Drywall is a unique building material that became popular and in demand shortly after its appearance. Currently, there is a fairly wide variety of this material on the market, but both specialists and amateurs have preferred Gyproc drywall for many years - the products of a company that is part of the Saint-Gobain corporation.
Varieties and characteristics of the material
The gypsum plasterboard products of the company have a traditional structure: gypsum base and cardboard cladding. Its composition:
- 93% - gypsum;
- 6% - cardboard;
- 1% - various additives.
Externally, the gypsum board is a smooth sheet on one side, rough and dark on the other. During the production process, gypsum powder is mixed with water and solidified in special chambers. After that, the resulting slabs are fired at a temperature of 180 ° C.
A completely finished gypsum board is covered with cardboard on all sides. The whole process is carried out under certain conditions with the observance of a special temperature and pressure, which allows you to create a dense material with an almost uniform structure.
Gyproc gypsum plasterboard assortment
Focusing on the needs of customers, the company is constantly improving the material, expanding its range. Gyproc currently offers:
- Plasterboard (gypsum plasterboard), which has a standard composition.
- Moisture resistant material (GKLV). It has the same composition as the gypsum plasterboard, but when it is created, special hydrophobic impregnations are used that do not allow the top layers to get wet and protect the inside from the formation of fungus and mold.
- Reinforced sheets (GKLV). Due to their greater thickness and increased strength, such sheets are quite capable of withstanding heavy loads (for example, nailed shelves).
- Fire-resistant drywall (GKLO). It contains special reinforcing threads that increase its flame resistance.
- Moisture and fire resistant building material (GKLVO). It combines two improvements at once in the form of refractory materials and waterproofing impregnation.
- Acoustic plates (GKLA) or AKU-line. Drywall has the same composition as a regular sheet. The acoustic effect is provided by the difference in the structure of the core.
This variety allows you to choose the material that is suitable for each specific case.
The manufacturer has combined all products in several series, each of which has its own purpose:
- Light. The products are lightweight and have a smooth surface, which allows them to be used for mounting suspended ceiling structures.
- "Strong" (super strong) - drywall sheets with increased thickness and increased density. Due to the reinforcement of the sheet, it has greater strength, better sound insulation and is more resistant to external influences. Perfect for walls and partitions.
- Optima - a versatile building material in which strength and thickness are optimally combined. They can be used for any purpose: from arranging ceilings to installing partitions when redeveloping an apartment.
- Gyproc "Aqua Light". In addition to the usual materials, it contains special anti-fungal additives. Due to its good moisture resistance, it is perfect for cladding ceilings in damp rooms.
- "Aqua Optima" … Building material treated with hydrophobic additives, which allows it to be installed in bathrooms, kitchens, toilets without compromising the quality of the repair.
- "Aqua strong" … Has increased bending strength and sound protection. Reinforced and improved sheet of such drywall is the optimal solution for finishing work in rooms with high humidity.
Specifications and parameters
The main parameters of gypsum plasterboards are their dimensions. The Gyproc assortment includes sheets 2.5 - 3 m long and 1.2 m wide. If necessary, you can also order panels of regular width from 2 to 4 meters long or small models with dimensions of 150x60 cm.
An equally important parameter is the thickness of the slab, on which the strength and sound insulation of the product depends. Her standards are 6.5; 9.5; 15.5 mm. The former are used to form curved structures, the latter are suitable for sheathing ceilings, and the third for the installation of partitions and wall cladding. In sheets of increased strength, the thickness can reach 15 mm.
The dimensions of branded drywall may vary depending on the type of sheets:
- normal - 2400-3600х1200х13 mm;
- Super strong "strong" - 2500х1200х15mm;
- windproof - 2700-3000x1200x9 mm.
All this must be taken into account when calculating the amount of materials for repair or construction. In addition to the main characteristics, the material also has minor ones, which include color, weight, type of edge.
The color of the sheets depends on the purpose of the building material, for example, an ordinary gypsum board has a gray tint, moisture-resistant - green, fire-resistant - red, acoustic - lilac.
The weight of the slabs directly depends on their size. So, with a sheet thickness of 9.5 mm, its weight can be from 6.5 to 9 kg / m2, and with a thickness of 12.5 mm - from 8.5 to 12 kg / m2. A special exception is the soundproof Aku-Line, which weighs 36 kg / m2.
The type of edge can be longitudinal straight (PC) and thinned on one side (UK). The first option is used for finishing surfaces and arranging partitions. The second is as part of a multi-layer structure.
Advantages and Disadvantages of Gyproc Products
Professional and novice builders and repairmen appreciate the company's products not only for variety, but also for a number of other benefits, including:
- High quality. Its achievement becomes possible thanks to the strict control of all production processes.
- Environmental friendliness, which is achieved through the use of completely safe and clean materials.
- Perfectly smooth surface - this property allows you to minimize the cost of finishing the surface.
- Branded drywall does not crumble during installation, it bends quite easily without creases and cracks and is installed without undue difficulty.
As for the shortcomings, these include the fragility of the material - with careless handling during installation, or during transportation, it is quite easy to damage it.
In addition, ordinary gypsum board absorbs moisture well and is not able to withstand a lot of weight. Therefore, it is important to select the correct material with the appropriate marking (moisture resistant, fireproof or reinforced).
Application in finishing works
Due to its variety, drywall Gyproc is widely used for various purposes:
- It serves as an excellent "camouflage" of engineering communications and cables.
- Drywall is in demand for thermal insulation of balconies and loggias (in combination with mineral wool or other heaters).
- The material with the GKLO marking is suitable for creating fireplace niches.
- Moisture-resistant material is used to decorate ceilings and panels in bathrooms, toilets and other rooms with high humidity.
With the help of gypsum plasterboards, you can create multi-level ceiling structures, erect internal walls and create partitions of any configuration. They make it easy to level wall surfaces for any finish, from paint to ceramic tiles.
Installation of gypsum plasterboards
Installation of GK sheets begins with a marking, which takes into account the location of communications and lighting devices. It is advisable already at this stage to determine where and how the shelves and other elements that are supposed to be attached to the drywall will be located in the future.
The installation itself begins with the arrangement of the frame. To do this, first the guides are installed, and then the rack profiles (in the Gyproc product range there is a metal profile specially designed for this purpose). The step between the two profile elements is from 40 to 60 cm.
It is important to take into account that the greater the load on the wall, the less the distance between the two posts should be.
After installing and fixing the profiles, communications are carried out and the surface is insulated.
The final stage is the fastening of the gypsum board. Fasteners are carried out using self-tapping screws. Sheets are stacked in a checkerboard pattern. To do this, a short (edged) sheet is located either above or below. At the end, all seams are putty and glued with a reinforcing mesh, after which they proceed to the external surface finish. Even with minimal skills, the whole process does not take much time and can be carried out without the involvement of specialists.
Testimonials
The demand for Gyproc products is evidenced by numerous reviews, most of which are positive.
An important criterion when choosing this particular building material, many call the ease of installation and the ability to save time and money on repair and construction work. Thanks to the convenient edges, the distance between adjacent drywall sheets is minimal. Therefore, less putty is required to seal the seams.
Along with the high performance of drywall, consumers note the affordable price and the ability to choose the material for each specific case.
For information on which drywall is better, see the next video.