Gypsum All Around

Gypsum is used for all types of buildings, both residential and non-residential, and for refurbishment as well as construction. Gypsum can be used for very beautiful, contemporary designs and structures, as well as for simple everyday items and processes.

Around 5 million tonnes of gypsum-based plaster are used every year in European building interiors. This means that more than 1,500 million square metres of European interior surfaces are covered with gypsum plasterboard or paste every year or made construction with plasterboard or gypsum blocks.

More than 1,500 million square metres of European interior surfaces are covered every year with gypsum-based products.

Plasterboard

Plasterboard is used for partitions and the lining of walls, ceilings, roofs and floors. Plasterboard can be tailored to meet specific requirements, is non-combustible and has the ability to resist shocks and humidity. Gypsum is a vital ingredient in modern plasterboard.

Gypsum fibreboard

Gypsum fibreboard is used for partitions and the lining of walls, ceilings, roofs and floors. Standard gypsum fibreboard is soundproof, as well as being good at resisting shocks and humidity.

Decorative plaster

Dehydrated plaster powder, mixed with water, is used to line brick and block walls and ceilings, as well as for elaborate and beautiful decorations. This gypsum plaster is widely known as plaster of Paris and has been used by craftsmen for thousands of years to create decorative mouldings and models. Plaster of Paris is now found around the world but takes its name from a large gypsum deposit in Montmartre in Paris. The Romans mined gypsum plaster from Montmartre, and the quarry was still in use the mid-19th century.

Building plaster

Gypsum plaster is widely used for walls and ceilings. It is a high performing and easy to apply material with a quick setting time, which facilitates the building’s construction.

Plaster block

Gypsum blocks are used for indoor partitions and gypsum tiles for ceilings. Gypsum blocks are easy to install quickly. They are used in particular for walls that need to provide a high level of passive fire protection.

Gypsum-based self-levelling screed

Anhydrite is a white mineral which, when combined with water, can be transformed to gypsum and used to level floors. These gypsum-based “self-levelling floor screeds” offer a quicker way to install smooth finished surfaces.

Did you know?

  • Gypsum is non-combustible and contains crystal water. These superior qualities are used in building elements that prevent a fire from spreading for up to 4 hours.
  • Gypsum provides sound insulation. Gypsum acoustic boards, used as part of insulation materials, provide a sound barrier between rooms and spaces.
  • Gypsum has a low thermal conductivity. When used with insulation materials for walls and linings, it can trap heat in rooms and buildings.
  • Gypsum can improve the impact resistance of areas that need strong walls, such as schools, public buildings and hospital corridors.
  • Gypsum is easy to install and to disassemble. At the end of use it can be completely recycled into new gypsum products.