What Gypsum Is Used For: A Comprehensive Guide

What Is Gypsum?

Gypsum is a soft sulfate mineral naturally composed of calcium sulfate dihydrate. Its chemical name is CaSO4·2H₂O. Gypsum material can be used in various fields. Gypsum is commonly used as a fertilizer and as the main ingredient in the manufacture of plaster, blackboard/sidewall, chalk, and drywall, etc.

Gypsum is used in the crystallization process as translucent crystals of selenite. It can also be used as an evaporating mineral and as a hydration product of anhydrite.

The word gypsum was derived from the Greek word gypsum. Which usually means ‘chalk’ or ‘plaster’. Gypsum was used for various purposes by processing gypsum found in some areas in the Montmartre district of Paris. It contained a type of hemihydrate gypsum in a gypsum plaster of Paris.

Gypsum plaster can be used as a protective and decorative on the inside and outside walls of buildings. Gypsum is the most widely used building material in interior design. In this article, we will discuss the properties of building materials and gypsum products in construction works.

What Gypsum Is Used For?

Gypsum is a soft sulfate mineral that is widely used in various industries. Here are some common uses of gypsum:

1. Building Materials Industry

• Gypsums are mainly used as building materials. Gypsum is used as a raw material for the manufacture of all types of building materials, such as cement and cementing materials.
• Various products used in construction include gypsum partition board, load-bearing interior board, exterior wall block, wall covering board, roofing products, etc.

2. Food Industry

• The use of gypsum in the U.S. Has made some suggestions for human consumption by the Food and Drug Administration.
• In which gypsum is accepted as a dietary source of calcium, for water used in drinking beer, as an ingredient in controlling the sharpness and clarity of the wine, etc.

3. Agriculture

• Gypsum can be used in agriculture to improve soil efficiency and moisture absorption. In addition, gypsum is used as an additive to the soil to remove the transient effect of alkalinity.
• Gypsum offers significant benefits to some crops. Especially crops like fruits, maize, cotton, wheat, and groundnut benefit from requiring a significant amount of sulfate sulfur.

4. Pharmaceutical Industry

• Gypsum plaster is used for the clinical treatment of accidental fractures and various orthopedic diseases.
• Gypsum is used in the posture of the affected limb in the human body, fixing, weight gain, and removal of the affected limb in the human body, etc.

5. Gypsum Board

• The gypsum board has good properties for cutting off sound transmission. The gypsum board is especially used to absorb atmospheric sounds such as speech and music.

6. Fillers for Plastics and Rubber

• Gypsum can be used as a filler for plastics and rubber.
• Applying gypsum as filler materials in plastic and rubber can improve the mechanical strength, heat resistance balance of plastic and rubber materials.
• Gypsum like calcium sulfate whisker can be used as a filler in industries like resin matrix composites, abrasive materials, binders, etc.

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4 Types of Gypsum Products

 

• Gypsum Plaster
• Gypsum Fertilizer
• Gypsum Board
• Gypsum Powder

1. Gypsum Plaster

It is a kind of white cementing material. The product of which is obtained by partial or complete dehydration of the mineral. Gypsum is a thin or hardened material for plaster.

When water is added to a surface at the time of application, the material sets in its own chemical composition and gradually hardens.

2. Gypsum Fertilizer

Gypsum is highly preferred among the early forms of fertilizers used in the United States. It has been used in agricultural land for over 250 years.

Gypsum is a soluble source of essential nutrients, calcium, and sulfur for plant growth. In addition, Gypsum can enhance the overall growth of the plant.

3. Gypsum Board

Gypsum board is commonly used in construction as drywall, plasterboard, or wallboard. The board is made of gypsum plaster pressed between two thick sheets of paper. This is done in constructing a temporary labor colony by various panels of the board. Gypsum board can be used in walls, ceilings, ceilings, and floor parts.

Gypsum board has various advantages. These include low cost, ease of installation and finishing, fire resistance, sound control, etc. gypsum board has some disadvantages. These include difficulty in the application of curved surfaces, subject to damage by friction and low durability, etc.

4. Gypsum Powder

Gypsum powder is a naturally occurring material. Which is used especially in the United States. It is found as soft, white mineral rock.

Dry powder is made by processing it. Gypsum powder is mainly used in building materials like drywall. Also useful for the growth of plants in agriculture.

4 Types of Gypsum Board

There are many different types of gypsum board. In fact, the drywall business has different kinds of boards for different needs. There are many kinds of plasterboards that can be used in home improvement and decorating projects.

1. Regular Plasterboard

Regular plasterboard is used to cover walls, ceilings, and walls between rooms. Likewise, it works well with false gypsum ceilings. At the same time, its edge can be square, round or tapered. Regular gypsum board comes in a wide range of sizes with a width of 1200 mm and a length of 2000 to 3600 mm. Also, available in thicknesses of 9, 12.5 and 15 mm.

2. Water Resistant Gypsum Board

Water Resistant Gypsum Board is used in wet areas. Additionally, it can be used in places like kitchen and bathroom. Edges can be square, tapered or rounded. Water Resistant Gypsum Board is readily available in sizes ranging from 1200 mm in width and between 2000 and 3600 mm in length. It has thicknesses of 12.5 mm and 15 mm.

3. Fire Resistant Gypsum Board

Fire-resistant plasterboard is useful for interior walls and other places where fire resistance is required. This means that fire-resistant boards are good for places where a high level of fire protection is required.

Fire Resistant Gypsum Board sizes ranging from 1200 mm in width and 2000 to 3600 mm in length. it thickness is 12.5 mm and 15 mm.

4. Exterior Board

Exterior boards are used as wall cladding coverings. In fact, they are used in commercial and residential exterior applications that are directly exposed to the weather. When used under exterior finishes, exterior sheathing protects against fire and gives the building more strength. Exterior boards keep heat in. They can handle water, moisture, and different kinds of weather.

3 Fire Rated Gypsum Board

The following products are designed to increase fire resistance in drywall applications where desired or required by code.

1. Type X Drywall

Type X Drywall or Perlite drywall is used in walls and ceilings requiring increased fire resistance. Fiber strands are added to the plaster mix when making Type X drywall sheets. The fiber strands make the drywall sheet resist it during a fire. It, therefore, provides additional time to evacuate the building before structural collapse.

2. Type C Drywall

Type C drywall improves on Type X’s fire resistance. Type C has a core made of improved Type X fiber strands and an additive that makes up for shrinking during fires to give more stability to the protection.

3. Shaft Liners

Fire-rated shaft liners are gypsum panels that are 1 inch thick and usually have a fiberglass face. They are put inside stairwells, elevator shafts, and utility raceways to protect against fires even more than Type X and Type C drywall. Shaft liner cores are often covered with paper products that do a great job of keeping moisture and mold away and extending the life of these important items.

The best thing about shaft liners is that they can be installed in from the floor instead of the shaft. Since screws or nails don’t have to be put in from inside the shaft, the contractor doesn’t have to put in costly-staging inside the shaft. With shaft liner panels, special studs called CH Studs are used. For a picture of a CH Stud, see our article about Cold-Formed Metal Framing.

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Properties of Gypsum

1. Fire Resistance

• Gypsum has fire-like properties. Which provides protection to the customer’s property from fire for any reason.

2. Thermal Properties

• Gypsum is capable of stabilizing conditions such as indoor humidity and temperature.
• Plasterboard or formwork used in construction as a product of gypsum enhances the insulation properties.
• Using gypsum boards inside the building helps to balance the temperature in the building.

3. Acoustic Properties

• Gypsum products are used to produce sound insulation properties in the building.
• Gypsum plasterboard has better properties than other methods like masonry to reduce noise and prevent echoes.
• Gypsum board has good noise absorbing properties.
• If you want to achieve sound absorption efficiency can be achieved by installing a 75mm thick drywall instead of a 110mm thick masonry wall.

4. Non-Combined Properties

• Heating such gypsum products cause water crystals to form inside the material due to calcination. Which in turn helps to maintain the temperature. These water crystals act as an insulating layer even after cooling.
• This type of product is considered excellent as a fire extinguisher. In addition, it can withstand fire for hours.

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Advantages of Gypsum

 

1. Gypsum is used to smooth the plaster inside the walls, as well as to repair and fill the door and window frames in the building. This whole process can be done easily and quickly. The use of gypsum reduces the need for paint for painting work.
2. If gypsum is used as plaster material, a smooth surface of the wall can be obtained.
3. Gypsum has the property of balancing humidity as well as indoor climate.
4. In addition, it helps maintain the temperature inside the building. Gypsum is very useful due to its properties like environment-friendly, fire-resistant, extreme thermal and acoustic insulation, etc.
5. Gypsum works very effectively in a very simple aesthetic view and features.
6. The gypsum board has good properties for cutting off sound transmission. The gypsum board is especially used to absorb atmospheric sounds such as speech and music.
7. Gypsum plaster is used for the clinical treatment of accidental fractures and various orthopedic diseases.
8. Gypsums are mainly used as building materials. Gypsum is used as a raw material for the manufacture of all types of building materials, such as cement and cementing materials.
9. Gypsum can be used in agriculture to improve soil efficiency and moisture absorption. In addition, gypsum is used as an additive to the soil to remove the transient effect of alkalinity.
10. Gypsum can be used as a filler for plastics and rubber.
11. Various products used in construction include gypsum partition board, load-bearing interior board, exterior wall block, wall covering board, roofing product, etc.

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Disadvantages of Gypsum

 

1. Gypsum plaster is more expensive than cement plaster to achieve the same thickness.
2. Gypsum cannot be plastered on exterior walls. Because gypsum plaster absorbs moisture. Gypsum plaster cannot be used in places like bathrooms, toilets, washing areas, kitchens, etc. in houses.
3. Gypsum is damaged due to seepage. Then it breaks down quickly.
4. The use of gypsum boards has caused difficulty in the application of curved surfaces.
5. Products made from gypsum have low durability.