What is metal stud framing?

Metal stud framing is a system for non-loadbearing partitions and lining walls, built from thin-gauge galvanised steel profiles clad with plasterboard. The frame consists of horizontal track (U) profiles at floor and ceiling and vertical stud (C) profiles. The wall is light, quick to build, and can be made effectively sound- and fire-resistant with mineral wool.

Building a metal stud wall

1. Set out — mark the wall position on floor, ceiling and adjoining walls
2. Fix the track — with an acoustic sealing strip underneath against structure-borne sound; fixings roughly every 60 cm
3. Place the studs — normally at 600 mm centres, or 400 mm where loads or tiling demand it; the stud fits friction-tight into the track
4. Services — run electrics and pipework through the knockouts, using grommets so cables do not chafe on the steel edge
5. Insulate — fill the cavity with mineral wool; the point is absorption, not compression — let the wool sit friction-fit without being squashed
6. Board out — fix plasterboard vertically, staggering the joints of the second layer relative to the first
7. Finish — fill the joints with jointing compound and tape, then sand and decorate

Sound insulation: where it goes wrong

The biggest gains come not from thicker boards but from eliminating sound bridges:

• Board both sides twice and stagger the joints
• Use an acoustic sealing strip at all perimeters and seal the junctions airtight
• Never place socket outlets back to back in the same bay; offset them by at least one bay
• A twin-frame wall (two independent rows of studs) performs far better than a single row, because the boards are no longer rigidly coupled

Fixing things to a metal stud wall

Light items can go up with cavity fixings or plasterboard plugs. For anything heavier (kitchen units, a basin, a TV bracket) install a timber or steel noggin between the studs, or extra studs in the right place, and screw through into that. Plan this before boarding out and mark the positions on the floor.

Related terms

• Plasterboard
• Mineral wool
• Sound insulation
• Fire resistance
• Cavity fixing
• Lining wall

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