Drywall lift: review of factory models and recommendations for assembling homemade ones. Drywall lift: how to choose, making it yourself Design of a device for lifting drywall

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Drywall lift: review of factory models and recommendations for assembling homemade ones

Do you want to simplify and speed up the process of installing a ceiling made of plasterboard sheets? My experience allows me to say that a drywall lift will do an excellent job for this purpose. A review of current offers from manufacturers will help me prove this. And the instructions for making a homemade copy will give you the opportunity to make an alternative decision to purchase.

Offers from manufacturers

A lift for gypsum boards (plasterboard sheets) provides significant advantages when performing operations with plasterboard sheets in comparison with carrying out all work manually:

Reduces the number of installers to one person. No matter how virtuoso you are, you won’t be able to attach a plasterboard sheet to the ceiling alone. The spacer lift makes this trick possible;

Facilitates the transportation of plasterboard sheets at the construction site. The device in question allows not only to lift and hold sections, but also to transport them from place to place.

IN construction stores You can find the following devices for installing drywall on the ceiling:

Please note that the prices in the article are current in the summer of 2017.

Levpano 1

The Levpano 1 drywall lift is the brainchild of the German company Knauf, which has long and rightly earned a reputation as a manufacturer of high-quality products. Specifications:

Premos

The lifting height of the purchased model must be at least 350 cm, so that it is convenient to use even in rooms with high ceilings.

"Premos" is a professional drywall lift that can cope with tasks of varying complexity. It is noteworthy that, despite its high performance capabilities, it is inexpensive.

Specifications:

EDMA

I recommend ignoring models that have unreliable plastic elements in their design. As practice shows, their service life is short, and the risk of sudden breakdown during operation is very high.

"Edma" is a representative of a popular French brand, distinctive feature which can be called the ability to operate in confined spaces. Specifications:

DIY making

The first thing you will need when you decide to make a drywall lift with your own hands is drawings. There are a sufficient number of them on the Internet, choose at your discretion. An example of one of them:

There are four main components that you need to think through for your lift and implement:

Tripod. This is the base that holds the entire device. For convenience, it is usually supplemented with wheels and locking mechanisms;

Tripod. Telescopic stand, which is most often made from profile pipes inserted into each other with sections of 80, 60 and 40 mm;

Rotary table—stand. An H-shaped structure on which the gypsum board will be laid;

winch. The easiest way is to buy a ready-made one, since it is easy to assemble it yourself, even for a specialist with special equipment the task is time-consuming and difficult.

If you have at least once done installation plasterboard structures on the ceiling, then you probably know how difficult it is to attach gypsum board sheets to the frame, even with two people. There is a whole series of special lifts that greatly facilitate the work. But why spend money if you can make a drywall lift with your own hands and spend several times less money?

Lift for gypsum boards (permissible height – 3.5 m)

Lifts - types, classification, design solutions

Builders and finishers who constantly carry out work on the installation of plasterboard ceiling structures know how difficult it is to keep gypsum boards suspended. At the same time, the sheets need to be secured. And what’s most interesting is that in the end the sheet should lie flat and beautiful on the ceiling surface, and the fastening should be reliable.

It is almost impossible for one person to carry out such manipulations, which is why even professionals constantly take someone as a partner. If you do not have an assistant or even a worthy candidate for this position, then experts recommend purchasing a special drywall lift. Upon arrival at a specialty store, we recommend turning your attention to labels such as Levpano and Roger Mondelin. These are the highest quality and most reliable samples, tested in practice.

The main task of the gypsum plasterboard lift is to lift drywall to the mounting location. Lifts are most in demand when attaching gypsum board ceilings, since only with their help can you press a sheet of drywall to the frame as evenly as possible.

Attention! Sheets of drywall can be kept on the lift indefinitely, until you finish installing the entire ceiling structure.

As for height, gypsum board lifts come with both mechanical and electric drives, so you can always adjust the lifting height. If you don’t have extra money for a lift for installing drywall, then you can construct it yourself.

Lifts - types and designs

In general, there are several types of lifts. They are classified depending on the types of work performed.

Reference! GKL lifts are available not only for ceilings, but also for walls.

If we talk about all the types briefly, it turns out something like this:

wall unit ( From the name it is clear that the device is designed for attaching gypsum boards to vertical surfaces);

Wall lift

ceiling lift(designed for attaching gypsum boards to ceiling structures);

Ceiling lift

universal lift(suitable for both ceilings and walls).

To ensure maximum results in production, each type of lift has its own characteristics and individual operating requirements. Simply put, using the lift in your own way, you will not be able to organize the work process as efficiently as possible, which, in the end, can lead to breakdown of the unit.

Pay attention! Lifts are manufactured using two methods - at specialized enterprises and in a makeshift way(with your own hands).

Making a lift with your own hands

If you look carefully at the drawings, the lift-spacer for drywall does not require any special costs. Let's look at the main devices and materials that we may need in our work:

profiled pipes, with the help of which the proper rigidity of the frame is ensured;
there is no need to throw away the pipe scraps - they will be used to make the legs of the future unit;
do not forget about the wheels - with their help it will be much easier to move the structure;
if you are an amateur complex structures, then you should stock up on cables and rollers.

Before starting work, you need to obtain a drawing in advance (see photo). Also, do not forget about the correct calculation of the load on the structure, because an incorrect calculation will lead to damage to the unit.

All components of the structure are fastened to each other using bolts. The role of the lifting mechanism is performed by a mechanical device or an electric motor (this is where the cables come in handy). If you are making a lift with a “manual” drive, then you need to add “legs” to the design for greater stability.

Making a retainer - as an alternative to a lift

Not all of us have free time for the manufacture of a lift. After all, if you are working with ceiling structures from drywall only once every few years, then you don’t need to have a bulky device. As alternative solution We suggest paying attention to the retainer.

It’s much easier (and faster) to make, and you’ll spend a minimum of money.

Here's a quick guide:

You will need a long beam (to the height of your ceiling). The horizontal part of the structure and the width must be at least 90 cm. It turns out that two beams form the letter “T”. They are fastened with nails, which need to be heated a little when hammered in.

Now let's start making scarves. They are located between the horizontal and vertical parts of the clamp.

Attention! If there is no 90˚ angle between the gussets, then the design of your clamp is not suitable for work, since fastening the gypsum board at a slight angle to the ceiling is simply unacceptable.

Now that the fitting is complete and everything is in place, we attach the gussets to the structure with the same nails. The last step is the installation of the fastener at the work site.

At its core, the retainer is an ordinary stand for gypsum boards in a strictly horizontal position. If you are not going to constantly work with drywall, then this design is simply irreplaceable for you!

Let's sum it up

It turns out that plasterboard lift consists of only three parts: chassis, turntable and telescopic stand. On average, if you have your own welding machine and the skills of a mechanic, then the final price will be about 3000-4500 rubles (it all depends on the quality of the material used in the design). As for the assembly time, all work will take about 3-5 days (it all depends on how busy you are).

Due to the fact that the textual presentation design features device will not be clear to everyone, we have prepared a small gift - a thematic video instruction. We wish you success in your inventions!

Walls with this material alone are quite problematic - this is due to its weight. Whatever one may say, raise it to a height, install it in in the right position and it is also impossible to secure a sheet weighing 30 kg with at least a dozen screws using the efforts of one person. To help such desperate workaholics, a drywall lift was created, which will be discussed in this article. Together with the site, we will study its design and capabilities, and also consider its options self-made.

Operating principle of a drywall lift photo

Drywall lift: principle of operation, main components and mechanisms

In fact, a lifting mechanism for drywall can be called a type of jack that can lift drywall to a great height - these modern devices allow you to install ceilings at a height of up to 4.5 m alone.

If we understand in detail the design of such lifts, then this mechanism can be divided into four main parts.

A roller base is usually a tripod with wheels that allows you to move an empty device loaded with drywall to any distance and in any direction. This does not mean that the drywall lift can be used as a transporter of large loads - it is designed to work with weights of up to 50 kg and not a gram more. So if you don’t want to break your new assistant, use it for its intended purpose and do not transport more than one sheet.
Telescopic tripod. It is thanks to him that it becomes possible to lift drywall to a height. In most cases, the tripod has two elbows made in the form of tubes.
The lifting winch is in almost all cases manual. By rotating the lifting winch knob, you can easily extend and retract the upper arm of the telescope.
Cargo area. As a rule, it is a hollow tubular frame made in the shape of the letter “H”, which supports a sheet of drywall along the entire plane. Some models of lifts are equipped with a sliding platform for cargo, which allows it to be used for lifting both whole sheets of drywall and its sections. The most interesting thing is that such a platform almost always has a tilt function. This is done for convenience and to expand the capabilities of the mechanism. The slope of the platform allows you to lift drywall from a standing position on the end. This makes the work easier, because a person practically does not need to strain even to secure the plaster on the site. In addition, this tilt-and-turn design of the platform allows, using a lifting mechanism, to sheathe not only ceilings, but also walls at great heights.

Drywall lift photo

In addition to the main parts described above, without which the drywall spacer lift will not be able to function normally, they are equipped with additional accessories. These include the following.

Work area. As a rule, it is mounted on a roller tripod - it allows you to abandon the use of stepladders or sawhorses.
Electric drive. Such a lift is the dream of every drywaller. It is controlled by remote control remote control. The operator of the device will only need to move the lift to the desired location and fix the plaster on the site - all the rest of the work is done by electric motors.

Lift for installation of drywall photo

As you can see, the device for lifting drywall is not particularly complicated - if, of course, we talk about manual control of the lift. The whole problem lies elsewhere - not every master is ready to fork out money and purchase such a device. It is much easier and cheaper to get a helper. But even here a person can fail – it’s not so easy to find smart apprentices. Therefore, there is nothing else to do but shell out money and mechanize your work. There is another option - you can make a lift from plasterboard with your own hands. Not only will this be cheaper, but it will also be a fun activity while waiting for a new order.

Lift spacer for drywall photo

How to make your own drywall lift

As mentioned above, the lifting mechanism for drywall consists of four main mechanisms - they will have to be assembled separately and subsequently combined into one product. Let’s make a reservation right away, drywaller, how migrant– today it’s here, and tomorrow it’s there, so the lift needs to be made with convenient transportation in mind. Each of its parts must be removable or at least foldable. So, let's start, we will act in order.

Tripod. This is perhaps the easiest part to make (if you have no problems with). Essentially, you will need to make a jig to mount a telescopic tripod and weld three or four legs onto it, equipped with wheels with locks. If we analyze this issue in detail, then it needs to be tied to the size of the tripod - it is more advisable to make its base from profile pipe size 80 by 80mm. Therefore, the support for it should be a little wider (it is difficult to select a pipe of this caliber). Most likely, the rectangle into which the tripod will be inserted will also have to be welded from two corners - adjusting them to the required cross-section is quite simple; a grinder solves all problems here. When the support is ready, we weld the legs on all four sides, which it is advisable to equip with braces for rigidity. This is still the foundation, and the entire load falls on it. By the way, about compactness. You can think of a mechanism that allows you to detach or fold the tripod legs.
How to make a drywall lift with your own hands photo
Now telescopic tripod. There is nothing complicated here either - you will need three sections of profile pipe. The lower one, as mentioned above, has a section of 80 by 80 mm, medium size 60 by 60mm and the top (shortest) 40 by 40mm. The pipes are inserted into each other - so that they do not fall down, they will need to be plugged on one side. At the very top of the telescope, at the end of its thin tube, you need to make a mount for the turntable - here you can go the same way as when connecting the tripod to the tripod.
Turntable. First, we weld the letter “H” - but we make it in such a way that the middle jumper has a through passage. Subsequently, retractable supports will be inserted into it on both sides, which will ensure that the drywall does not break due to bending. You will need to deal with them after you deal with the letter “N”. The supports are shaped like a “T” with an elongated vertical leg - to provide rigidity to these retractable supports, you should drill a hole in the tube into which they will be inserted, weld a nut over it and screw a bolt into it (it will act as a retainer). Now, in order to finally solve the question of how to make a drywall lift, all that remains is to come up with a tilt-and-turn mechanism. Alternatively, you can stop only on the inclined one, and turn the drywall along with the entire lift. The easiest way to ensure the tilt of the platform is to weld a piece of pipe to it and use a pin or bolt to connect it to the fork mounted on the top of the telescope. This method is simple, but such a mechanism will not be very convenient to use - it will require a lot of effort to tilt and at the same time secure the table in the required position. It is better to think about some kind of quick-clamping mechanism - for example, an eccentric, similar to how it is installed on the casing for quickly turning it.
Homemade drywall lift photo
The last part, the manufacture of which involves a homemade drywall lift, is a winch. You need to buy it and adapt it to your needs. By the way, you will have to make a fastening for it - as a rule, it is an outrigger with a brace. It is also better to make it collapsible, and all parts should be connected with bolts.

This is how things are with the device for lifting and transporting drywall. As you can see, this mechanism is simple, and it is quite possible to make it yourself. In my practice, I have met people who managed to assemble a drywall lift right on the job site from scrap trash - everything was accepted, but mostly old ones door frames. Such a lift, of course, does not look unprepossessing, but it performed its function perfectly!

DIYers do not see the need to purchase a drywall lift, and some had no idea about its existence. This device does not need to be on hand if there is an assistant, but two people use it large number effort for .

An example of fixing drywall using a special lift

In a situation where there is no one to help, you cannot do without this device, you can buy it ready-made, or build a drywall lift with your own hands.

This is very convenient device, with the help of which the gypsum board sheets are installed to the ceiling surface, markings are performed. It is produced like this:

the height of the tripod is slightly more than a meter;
The device is installed on the lift and secured with clamps, setting it to the desired height.

Considering that a plasterboard spacer lift can lift a sheet of material by 3-4 meters - this height is enough for marking in the highest rooms.

This is what a lift spacer for attaching drywall looks like

The main purpose of this device is to help install large sheets of drywall on ceiling surface. With the help of a lift, you can do the work yourself without help.

The sheet web is pressed tightly to the fastening point using a lift, and is effectively used as homemade options, and production.

This device has other purposes, for example:

simplified installation in hard-to-reach places;
a hammer drill can be attached to a lift for installing drywall for ease of use at height;
raising roll materials under the ceiling;
With this device you can lift the massive one and connect it.

Working principle of a drywall lift

Types of lifts

The practical use of lifts depends on the type of structure, of which there are several:

The Premos wall lift with a table installed in a vertical position is intended for partitions.
Ceiling with vertical table, which helps in installing sheets on the ceiling.
Universal Premos – has turntable and can be used on any surface.

The most popular among professionals are universal designs.

Where is it used?

The range of applications of the standard Premos drywall lift is quite wide:

Make a lift for gypsum boards with your own hands

Before you build a homemade drywall lift, you need to know what it consists of:

A tripod is the base for the entire structure, on which wheels equipped with a stopper are installed.
Telescopic tripod - consists of several pieces of pipe of different diameters, for example from 4 to 8 cm.
Table-stand with a rotating mechanism, H-shaped.
Winch - you need to buy this element, since it is impossible to assemble it yourself.

You can equip the mechanism with additional components, for example, an electric drive or a platform.

Drawings

Before you start assembling the structure yourself, you need to draw an assembly diagram. This process is very important, as it will help to assemble the structure without errors.

Manufacturing process

Making a drywall lift is not difficult, just follow a few steps:

The base is mounted from a profile pipe, 6x6 cm. The tripod is assembled from three elements, two of which are equipped rotating mechanisms, and one of them is welded to the central element - the rack. It is advisable to equip the tripod with rollers to simplify movement around the room;
You can weld slanted legs to the base, with the edges cut at an angle of 45 degrees; they can be permanent or folding.

Diagram with dimensions for making your own drywall lift

As soon as the tripod is ready, you can begin mounting the tripod:

Three types of pipes are taken - 4x4, 6x6 and 8x8 cm. They need to be inserted into each other and lined with damped elements. It is advisable to choose a round element, it is more practical. Install the telescopic pipe on the stand;
The upper tube is equipped with a special mount on which the stand will be installed; you can equip a removable stand;
An H-shaped platform is made, in which the middle jumper is through, for installing retractable structures;
The table is installed on the platform and secured;
For structural rigidity, side supports with quick-clamping mechanisms are installed;
The last stage of installation will be the installation of the winch; it is usually installed on an outrigger beam with braces.

Finished design homemade drywall lift

As you can see, there is nothing difficult in installing a plasterboard lift; all you need to do is prepare the material in advance and be patient.

Industrial lifts

Purchasing a factory-produced system will help lift other sheet materials of a large area up onto the walls, and you can change the angle of inclination of the material. Factory lifts Premos and fit have a number of advantages:

Description of the lift-spacer for plasterboard slabs

To mount sheets of drywall, a special spacer may be useful, which is a lifting rod and two telescopic pipes. The design is equipped with plastic stops and ring clamps. There is a lever for easy release of the clamped rod. This spacer is used to hold sheets in a vertical position.

Operating instructions for a lift-spacer for plasterboard sheets

This device helps to install plasterboard quickly and without assistance, and it has the following advantages:

A rotating base that helps not only move a sheet of drywall, but also move it in any direction to obtain smooth and high-quality joints between the material. It is also used for ceilings.
This mechanism is light in weight and easy to use; its use will not be difficult even for a person who does not have professional skills.
If the installation is carried out by one person, then you need to use at least three spacers, then arranging the wall will not be difficult.

Video review of a drywall lift.

Device for carrying drywall

Often you have to carry drywall slabs by hand. It is worth noting that doing this alone is inconvenient. Sheets are usually transported by two workers, but even with such transportation to the floor, the sheet can be broken. There are special systems for carrying sheets of material, for example:

For the convenience of working with drywall, there are a large number of devices that you can buy in a store or build yourself to save money.

Finishing surfaces located at considerable heights, such as ceilings, with plasterboard is quite difficult. Plasterboard sheets have a considerable size, even two people can hold them long time extremely inconvenient and tiring. Professionals have long found a solution to this problem using purchased lifting mechanisms. But what if you don’t want to spend money on them? With some skills, it is quite possible to make a drywall lift with your own hands.

Lift functions

The main purpose of a gypsum board lift is to deliver and hold a sheet of drywall at the required height during the installation process. This not only makes the work much easier, but also makes it possible to install drywall alone.

It is natural that craftsmen The lift was quickly adapted to perform other related tasks:

Mounted on a drywall lift laser level, you can mark up better and avoid mistakes. The level is fixed using clamps and then raised to the required height. This device provides ideal markings of the ceiling and corners of the room.
It is indispensable in hard to reach places. The device allows you to fix profiles while they are being attached.
The lift will greatly facilitate the installation of not only drywall, but also any massive suspended equipment: air conditioners, chandeliers or air ducts.

Varieties

According to the area of use, gypsum plasterboard lifts can be:

wall;

ceiling;

universal.

They differ in the location of the table plane on which the drywall is mounted.

The most practical is the universal lift, work surface which can change the level of inclination.

The industry offers many types of these devices, but they are not cheap. They are usually purchased by construction teams specializing in the installation of plasterboard structures. But they often prefer to make lifts themselves.

Making your own lift

Finished products do not always suit the craftsmen, and extra costs does not add to their popularity. A device for fastening Premos drywall will cost about 15 thousand rubles. Therefore, many people prefer to make a drywall lift with their own hands, and take drawings from various Internet resources or design the device themselves.

What should you remember when making a lift yourself?

There are four constituent elements, the presence of which in the design is mandatory:

Chassis or tripod that creates the base. It is better on wheels equipped with a locking mechanism. This will make it easier to install the device in the required location.
Telescopic stand. It can be made from pipes or squares of various sections, nested inside each other according to the matryoshka principle. In this case, extension is carried out due to a system of rollers and a special cable.
A spacer table on which drywall or other elements to be lifted will be secured.

It is better if the table has a rotating function: this will not only make loading drywall easier, but will also make the device universal.

A winch, due to which the telescopic stand of the device will be extended. May have a manual or electric drive.

Important nuances

Some points to consider:

Regardless of the material, it is metal or wood, racks and other parts that experience serious loads must be equipped with “kerchiefs” or other elements that impart rigidity and strength.
The folding design of the lift is preferable: this makes it easier to transport, and it will take up much less storage space.
In addition to the locking device available on the winch or rack and pinion, it is imperative to provide an additional device that reliably fixes the work table in the raised position. Otherwise, there is a risk of the device collapsing under load, which could result in serious injury. What you definitely shouldn’t skimp on is your own safety.