Plasterboard is an ideal product for sustainable construction. As a light weight building material, plasterboard reduces transport costs and emissions as well as the total weight of buildings. Plasterboard is also 100% recyclable, with low embodied energy, and made largely from a naturally occurring mineral - gypsum.
Knauf sources its gypsum from large natural reserves within Australia. The liner paper used to make plasterboard is biodegradable and made from recycled paper such as waste newspaper and cardboard.
The plasterboard manufacturing process operates under strict environmental guidelines:
- Efficient use of energy and water: including heat recovery and storm water collection
- Effective collection and monitoring of dust
- Ongoing waste and raw material usage reduction
- Minimisation of plant impact on surroundings.
Plasterboard is the most commonly used building material worldwide for internal wall and ceiling linings. It is made from a core 1 of a naturally occurring mineral called gypsum, also known as calcium sulphate dihydrate or CaSO4.2H2O. The core is sandwiched between two layers of heavy duty recycled paper 2 The face paper is suitable for painting or wallpaper. Plasterboard has square profile cut ends 3 and long recessed edges 4 to enable easy jointing.
Plasterboard systems provide a wide variety of economical construction solutions that are recognised for their light weight and high performance.
Knauf manufactures plasterboard to high internal standards which meet or exceed the requirements of AS/NZS 2588, Gypsum Plasterboard.
Plasterboard must be installed and finished according to the requirements of AS/NZS 2589.2007, Gypsum linings - Application and finishing.
Dimensional Stability
Plasterboard is dimensionally stable when compared to other building materials.
Two measures of dimensional stability are listed below:
1. Thermal coefficient of linear expansion (∝) = 16.7 (x 10-6 / °C), measured unrestrained over the temperature range 3°C – 32°C
2. Hygrometric coefficient of expansion = 6.5 (x 10-6 / %RH), measured unrestrained over the Relative Humidity (RH) range of 10% - 90%.
Fire Resistance
All Plasterboard is naturally fire resistant and is classified as non-combustible according to the Building Code of Australia (BCA) Section C1.12. The core slows down the spread of fire by releasing chemically bound water when heated. This is a similar process to evaporation and aids cooling.
Fire Hazard Properties
Fire Hazard Indices have been superseded in the BCA Section C1.10 by ‘Fire Hazard Properties’. Wall and ceiling materials are required to be tested and classified with a Group number from 1 to 4, with Group 1 being the least fire hazardous. Fire hazard properties relate to the combustibility of plasterboard, not its performance in a fire test.
The following products are classified as Group 1:
MastaShield, SpanShield, FireShield, ImpactShield, WaterShield, MultiShield, SafeShield, SoundShield, AcoustiShield, CurveShield, MastaDeco, ShaftLiner, GIB X-Block, SpanGrid Ceiling Panel - Paper Faced.
The following products are classified as Group 2:
SpanGrid Ceiling Panel - Vinyl Faced.
All Knauf products have an Average Specific Extinction Area of <250 m2/kg as required by Specification C1.10a, Clause 3(c) of the BCA.
Thermal properties
Thermal ‘R’ Value
The R-value of plasterboard is a measure of its thermal insulation ability. Higher numbers indicate a better insulator. The values for plasterboard are:
- 10mm plasterboard = 0.059 K • m2/W
- 13mm plasterboard = 0.081 K • m2/W
- 16mm plasterboard = 0.101 K • m2/W
Specific Heat Capacity
The specific heat capacity of plasterboard is the amount of heat energy required to raise the temperature of 1kg of plasterboard by 1°C. The value for plasterboard is 1090 J/kgK.
Safety
Standard plasterboard is not classified as hazardous according to the criteria of National Occupational Health and Safety Commission (NOHSC). It is non-toxic and non-flammable.
- Material Safety Data Sheets (MSDS) are available on the Knauf website or by calling 1300 724 505.
- Some plastering compounds have safe handling requirements.
[Refer to the health & safety information printed on the compound packaging for details].