Drywall Systems for Ceilings, Partitions and Wall Linings

Drywall construction builds interior surfaces from factory-made boards fixed to a light metal frame instead of wet masonry and plaster. Jawdah Industrial Co. Ltd. supplies the parts that make up that assembly in Saudi Arabia: gypsum plasterboards in Regular (RG), Fire Resistant (FR), Moisture Resistant (MR) and Fire & Moisture Resistant (FMR) types, drywall framing profiles, and the suspension accessories that tie them to the building structure.

This hub explains how the three drywall solutions differ, which board and frame each one uses, and how to prepare a complete request for quotation. Follow the links to the dedicated pages for gypsum board ceilings, stud and runner partitions and wall linings.

A drywall system is more than a board. Its performance depends on three layers working together: the board that forms the finished face, the metal frame that carries the board and fixes it to the structure, and the accessories (hangers, clips, anchors and screws) that connect everything. A good board on a poorly chosen frame cracks at the joints; a strong frame with the wrong board type fails in a wet room. Specifying the parts together avoids both problems.

Jawdah describes its drywall framing as supporting gypsum board ceilings and wall partitions in offices, schools, hospitals, commercial buildings, residential projects and fit-out work. The same framing family is used for gypsum ceiling works, partition walls, wall lining, interior finishing and suspended ceiling applications, which is why this hub treats ceilings, partitions and linings as three applications of one product system.

The values below are taken from Jawdah's product data for gypsum boards and drywall suspension systems. They apply across the ceiling, partition and lining solutions; the dedicated pages explain how each value is used in that application.

The board is a gypsum core enclosed in paper. Jawdah's boards have an asbestos-free, non-combustible gypsum core, a natural-finish face paper and a strong liner paper on the back. The face paper wraps the long edges, which are recessed (tapered) so that joint tape and compound can be buried flush; the ends are square-cut.

The frame is roll-formed from hot-dipped galvanized steel sheet. For ceilings, Jawdah's component list names Omega, C-Channel and L-Angle profiles; for walls it names Stud and Runner. Runners are fixed to floor and soffit, studs stand in the runners, and boards are screwed to the studs. In a ceiling, the channels are hung from the structure and the boards are screwed to the underside of the grid.

Accessories close the load path. Jawdah's accessory range includes rod hangers, adjustment clips, threaded rod, anchors, Omega clips, C-Channel clips, metal fixation screws and gypsum board screws, all in galvanized steel. Their sizes are listed on the drywall accessories page.

The three drywall solutions share boards and accessories but differ in frame, orientation and the job they do. Use the table to decide which page holds the detail you need.

Jawdah lists offices, schools, hospitals, commercial buildings, residential projects and fit-out work as typical settings for its drywall framing. Its board data adds hotels, villas, factories, airports and exhibition centres, computer rooms, utility rooms, bathrooms, kitchens and wet areas, with the board type chosen to suit each room.

In practice, one building usually needs all three solutions: a continuous ceiling in corridors and lobbies, partitions to divide offices or wards, and linings to straighten or upgrade perimeter walls. Ordering them from one supplier keeps board types, frame gauges and screws consistent across the job, which simplifies site control in Riyadh, Jeddah, Dammam and other cities where Jawdah supplies contractors.

• Corridors, lobbies and reception areas with continuous gypsum ceilings
• Office and ward subdivision with stud and runner partitions
• Perimeter wall linings in fit-out and refurbishment work
• Wet rooms using MR or FMR boards on the same frame family
• Shafts and fire-separated areas where the specification calls for FR or FMR boards

Gypsum is the board's working material. Because set gypsum holds chemically bound water, a gypsum core is slow to transmit heat while that water is driven off; this general property is why gypsum boards are widely used in fire-separating construction. Fire Resistant board types are formulated to keep the core together for longer under heat, and Moisture Resistant types reduce water uptake. Moisture resistance is not protection against direct or standing water, so wet-room boards still need correct detailing and finishes.

The frame is galvanized steel. A zinc coating applied by hot dipping protects the steel from rust in humid site conditions and inside closed cavities. Jawdah states corrosive resistance and humidity resistance for its framing, with a raw-material humidity resistance of up to 1000 HRS according to EN ISO 6270-2.

Each standard belongs to a specific component and scope. Board standards describe the board; framing standards describe the steel raw material. None of them is a rating for a complete wall or ceiling assembly, so they must not be transferred from one part to another or quoted as a system approval.

Start with the room. Dry interior spaces take RG boards; humid rooms such as bathrooms, kitchens and laundries call for MR; areas where the specification asks for additional fire performance take FR; wet areas inside fire-rated construction take FMR. That single decision then flows into the ceiling, partition or lining build-up.

Next, set the frame. Partition height, ceiling layout, the weight of the board layers and any fixtures carried by the wall determine the profile type, steel thickness and spacing. Jawdah's framing is offered from 0.35 mm up to 0.9 mm, and its product data notes that the system offers appropriate load carrying capacity for boards; structural spacing tables are a design input to confirm with the project engineer and Jawdah's system documents.

Finally, plan access. A continuous gypsum ceiling hides services permanently, so valves, dampers and junction boxes above it need ceiling access panels; services inside a partition need partition access doors.

The general order on site is the same for all three solutions: set out lines and levels, fix perimeter profiles, install the main frame and hangers, complete services inside the cavity, close the frame with boards, then treat joints and apply the finish. Jawdah's Installation Manual is available in hard copy and is requested from the Jawdah team.

Boards are fixed with gypsum board screws, which Jawdah supplies in galvanized steel in lengths from 25 mm up to 38 mm; longer screws suit thicker or multiple board layers. Frame-to-frame connections use metal fixation screws from 13 mm up to 38 mm.

Most site problems with drywall start at the order stage, when the parts are bought separately without one person checking that they belong together.

• Ordering RG boards for bathrooms or kitchens where MR or FMR is needed
• Treating MR boards as water-tight and omitting wet-area detailing
• Quoting a board standard as if it were a fire or acoustic rating for the whole wall
• Choosing the thinnest frame gauge for tall partitions or heavy multi-layer builds
• Forgetting access panels under continuous gypsum ceilings
• Mixing tapered and square edge boards on one flush-jointed surface
• Leaving screw lengths unspecified for double-layer boarding

As general guidance, drywall assemblies are lighter than block walls, go up faster because no curing time is needed, and can carry services inside the cavity. Masonry is heavier and slower but naturally tolerates impact and direct water better. Many Saudi projects therefore use drywall for internal subdivision and ceilings while keeping masonry for external walls and heavily abused areas.

Within drywall, the choice between a continuous gypsum board ceiling and a modular lay-in tile ceiling depends on access needs. Tiles lift out for quick access to services; a board ceiling gives a seamless surface but needs access panels. Jawdah's ceilings range covers the modular alternatives.

Jawdah manufactures its gypsum boards in the Kingdom and supplies them directly to contractors, alongside the framing profiles and accessories needed to install them. One supplier for board, frame and fixings reduces the risk of mismatched components and simplifies submittals.

Technical support documents named in Jawdah's data include the Gypsum Plasterboard Technical Data Sheet, the Drywall Suspension System Technical Data Sheet and the Gypsum Ceiling System Catalogue, with the Installation Manual and Tests available in hard copy. Gypsum systems and access panels from Jawdah were supplied to Saudi German Hospital, Dammam (2018). Documents are requested from the Jawdah team.

• A Jawdah drywall system consists of gypsum boards, hot-dipped galvanized framing profiles and suspension accessories.
• Jawdah gypsum boards come in Regular (RG), Fire Resistant (FR), Moisture Resistant (MR) and Fire & Moisture Resistant (FMR) types.
• The standard Jawdah gypsum board size is 1200 × 2400 mm, in thicknesses of 9.5, 12.5, 15, 16 and 18 mm.
• Jawdah drywall ceilings use Omega, C-Channel and L-Angle profiles; Jawdah partitions use Stud and Runner profiles.
• Jawdah drywall framing is hot dipped galvanized iron complying with ASTM A653M, from 0.35 mm up to 0.9 mm thick.
• Jawdah gypsum boards comply with ASTM C1396 and EN-520 and are tested per ASTM C473-06a.
• Jawdah manufactures its gypsum boards in Saudi Arabia and supplies contractors in Riyadh, Jeddah, Dammam and other cities.

• Solution type: ceiling, partition, lining or a combination
• Board type per area: RG, FR, MR or FMR
• Board thickness and number of layers per face
• Edge type: tapered or square
• Framing profiles and steel thickness required
• Ceiling drop height or partition height
• Area quantities (m²) from the BOQ
• Fire, acoustic or moisture requirements from the specification
• Access panel and access door positions and sizes
• Accessory list: hangers, clips, anchors, screws
• Drawings and architectural specification
• Project city and delivery location in Saudi Arabia

• Gypsum Board Ceiling Solutions
• Drywall Partition Solutions
• Drywall Wall Lining Solutions
• Drywall Boards
• Gypsum Boards
• Drywall Profiles & Accessories
• Access Panels