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Separating wall between neighbours and us has 3 layers of plasterboard.

There is a length of 2"x1" on the floor running the length of the wall, which the first 2 sheets of board rest on, then the last sheet is on the floor. Obviously this means the wood is covered by the last layer.

What is the purpose of this strip of wood? Why not just have all 3 layers starting from the floor? As the plasterboard is on the wood, it is raised to the same height as the bottom of the actual wall framework itself.

We're replacing the boards, do we still need to have this wood in place?

Is it to stop the boards from flexing? How are the boards fixed at floor level?

They are screwed into the stud uprights.

If the wood wasn't there, the plasterboard could just be screwed into the bottom footplate of the stud frame.

To be honest ali, i'm not sure what it's purpose is unless it's some kind of bodge job in the first place, if you think it does'nt need to be there then discard it, hopefully one of the others might know different.

i can only think that if the ceiling height is just over 8' then they have put that there to lift the boards up to the ceiling.

Nope, ceiling height is just less than standard plasterboard length.

I can see no purpose for it at all...but what do I know, lol. Think we'll not bother with it and just board from the floor.

Thanks guys.

They might have been using up short boards in the job. (Bodgeit & Scarper Ltd.)

Lol! Wouldn't be surprised.

Hi Team

This is my two pence worth.

The wood in question is goes by the name Mr Soul-plate, and the first two sheets of plasterboard stand on the soul plate while the 3rd sheet stands in front. And why this is giving some form of fire proofing (30mins if it is 12mm plasterboard) plus the soul plate gives you some thing to fix the skirting to.