Shadowline Drywall Picture Rail

How do I install Shadowline Drywall?

1. Screw-fix the rail into joists or steel battens before plasterboard. Use 6 g countersunk screws (38 – 50 mm) at 600 mm intervals for the full 20 kg / m rating.
2. Capture flange step – slide sheet fully in. Push the plasterboard ceiling sheet up into the 13 mm (or 10 mm) capture flange until it hits the stop; this sets the perfect shadow-line height.
3. Screw through board & rail lip every 600 mm to lock the sheet; the 2.5 mm setting edge hides the extrusion.
4. Tape & set. Bed adhesive paper tape along the junction and finish with acrylic setting compound for rock-solid adhesion to the primed rail.

Finishing & plasterer tips

• Gap consistency – keep the 10 mm or 13 mm P50 gap continuous round corners; use a spacer block if needed.
• Square-set feature sections – stop the rail short and cap with P50 trim ends where you want a picture-display bay.
• No pre-drilled holes – drill through the rail exactly where joists fall; countersink lightly so the screw heads sit flush.
• Adhesion – acrylic compounds bond best with the rail’s vivid-white primer; avoid gypsum-only finish coats on the first pass.

10 mm vs 13 mm gap?

Match your ceiling spec: 10 mm shadows standard P50; 13 mm suits thicker 13 mm board or an accent reveal. Both hide the track completely.

Which wires & hooks?

Insert 1 mm or 2 mm Twister wires anywhere along the slot; pair with Micro Grip (4 kg – 20 kg) or Auto Grip hooks.

Shadowline Drywall vs Shadowline Masonry?

Drywall screws up into joists and sets with ceiling plaster; Masonry bolts to walls and sets under the ceiling sheet. Same invisible result, different sequence.

Related reading:
Built-in Picture-Hanging Systems Guide ·
Bulkheads & Shadow-Line Ceilings Explained