Gypsum industry news

US: The Gypsum Association (GA) has released its revised guidance on levels of finish for gypsum panel products (GA-214-2021). This document is intended to assist design professionals, contractors and building owners to more precisely describe in project documents the finishing requirements for walls and ceilings prior to the application of paints and other decorative finishes. It was last revised in 2015.

Spain: Saint-Gobain Placo has launched a new technical manual on environmental certifications of buildings. The Saint-Gobain subsidiary says that the manual will help professionals when addressing all certification requirements in Spanish construction. It takes a practical approach and details all processes and evidence necessary for each certificate. The company hopes to advance sustainable development by facilitating more comprehensive planning.

US: The Gypsum Association has released GA-227-13, 'Recommendations for the Prevention of Ceiling Cracking', a publication outlining methods to mitigate cracking in large-span wallboard ceilings due to fluctuations in temperature and humidity.

GA-227-13 explains that ceiling cracks can appear at gypsum board joints when the span between framing members approaches or exceeds 4.5m. The centreline cracks can occur because materials such as gypsum wallboard and wood framing shrink and expand at different rates due to periodical changes in moisture content and temperature. To address the issue, the document details how resilient channels can reduce the occurrence of cracking.

"The methods for the use of resilient channels described in this document have been shown to be very effective in preventing ceiling cracks due to swings in temperature and moisture content of wood framing - particularly in long spans," said Robert Wessel senior director of technical services for the Gypsum Association. "The swings usually occur during a change in season from summer to winter or in dry areas such as desert environments."