Many common types of construction involve constructing the skeleton of a building from steel or wood and then cladding the walls with bricks, timber or sheet metal. Traditionally, the interior walls of buildings were clad with plaster, but the process was time-consuming and difficult to master.
Thankfully, modern constructions use plasterboard instead, saving time and money and making the wall covering process simpler.
What is Plasterboard?
So the question remains, what is plasterboard? To answer that we need to look back.
For hundreds of years, builders all over the world would finish the internal walls of homes using plaster. Made of water and a mineral called gypsum, plaster resembles a thick paste that can be smeared onto a wall and smoothed into a finished surface that keeps the elements out and can be painted by the owner of the building.
Plasterboard is simply the modern equivalent. Gypsum is mixed with water and foaming agents to form a light, airy slurry of plaster. The slurry is then sandwiched between two layers of thick paper and dried in ovens. The result is perfectly flat sheets of plaster that can be attached to the walls of homes in much less time than traditional plastering methods allow.
What is Plasterboard Used For?
If you look around your house you can see at a glance that plasterboard is one of the most used materials on construction sites. Used in all types of buildings, but especially in residential and lightweight commercial construction, plasterboard is attached to walls and ceilings to form a flat, even surface that can be painted, finished or clad in another material.
Hanging plasterboard is a straightforward process, and a team with the tools and experience can cover large areas in a short space of time. That makes plasterboard one of the most cost-effective and flexible options available for the walls of your building.
The Properties of Plasterboard
One of the reasons plasterboard has become so popular is that it’s available with properties that make it suitable for almost any application. Common plasterboard is perfect for most walls and ceilings in homes or commercial buildings, but it’s also available in other varieties that are suitable for a range of uses:
- Fire-resistant. Plasterboard core is noncombustible and very resistant to fire. Even at high temperatures plasterboard slows the transmission of fire and heat while producing very little smoke. Fire-resistant plasterboards are also available in greater thicknesses and with special additives that further slow the spread of fires.
- Moisture-resistant. Specialty wet area plasterboards are made with coatings and additives that make them resistant to moisture and mould. These types of plasterboards are commonly used in the construction of kitchens, bathrooms, laundries and other wet areas.
- Soundproofing. The gypsum core of the plasterboard reduces sound transmission through walls. Soundproof plasterboard varieties are usually higher density and thicker than standard sheets.
- Impact-resistant. Made from much higher density cores, impact-resistant plasterboard is capable of withstanding knocks and bumps that would damage regular plasterboard.
- Vapour barrier. For walls and ceilings that need a vapour barrier as well as plasterboard, hybrid boards are available that combine plaster and vapour barriers, and they sometimes include a layer of thermal insulating foam.
Building new or renovating? Get a quote from Sydney Metro Plastering!
Plasterboard is one of the most versatile materials on the market, and it’s versatile and cost-effective enough to be installed in residential and commercial buildings of all shapes and sizes. Whether you need help with a soundproof ceiling installation or Sydney commercial plastering get in touch with our specialists today. Our friendly team has all the experience and tools they’ll need to transform your property!