and details so our members can offer guidance based on your situation. If you'd like assistance with this, please let me know.

Let me know what you think.

Jacob

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