How to bend ordinary drywall at home

Have you ever considered incorporating some artistic curves into your walls? Your DIY projects may take a whole new turn if you can bend regular drywall at home. It’s a useful ability to have if you want to design distinctive shapes and give your room a little personality.

We’ll take you through the process of bending drywall in this tutorial without the need for a workshop or specialized equipment. You only need a little perseverance and some simple supplies to get amazing results; you don’t have to be an expert.

Everything from drywall preparation to safe and efficient bending methods will be covered. Everything you need to get started is right here, whether you’re working on a feature wall or a curved ceiling.

Use of bent drywall

In some circumstances, the material may need to be reshaped. We can obtain the following structures with this technique:

• Arches. Gypsum plasterboards are most in demand for creating this particular element. Products can be given a different radius, which allows you to get not only classic semicircular arched structures, but also varieties of more complex shapes.
• Podiums. To transform such an interior solution, the best option would be curved plasterboard. It is taken into account that the parts perform an exclusively aesthetic function and are not load-bearing elements.
• Ceilings. It is quite easy to create a multi-tiered horizontal structure using this material, because the fragments can be bent along any trajectory. A figured ceiling is a stylish individual solution.
• Niches. Such areas often have a rather simple appearance. With the help of gypsum plasterboard, it is possible to diversify the decorativeness, and with a certain amount of effort, you can even get a rounded shape reminiscent of a mollusk shell.
• Wall inserts. To place accents, certain parts can be made convex and others slightly recessed.
• Partitions. Drywall makes it possible to easily fit the design into even the most unusual interior.

There are numerous other ways to use curved parts to create the desired visual effect.

For creating curved walls or distinctive design elements, knowing how to bend regular drywall at home is a useful skill. The drywall must first be moistened to become flexible, and then it must be carefully bent into the appropriate shape. You can give your area a unique look without the use of specialist materials by utilizing straightforward tools and techniques to create smooth curves and prevent cracks.

How to bend plasterboard in a semicircle

You can use the product entirely by yourself at home, though help might be needed in certain challenging circumstances.

The process needs to be done slowly and carefully because gypsum products are brittle. To gain an understanding of the principle, it is best to practice on small scraps.

Dry method

With this technique, you can create radius pieces with various bends based on the material’s thickness. Thus, the minimum radius for a standard thickness of 12.5 mm is 275 cm, and for a thickness of 8 mm, it is 155 cm. Large-scale products are not utilized.

Using a needle roller

It’s a roller that has needles in it. Workable GKL slabs are up to 8 mm thick; thicker sections cannot be bent entirely "dry."

1. The fixation site is prepared: the area is cleared of all unnecessary.
2. With the help of a metal profile, the desired bend is formed. For this, the material is cut and fixed along the selected trajectory.
3. Both sides of the fragment are processed with a needle roller. The part should be strongly perforated.
4. Then the installation is carried out extremely carefully. It is necessary to bend the gypsum board gradually, creating the desired shape. Fixing with screws is also carried out consistently.
5. Screws are screwed in half first, and after the area is completely rounded, the final fixation is carried out.

Complex shapes cannot be created with this technology; if a fragment is bent in both directions, it will explode. A special corner is used to provide more dependable fastening of the structure along its edges.

Using a knife or cutter

By selecting these tools, a bend that is not achievable with the prior technique can be made. Each tool is used to make various part shapes. A sharp blade is a prerequisite. It is best to plan for the potential for replacement or sharpening in the event that processing becomes challenging.

Using a construction knife to cut the workpiece is very easy:

1. To bend a fragment under an arch, it is necessary to make many cuts in the shape of the letter V. The smaller the distance between the sections, the smoother the degree of rounding can be obtained. Work is carried out from one of the sides: the blade is immersed so as not to damage the back of the glued cardboard.
2. Since cutting disrupts the structure of the gypsum sheet, before fixing it is recommended to drill holes for self-tapping screws to prevent deformation. Also countersinking is carried out so as not to immerse the screw head with force. Fastening of fragments can be done on a self-prepared metal or special arched profile.

This method’s drawback is that finishing takes a long time and the plasterboard element cannot be bent in multi-stage waves.

An intricate shape is bent using a milling cutter:

1. Marking is performed. The distance between the lines is determined based on the radius that needs to be obtained.
2. Gypsum is sampled to a depth of 1–2 mm less than the thickness of the sheet; the base cannot be completely removed.
3. A milling cutter is selected of a small volume to prevent deformation of the element.

This kind of processing will cause a part to bend in any direction. However, fragments cannot be used in areas that will be subjected to continuous mechanical stress because the overall rigidity is broken.

You can use putty and a template to fix the situation. In order to accomplish this, a reverse form is created, based on which the plasterboard is intended to be bent. The processed element is then fixed to the workpiece. Putty is applied to the sample-containing side after fixing. You can obtain interior decoration elements in a similar manner.

Wet method

Ordinary plasterboard is used for this process. Since the moisture-resistant version cannot be processed, the material is bent in a dry manner when working in an area with high humidity.

To obtain a semicircle, the wet method is most frequently employed. More time and work will be needed if a more intricate shape is needed.

1. A template is prepared. For this, various materials are used, but the structure must be rigid and stable.
2. Parts of the required size are cut out from the plasterboard sheet.
3. Water at room temperature is applied to the products with a sponge or roller. It is taken into account that over-moistening should not be allowed, otherwise the products will become unusable.
4. To achieve better penetration of liquid into the base of the plate, the parts are rolled on one side multiple times with a needle roller.
5. The element is fixed from the edge of the template and begins to bend gradually. Fixation is carried out as the desired shape is obtained.
6. After 24 hours, the drywall is released and installed in place.

If a small portion needs to be bent, you can complete the work on site without the use of a form.

When cutting the part, keep in mind that GKL should bend along rather than across, so the direction is immediately marked.

If you take the proper precautions, bending drywall at home can be a simple task. You can create smooth, curved surfaces that improve the aesthetics of your space by carefully moistening the drywall and using a controlled bending technique.

Don’t forget to proceed cautiously and slowly. After bending, it’s critical to allow the drywall to dry fully to preserve its shape and guarantee a sturdy, long-lasting outcome. With a little practice and the appropriate equipment, you can make custom curves that are ideal for your design requirements.

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