Damage drywall - the composition of the material

For beginners, replanning work in an apartment has to choose material for new walls, ceiling lining, floor leveling and other positive changes in the old interior. Many try to give preference to the budget option and pay attention to drywall. Opinions about the building materials are very different. This information review will help to make an independent conclusion about the benefits and harm of drywall.

History of the invention of drywall

Dry plaster was invented in the USA.The exact translation of the term from English drywall is a dry wall. At the end of the 19th century, a prototype of drywall was invented: a sandwich made of several dozen layers of paper and a layer of gypsum. In the beginning of the 20th century, the building material was improved and adopted a customary look for the present. A little later, the design of the edges of dry plaster was added. The first gypsum board manufacturer from Sweden started production of new construction materials for sale in Europe.

Properties of plasterboard from the standpoint of ecological compatibility

Drywall composition:

1. Gypsum is a natural mineral product. Produced from sedimentary rocks. By purifying the raw material from impurities, grinding, drying at a temperature of 1800 gypsum powder is obtained.

2. Sheets of cardboard, performing the role of reinforcement.

3. The gypsum mixture is poured between two layers of the special board.

4. The sheets of cardboard are bent around the ends, closing the longitudinal edge of the sheets and forming a protective edge.

5. On a special machine, the ends are given a unique shape.

6. A plasterboard strip with a large kilometer is produced. The machine-cutter cuts off sheets of standard length - 2.5 m from the continuous tape.

7. The cut off standard sheets of gypsum board are sent to the oven for drying.8. The finished product is packed in the appropriate container.9. Modern industry produces several types of dry plaster:

• ordinary drywall. It consists of cardboard and a layer of gypsum. Gray cardboard is used for the surface. The blue color is marked on top. It is not impregnated with organic or inorganic substances, absolutely harmless to health. It is used for interior finishing works;

• moisture resistant drywall. The sheets are dried before drying with a special antifungal and antibacterial composition, which prevents the soaking. The leaf is distinguished by a pleasant green color. Sphere of application of building material: for bathrooms, showers, bathrooms, any premises with high humidity;
• fireproof plasterboard. It is reinforced with a grid with refractory properties. The sheet is resistant to open flames. Glass fiber is used as a protective refractory material. When burned, the cardboard casing is sintered and retains its structural integrity. The combustion process is not accompanied by the release of carcinogenic volatile compounds;
• combined plasterboard. It is processed by a complex of means of protection against wetting and combustion. The composition does not include heavy metals or toxic additives.

If products with additional protection are manufactured on modern equipment from a manufacturer that complies with the established sanitary standards, then all additives will be examined for compliance with safety standards, with the provision of appropriate certificates to the buyer. The harmlessness of protective materials for ecology is determined according to the standards of the European requirement.

Drywall Dry Properties

The harmful properties of dry plasters may occur when a process is disturbed. In cases of use by the manufacturer of unproven substances or additives. When using mineral raw materials for gypsum from an unfavorable environment in the environmental situation. To find out the compliance of plasterboard with norms and GOST is necessary when purchasing material, demanding the provision of quality certificates, the conclusion of sanitary epidemiological services, purchasing building materials in a reliable company or from a well-known manufacturer. It turns out that with the responsible approach of the manufacturer to the production of drywall, harmful impurities and damage to health are excluded.

Harm to drywall for health

If you identify the harmful effects of gypsum board on the body, you should pay attention to the operating conditions and the scope of the construction material:

• Working with gypsum board is inevitably associated with cutting material. Dust released during this process falls into the respiratory system. Constant inhalation of gypsum dust leads to irritation of the mucous membrane and provokes the development of acute respiratory infections. Tip: work related to cutting, cutting, drilling sheets to produce in a respirator. At the end of the work, remove the accumulated dust from the vacuum cleaner.
• Incorrect application of dry plaster. When using plasterboard of the usual composition for wall finishing, in wet rooms, the following process occurs: in the porous structure, under the influence of dampness, a nutrient medium is formed for the vital activity of fungal and mold microorganisms. The formation of these colonies is harmful to the body, it serves as a source of an unpleasant "raw" or "basement" smell in the room.

• Execution of slopes of window openings from ordinary drywall leads to condensation of moisture in the internal cavity of the slope, the material is damaged by mold. As a result, the apartment gets mycotoxins. They have a detrimental effect on immunity, cause seizures of allergic diseases. Tip: carefully consider the application of dry plaster, use the construction material for the intended use. Use a moisture-resistant plasterboard for finishing the slopes of window openings inside the room. If you treat ordinary drywall with a fungicidal compound, the condensate will not spoil the appearance, does not deform the material and will not create conditions for the development of harmful microorganisms on the surface.
• Sometimes in the composition of gypsum cardboard there are compounds of formaldehyde or phenol. This is not a frequent occurrence due to the fault of the manufacturer. When choosing a material, do not trust the cheap varieties of drywall, especially the Chinese ones. Domestic manufacturers always supply the products sold with accompanying documents. Demand the presentation of conformity certificates at the point of sale.

Arguing about the dangers of drywall, take into account specific situations, correctly apply the material for its purpose.

Practical advice how to reduce harm from drywall

• Drywall is not recommended for use in a closed, unventilated space with a humidity level above normal. For plating or finishing baths, saunas, showers, jacuzzi it is better to use another building material with high water repellent characteristics. Especially, it is not recommended to use dry plaster in such rooms for plating a suspended ceiling. Swelling, the material sags, deforms and can collapse the entire structure.
• For the construction or finishing of attic floors, outbuildings used fire resistant gypsum board with guaranteed resistance to high temperatures.

• When purchasing sheets, make sure that there is a marking on each unit. The factory material has a blue label. If there is no inscription on the surface or it is made in a penciled pencil, give up the goods. Most likely, it is released without compliance with GOST, is not certified or manufactured inappropriately.
• Sealing joints at the junction point, carry out a special ready-made mortar intended for internal work in living quarters. Otherwise, the source of the release of harmful substances will result in the complete harmlessness of the drywall.
• For elastic sealing, the best material is the elastic filler. It prevents the appearance of a defective site in the structure when the temperature regime is changed, and therefore excludes the possibility of mycotoxin formation.
• Carefully sealing the seam, provide sound insulation, remove the source of penetration of moisture at the joints of the seam and prevent the fungal defeat of the base.
• Technical drywall has an appearance similar to conventional dry plaster. The difference in the core between the sheets. For a technical product, gypsum is used for poor processing. The surface of the sheet disperses microscopic dust particles into the air. A constant stay in a room decorated with such a material, promotes an allergic reaction, redness of the eyelids, nasal congestion. Use this kind of drywall is recommended in non-residential rooms.

• In a well-ventilated room, drywall serves as a humidity regulator. The porous surface absorbs excess moisture, and when the air composition changes, it begins to emit water vapor into the surrounding space. Plan a good ventilation system, and dry plaster will serve not only for decoration, but also for natural moisturizing or dehumidification.
• Performing the installation of partitions, openings, arches from plasterboard, carefully select the surface dye. It should coincide with the technical characteristics of dry plaster, do not change its porous structure.

Plasterboard harm and benefit

Analyzing the above information, it suggests the conclusion of harmless drywall for finishing the home, housekeeping, office or government. The main thing is to follow the recommendations of using the material. Check the quality of the building material before purchase:

1. Make sure that the gypsum layer is white, without gray inclusions.
2. Ask to check the sheet for kink. Make an incision and bend the product along the line. High-quality gypsum cardboard is broken strictly according to the marking, the edges do not have breaks, irregularities, jagged peaks.
3. Sheets with peeling cardboard surfaces indicate a defective product.