Can You Install Stone Cladding On Plasterboard?

Stone cladding is a really exciting product that opens doors to many possibilities around the home. Whether you want to smarten up your kitchen, add a cosy touch to your living room or spruce up your bathroom, it can become anything you want it to be. 

The great thing about this product is that it is highly versatile and it can be installed on a number of surfaces. Inside many homes, you’ll find plasterboard and although it is relatively flimsy, it is durable enough to be used in many different ways. However, if you have plasterboards, you’ll be pleased to know that you can install stone cladding onto plasterboards. 

What Makes Plasterboards Ideal For Fitting Stone Cladding?

What is really important when fitting stone cladding is that you have a solid fix to the surface you are fixing too. Often, people will fit stone cladding over loose or surfaces that are not smooth, only to find that they have a poor finish. 

With plasterboards, you have the ideal surface. They are perfectly flat and smooth, which makes them suitable for installing stone cladding. This will make it easier to get a level finish and the wall will be completely smooth and flat.

Will You Need to Prepare The Plasterboards?

Before you begin the process of installing stone cladding, it is important to make sure that the surface is free of dust. This will enable the adhesive and the stone cladding to grip the surface correctly. Additionally, you will need to prime the surface accordingly. The priming process is vital as plasterboard will absorb moisture and this is where your installation could experience problems. If the plasterboard is bare, then it will suck out moisture from the adhesive and this will prevent the chemical reaction in the adhesive from taking place. This will mean that they won’t be secured to the wall. So, you’ll need to seal the wall using a coat of PVA as this will then enable you to fit directly to the wall while preventing absorption.

If you have brand new plasterboards then you are in luck as they will only require minimal preparation. If you have a wall that has been plastered or has an additional type of cladding on it, then these will need to be removed beforehand. If there is any damage or broken pieces of plasterboard then you will need to assess the damage. Where possible, it should be repaired but if not, then it makes sense to replace the plasterboard as this could prove easier and cheaper. 

Furthermore, the plasterboards will also need to be secured too. They might be fitted to stud work or dot and dabbed to the wall beneath it. If the plasterboards are not fixed securely then the weight of the stone cladding could pull the boards away from the wall completely, causing it to fail.

So, stone cladding is the ideal option for many spaces around the home and if you have plasterboards to work with, you will find the process of installing them even easier.