Gypsum has a wide variety of applications. Gypsum board is primarily used as a finish for walls and ceilings, and is known in construction as drywall or plasterboard. Gypsum is also an ingredient of surgical splints, casting molds and modeling, utilizing the property of coagulation. Furthermore, gypsum is used for soil improvement in the form of fertilizer and soil conditioner. Gypsum is often used as part of a strategy to correct compacted soil or soil with large amounts of clay. It is also used to counteract excessive saline levels in soil and has the added benefit of not affecting the pH of soil.
Gypsum board, also known as drywall, plasterboard or wallboard, is used to form panels made of gypsum plaster pressed between two thick sheets of paper.
Gypsum board is used as partitions and linings of walls, ceilings, roofs and floors. It possesses many attributes that make it an attractive construction material. Its important properties (Euro gypsum) are described as follows.
Gypsum board is used as interior wall surface because of ease of installation. It is porous, soft and lightweight, and can be cut by a utility knife and nailed to a structure. Gypsum provides fire protection. Gypsum per se, made of CaSO4 and crystal water, is a non-combustible substance. Furthermore, crystal water is also fire-resistant. When gypsum board is exposed to heat or fire, the water is vaporized, retarding heat transfer. Gypsum also equilibrates humidity and heat peaks. Gypsum board is capable of storing humidity when a room is humid and automatically releasing humidity if the indoor air is too dry. It acts as a thermal insulator because of its low thermal conductivity. Furthermore, it also has ‘heat-storing’ abilities. Small temperature increases are absorbed and radiated back later when the temperature in the room decreases
