Winstone Wallboards offers a free comprehensive GIB® Technical Support Helpline (0800 100 442) five days a week, with a team of six experts available who answer around 80 calls a day. With decades of building industry experience, we provide support for queries at all stages to builders, designers, architects and council building inspectors.

We enjoy being the experts in our products and systems and providing reassurance to confirm you’re on the right track and applying the right information to the project. We enjoy helping out and feel it’s better to be safe than sorry, so encourage you to get in contact with us, the earlier the better!

Here’s five of your most common queries, answered.

Q: Why do you have so many different types of plasterboard, why don’t you just make one board that does it all?

We do offer a product which covers all the performance requirements of the other board types – the GIB Toughline® Aqua – but as you can imagine it is priced accordingly. Each of our different board types accomplish different purposes, but we design them to be able to be substituted across the range depending on your project’s requirements. For a full substitutions table, see page 14 of the GIB® Site Guide.

Q: How many flush boxes can I have in a GIB EzyBrace® element?

This will depend on the element type, board type, and element width – but as a general rule we say no more than two flush boxes per square meter. This helps ensure the continuity and effectiveness of fire separations is maintained around the penetration points. We are, however, working on a bulletin with further clarification around this topic and will be sending that out relatively soon.  

Q: What compounds and tape do we need for a Fire wall/ceiling?

Lining installation stopping and finishing must be in accordance with the requirements as published in the GIB® Site Guide. Our fire system specification page says “stopping as per GIB® Site Guide” so that means any of our compounds or tapes can be used. A number of ready mixed compounds can be applied as a basecoat, and there are no specific tapes required.

Q: Do I have to back block my ceiling?

There are a few factors which determine if you need to back block. For timber battens, you would back block when there are three or more tapered edge joints in a ceiling area, while for metal battens you would do it if there are six or more tapered edge joints in a ceiling area.

Additionally back blocking is required to all joints when a Level five finish has been specified and if installing a GIB® Ceiling Diaphragm, some smaller sheets may need to be back blocked to the sheet next to it. For more information, please refer to Page 47 of the GIB® Site Guide.

Q: Do I need to install GIB Handibracs® on this Fire Wall?

GIB Handibracs® are only required in two situations:

• If it is specified as a GIB® Post Fire Stability wall and fits the size and framing requirements on page 104 of the GIB® Fire Rated Systems Manual
• If the designer has used GIB Handibracs® in their SED of this Fire wall

Of course, these are only five common queries amongst dozens our team receives each day. There is a growing need for reassurance and proper risk assessment and many in the industry are reaching out to trusted suppliers like us to provide that peace of mind. We believe our comprehensive technical support is one of the key differences that sets us apart.

Regardless of the question, we encourage people to get in touch as we are here to help. Having support and advice available when you need it is something we know is valued and appreciated.