When carrying out repair work, drywall sheets have been used for a long time. But technical progress does not stand still, and at present, a similar, but more convenient and high-quality material, gypsum-fiber sheets (GVL), is gaining more and more popularity. They are used when leveling walls, ceilings and floors, gradually replacing the usual drywall. GVL moisture resistant not only has a wider range of applications, but is also much more convenient to use.
What is the difference between gypsum-fiber sheets and the usual drywall?
GVL sheets primarily differ in structure. Instead of a "sandwich" design, where the gypsum backing is sandwiched between two layers of cardboard, the gypsum fiber sheet is uniform. In the process of its production, dissolved pulp is evenly added to the gypsum mixture. It is she who serves as a kind of reinforcement, due to which the gypsum fiber receives significant strength.
In appearance and format, GVL slabs do not differ much from drywall. However, unlike the latter, they do not have a multi-colored color depending on their properties. Moisture-resistant gypsum-fiber sheet can only be recognized by marking, while moisture-resistant gypsum boards are painted green.
Advantages of gypsum fiber material
What are the advantages of this relatively new type of finishing material?
- Higher strength compared to drywall due to the even distribution of cellulose fibers.
- High fire safety. GVL do not burn. In addition, drywall sheets simply fall down if the outer layers are destroyed by fire. This will not happen with gypsum fiber.
- The boards are easy to install, just like drywall. The size of the elements is also the same. So fixing GVL will not cause any particular difficulties.
- Waterproof GVL due to special additives has excellent resistance to moisture, which significantly expands the scope of its application.
- Good sound insulation parameters.
- Unlike drywall, which crumbles during processing, GVL can be processed with ordinary tools without any problems. You can also drive screws into it and even hammer nails!
You can avoid a large amount of dust when cutting sheets if you moisten the blade of a hacksaw or jigsaw with water.
- Gypsum fiber is more resistant to negative temperatures. They are able to withstand up to 16 cycles of freezing and subsequent thawing. For drywall, this parameter does not exceed 4 cycles, after which the material is destroyed.
There are also disadvantages when compared with drywall:
- More dense sheets of gypsum fiber are much heavier.
- The cost of such material is also higher than conventional GCR.
- Gypsum-fiber sheets are not as flexible, so they are not used in the construction of various curved structures.
GVL parameters
On sale you can find sheets having the following sizes:
- Length - 1500, 2000, 2500, 2700 and 3000 mm.
- Width - 500, 1000 or 1200 mm.
- The most common thickness is 10 mm. Also, this size can have the values \u200b\u200bof 15, 18 and 20 mm.
Small-format GVLV, having a size of 1500 × 1000 mm, are very popular among professionals. The use of such material is most convenient, since working with large sheets is difficult due to their considerable weight. Depending on the size, such an element can weigh 35–45 kg, so it is rather problematic to cope with its installation alone.
Depending on the place of attachment of GVL sheets, they are divided into two types:
- For leveling the floor - sheets with a straight edge.
- For walls or ceilings - GVL with a folded edge.
Marking
All parameters of gypsum fiber sheets are indicated on the label. Therefore, it is important to understand and understand what it means. For example, the marking on the sheet looks like this: GVLV-A-FK-2000˟1000˟10.What does it mean?
- GVLV - type of gypsum fiber. In this case, it is a moisture resistant sheet, which is indicated by symbol B.
- A is manufacturing accuracy. For our example, it is the highest. Sheets marked B are made with large deviations.
- FK - edge type. In this case, this is a folded edge, the abbreviation PC will denote a straight line.
- 2000˟1000˟10 - sheet size, respectively, its length, width and thickness.
After such marking, the standard according to which the material is made is usually indicated. But few people pay attention to this parameter, so there is no point in dwelling on it in detail.
Where are gypsum fiber sheets used?
The technical characteristics of the GVLV led to its use in a wide variety of conditions. They can be used for the following purposes:
- For finishing unheated and non-residential premises: balconies, loggias, attics, mansards, terraces and cellars. Due to its resistance to freezing, gypsum fiber does not lose its properties in such conditions. The only prerequisite is good ventilation.
- For leveling floors. Waterproof GVL will significantly reduce the time of this process compared to the use of a cement screed. In the case of the latter, you will have to wait at least a month before the cement hardens.
- For finishing walls and ceilings of rooms, including those with high humidity. The special value of GVLV is that you can easily attach elements of decoration or decor to them. You can even screw door hinges to them without fear that the screws will pop out under load.
In a word, the material is almost universal and can not only replace drywall, but also achieve significant gains when used as a repair material.
Knauf products
In Russia, the products of this particular German company have gained the greatest popularity. GVLV Knauf are of high quality and are presented in any reputable building materials store. Excellent characteristics did not significantly affect the price of the material, which remained at a fairly acceptable level. So, moisture resistant Knauf Superlist will cost about 450 rubles, the size of the GVLV is 2500˟1200˟10. It is not surprising that professionals prefer the products of this particular company.
