Trade Tips
Ready to bring your clients’ project to life with easycraft? We’re bringing you trade tips from our founder and cabinet maker, Guido Bloch, as well as other trade specialists in the industry.
Ready to bring your clients’ project to life with easycraft? We’re bringing you trade tips from our founder and cabinet maker, Guido Bloch, as well as other trade specialists in the industry.
Depending on whether the brick wall is an external wall or not, you should first paint the brick with a waterproofing agent – this will stop moisture from seeping through. Failure to do this step will cause your Easycraft panels to swell and potentially mould.
It’s best to batten out the brick work to create a cavity between the brick and your Easycraft panels. Another option is to prime the back of the boards before installing them.
When installing Easycraft panels horizontally, remember to keep expansion gaps as the boards can expand and contract. Refer to guidelines.
Also, if the room is larger than one board’s width, it’s a good idea to use a primed batten to hide the gaps between each sheet (we do not recommend butt joints). This will result in a much better look overall.
Use a track saw for cutting perfectly straight edges. Sand all the edges for a clean finish and then seal each edge with a primer.
The same goes for building kitchen cabinets and cupboards with your Easycraft panels.
It’s best to use a primed quad where possible, as it can be hard to cut around exposed beams perfectly. It’s also a good idea to leave room for expansion, which is why a quad to cover any expansion works best.
Be sure to prime all edges of your Easycraft panels, as an exposed ceiling will let heat through easier than a standard ceiling.
1. Be sure to use a strong adhesive and the correct fixings during installation.
2. Leave minimum 5mm expansion gaps around the outer edges of the room, depending on the size.
3. Use a primed batten over the gaps between sheets (we do not recommend butt joints). Use a quad around the outer edges for a nicer finish.
Be sure to read the fireplace’s specifications to ensure you allow the correct clearances – after all, there will be plenty of heat coming off the appliance when in use.
Use a track saw to cut your Easycraft panels, ensuring you have a nice straight cut. Depending on the fireplace you’ve installed, you may need to prime the edges of the panels to stop any heat from absorbing through the boards.
If your easycraft panels are thicker than the existing skirting boards in the room you are working on, remove the skirting boards first then install your easycraft boards.
You can then either reinstall the existing skirting board on top of the panels for a more cost-effective job, or install a brand-new skirting board. Depending on the depth of the door frame, you can either finish with a small expansion gap, and seal with a flexible sealant, or create a shadowline by leaving a larger gap.
easycraft panels intended for use in wet areas can be successfully installed either on a batten system, or fixed directly to the wall. Either way, ensure that a high quality wet area paint system is applied to give a long lasting finish, and then maintain according to the paint manufacturers instructions.
Top Tip: It is desirable that you seal the panels all the way around with a high-quality waterproof – and preferably paintable – sealant.
Before you even think about installing your easycraft panels on a wall, do your due diligence and check where any cables or pipes might be hiding.
When it comes time to fix your television or shelving in place, it is preferable to fix them over a stud or brick wall, and not just rely on fixing them into the panels.
If you’re working with a metal door frame it’s best to cut up to the frame and then gap-fill around it. This ensures a pleasant, seamless look. Alternatively, you can install an architrave over the top to cover the join or gap.
If you are installing around a timber door frame, you can take the architraves off, install your easycraft panels up to the frame, and then re-install the architraves back on.
If you plan on installing panels in places where there are already fixed units, such as air conditioning systems, always leave a bit of space between the panels and the unit to allow for any future maintenance – in some cases the air conditioning unit will need to come off completely.
You can then go around it with L-shaped pieces of timber to give the installation a nice finished edge.
Butt Joints aren't typically recommended because easycraft panels are made from a timber-based substrate that will naturally expand and contract as the moisture content changes with humidity, air-conditioning, or other environmental factors.
However, if a butt joint is unavoidable, make sure that you give the panels plenty of time for the moisture content to adapt to the environment that the panels will be installed. You should also make sure to allow for an expansion gap between panels. The longer the panel – the larger the gap required. Consider using a timber moulding to cover the join or a trim to accommodate expansion.
Another option is to create a shadow line effect by deliberately leaving a sharp-edged space between the panels. In a recent ceiling application of Silhouette Cove, we saw that instead of butt-ending the ceiling sheets, the building team purposely left a gap. This created a beautiful shadow line, and also made room for hygroscopic expansion and contraction.
easycraft panels will turn heads, but you can make them even more attractive by considering the right finishing detail for your project.
Whether you’re joining to a floor, a wall or finishing an internal/external corner, choosing the right trim can give even the most average corner a decorative effect – so don’t neglect those corner profiles.
Here are some suggested finishing options for common installation scenarios:
External corner – Y trim DTA Australia ALAY3.10MS
Wall to ceiling/floor – Quad or Scotia Moulding
For more options, please see page 14-16 of our Installation Guide (PDF).
You already know how good easycraft panels look on walls – but did you know that easycraft is just as adaptable to ceiling projects?
Whether it’s a residential or commercial ceiling job (subject to NCC Spec C1.10), you can install our fantastic range of easycraft panels on ceilings for a truly striking look. From the stunning Silhouette series to the modern Ascot.Vogue to the multipurpose easyVJ and more. Just make sure you keep in mind any weight requirements when installing panels on a ceiling.
Every space and project is unique in its own way. So having a one-size-fits-all panel isn’t ideal when it comes time to install your walls and ceilings. easycraft panels come in a range of different sizes, which means they can be used for horizontal and vertical walls, as well as ceiling jobs.
In many cases, having different sizes to choose from eliminates the need to cut your panels on-site – you can simply install them, paint and enjoy your new room! easycraft panels are sold through our extensive network of timber and hardware stores across Australia, and your trade rep will be able to provide you with the cost of any easycraft materials you desire.
easycraft panels have been created with a diversity of applications in mind. They are just as eye-catching in residential projects as they are in commercial environments, and we know for a fact that the tougher your panels are, the better off your space will be over the long term.
Our products have been designed as high-impact-resistant panels, which makes them the ideal choice over plasterboard and cement sheets. In fact, our fabricated walls have up to 300% the impact resistance of ordinary plasterboard and up to 50% greater than high-impact plasterboard. You can see how easycraft panels stack up against the rest in our Performance Consideration brochure (PDF).
Pre-primed panels save time, money and plenty of headaches when creating the perfect space. easycraft panels make your life so much easier because they are ready to paint as soon as they are installed.
When using traditional plasterboard or cement sheets, a painter generally needs three coats to get the job done right. In terms of finalising your project, this can blow out timelines while adding unnecessary coats to your workload. With easycraft, you only need two coats of paint and your space is ready to go!
When planning your next job, be sure to have your easycraft delivery arrive at least 48 hours before installation.
This allows enough time for the panels to acclimatise. It also allows you to double-check that the quantity and product codes match the original specification (aka check that Chris, the apprentice, put the right order in).
When it comes to fixing easycraft sheets to studs, noggins or over existing walls, you need a flexible construction adhesive or stud adhesive (gyprock). You also need to fix it into the framework structure by using nails or screws. To help you visualise this process, we’ve got a great selection of installation videos you can check out! To make sure installation goes as smoothly as possible, we also have a recommended list of nails and screws for installing easycraft panels:
For nails
For screws
View our Wall and Ceiling (PDF) Installation Guide (PDF) for further information when it comes to fixing our panels.
easycraft's general purpose interior panels can be curved to a certain degree when installing. To get it done right the first time, you'll want to use the panel curvature guide within our Installation Manual (PDF page 19).
Our internal tests show that VJ100 boards will bend equally, with either the VGroove profiled face on the concave or convex side. You can also score the rear side of the panel so that it may be manipulated further if you're looking for a more significant curve.
*easycraft will not be held responsible in any way for breakage that occurs while attempting to bend a profiled easycraft panels. They have not been manufactured to bend across the profiled face.
If you'd like further advice about achieving excellent results when it comes to curvature for your clients, get in touch with one of our sales managers, who would be happy to help!
Just like plasterboard, easycraft linings can be fixed over steel frames. We recommend using the following screws when fixing the panels to a steel frame:
You can view our easycraft Installation Guide (PDF) ...and if you're installing a product from our Silhouette range be sure to check out our Silhouette Installation Guide (PDF).
You don’t necessarily need insulation for the panel installation. However, you’ll need to adhere to the National Construction Code for thermal requirements. We also recommend painting/sealing the rear side of the sheet in case it’s exposed to condensation and moisture.
When it comes to external cavities and envelopes where condensation and moisture are an issue, painting/sealing the back of the sheet minimises the potential for water absorption.
easycraft isn’t just for general living spaces. We also have a range of panelling solutions that can be used in wet areas like bathrooms and laundries. However, these spaces may require a water-resistant material according to your governments standards.
For example, a shower recess (up to 1800mm high) behind a bath or vanity must have a water-resistant material like tile, stone or glass to a height of no less than 150mm above the vessel (where it’s within 75mm of the wall).
Bottom line: it pays to know the code.
Just remember that the easycraft Silhouette range should not be used as a splashback or wall/ceiling lining in a bathroom or laundry. It’s only available as a general-purpose material to be used as an internal lining for walls and ceilings.