What is Plasterboard?
What is plasterboard? |
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A brief history… |
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Plasterboard was created in 1916 by the Gypsum company and was derived from Sackett board invented in the late 1800s. Created as a cheaper and quicker form of plaster, it was not used by mainstream builders until the 1940s, when World War Two called for cheaper housing.
Previously, plasterboard was seen as a quick fix to house building. However, by the 1950s builders had seen its benefits and were using it for the majority of house building. |
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What is plasterboard? |
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A sheet of plasterboard consists of a hardened gypsum core between two layers of paper.
The face side front paper is a strong, smooth finished paper impregnated with gypsum crystals to aid bonding of the plaster coat (or skim), while the reverse is covered in a rougher ‘natural’ paper. |
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Plasterboard sheets are available in lengths of up to 4.8m (16ft) with 1220mm (48″) and 1370mm (54″) widths.
The most common size for domestic building work tends to be 2440mm x 1220mm and is based on the old imperial 8 ft x 4 ft boards to cover the common ceiling heights of a little over 2440mm (8ft). |
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Gypsum is a naturally occurring crystal mined from the earth. | |||
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Plasterboard, also known a wallboard by some suppliers, comes in four standard thicknesses: 6.5mm (0.25 inch), 9.5mm (0.375 inch), 12.5mm (0.5 inch) , and 16mm (0.625 inch).
Various widths and lengths are available to suit different applications. |
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What are the different types of plasterboard? |
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Plasterboard is available in different types, these include:
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Plasterboard vs. drywall |
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Drywall is the term used to describe the process or describe the type of wall or partition which is made up of a timber framework (studwork) to which the plasterboard is fixed. The older term for drywall partition, which is still in use today, is stud partition.
Plasterboard is the individual sheeting used to create the drywall. |
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Drywall is also an American term for plasterboard that has found its way into the UK, adding confusion to the mix. | |||
