Overview and characteristics of gypsum vinyl panels

Gypsum vinyl panels are a finishing material, the production of which began relatively recently, but it has already gained popularity. Production has been established not only abroad, but also in Russia, and the characteristics allow the use of an attractive exterior coating inside the premises without additional finishing. Such structures are easy to install and lightweight. It is worth learning in more detail about what kind of gypsum vinyl with a thickness of 12 mm is for walls and in the form of other sheets, how it is used.

Gypsum vinyl panels are ready-made sheets from which you can erect partitions and other structures inside buildings, structures for various purposes. At the heart of each such panel is gypsum board, on both sides of which a vinyl layer is applied. Such an outer covering not only serves as a replacement for the classic finish, but also provides increased moisture resistance to the created non-capital walls. The most popular types of film for the production of panels are produced by the brands Durafort, Newmor.

A distinctive characteristic of gypsum vinyl is its environmental safety. Even with strong heating, the material does not emit toxic substances. This makes the sheets suitable for residential use. The laminated coating of the panels allows you to give the material an original and stylish look. Among the ornaments used by manufacturers, the imitation of reptile skin, textile coatings, matting, and solid natural wood stands out.

The scope of application of gypsum vinyl panels is quite wide. They help solve a number of problems.

1. They create designer arches and other architectural elements in the interior. Flexible thin sheets are well suited for this kind of work. In addition, they are suitable for the construction of podiums, fireplace portals, as they have sufficient bearing capacity.
2. Ceilings and walls are covered. The finished finish significantly speeds up and facilitates this process, allowing you to immediately get an even decorative coating. Due to its quick installation, the material is popular in the decoration of offices and shopping centers, it meets the standards of medical institutions, it is approved for use in banking organizations, airport buildings, hotels and hostels, at military-industrial facilities.
3. Forms protrusions and fences for various purposes. With gypsum vinyl panels, functional or decorative elements can be quickly erected or completed. For example, they are well suited for creating check-in counters and temporary barriers, creating stands for performances in classrooms.
4. Openings are faced at the locations of the slopes in door and window structures. If the same finish is on the walls, in addition to the general aesthetic solution, you can get an additional increase in sound insulation in the building.
5. They create the details of the built-in furniture. The backs and sides of its body look much more attractive with this finish.

Plates made of gypsum vinyl are more expensive than classic gypsum plasterboard sheets, but the presence of a finished finish makes them a more functional and convenient solution. This is the best option for quickly changing commercial interiors with temporary or permanent partitions. Among the distinctive features of the material, it is also possible to highlight the economy of up to 27% in comparison with ordinary drywall, a long service life of up to 10 years.The panels are easily cut to size, since they have a flat edge, and are suitable for cladding large rooms.

Gypsum vinyl is available in sheets of standard sizes. With a width of 1200 mm, their length can reach 2500 mm, 2700 mm, 3000 mm, 3300 mm, 3600 mm. The material has the following characteristics:

• thickness 12 mm, 12.5 mm, 13 mm;
• fire safety classes KM-2, flammability - G1;
• the mass of 1 m2 is 9.5 kg;
• density 0.86 g / cm3;
• toxicity class T2;
• high resistance to mechanical stress;
• biological resistance (not afraid of mold and mildew);
• operating temperature range from +80 to -50 degrees Celsius;
• resistant to UV radiation.

Due to its low water absorption, the material has no restrictions on frame installation in rooms with high humidity levels. Its soundproof and heat-insulating properties are higher than that of gypsum board without lamination.

Standard 12mm gypsum vinyl panels are available as regular flat-edged boards or tongue-and-groove products for quicker installation. Wall and ceiling slabs are blind and have no technological holes. For the walls of office buildings and other premises, both decorative and monochromatic versions of coatings without a pattern are produced. For the ceiling, you can choose pure white matte or glossy design solutions.

For the walls of buildings and structures that require spectacular design, stage and club decorations, original types of coatings are used. They can be golden or silver, have more than 200 options for colors, textures and ornaments. 3D panels with an immersive effect are in great demand - a three-dimensional image looks very realistic.

In addition to premium decor, PVC-based gypsum vinyl boards are also available. They are more affordable, but they are much inferior to their counterparts in performance characteristics: they are not so resistant to ultraviolet radiation and other external influences.

Installation of gypsum vinyl panels is possible in several ways. As in the case of conventional gypsum boards, they are installed in frame and frameless methods. The process of mounting on a profile and to a solid wall has quite large differences. That is why it is customary to consider them separately.

This method is used when independent structures are created using gypsum vinyl panels: internal partitions, arched openings, other architectural elements (niches, ledges, podiums). Let's consider the procedure in more detail.

1. Markup. It is performed taking into account the thickness of the material and the dimensions of the profile.
2. Fastening of horizontal guides. The profile of the upper and lower rows is mounted to the ceiling and floor using dowels.
3. Installation of vertical battens. Rack profiles are fixed with a pitch of 400 mm. Their installation begins from the corner of the room, gradually moving towards the central part. Fastening is carried out on self-tapping screws.
4. Preparing the racks. They are degreased, covered with double-sided adhesive tape with a strip length of 650 mm and an interval of not more than 250 mm.
5. Installation of gypsum vinyl panels. They are attached to the other side of the adhesive tape starting from the bottom. It is important to leave a technological gap of about 10-20 mm above the floor surface. The inner corner is secured by an L-shaped metal profile, securely fixed to the frame.
6. Connecting sheets to each other. In the area of ​​inter-slab joints, a W-shaped profile is attached. In the future, a decorative strip is inserted into it, covering the technological gaps. F-shaped plugs are placed on the outer corners of the panels.

Having mounted the covering over the entire plane of the prepared lathing, you can install decorative elements, cut in sockets or equip slopes in the opening. After that, the partition or other structure will be completely ready for use.

This method of installing gypsum vinyl panels is used only if the base - the surface of the rough wall - is perfectly aligned. Any curvature will lead to the finished coating not looking aesthetically pleasing enough; discrepancies in the joints may appear. Beforehand, the surface is thoroughly degreased, cleaned of any contamination. Installation is also carried out using a special industrial-type adhesive tape: double-sided, with increased adhesive characteristics.

The main fastening elements are applied to the frame in the form of a solid wall in strips - perpendicularly, with a pitch of 1200 mm. Then, with a vertical and horizontal step of 200 mm, separate pieces of tape of 100 mm should be applied to the wall. During installation, the sheet is positioned so that its edges fall on solid strips, then it is strongly pressed against the surface. If everything is done correctly, the mount will be strong and reliable.

If you need to veneer the corner of the cladding with gypsum vinyl, it is not necessary to completely cut it. It is enough just to make an incision on the back of the sheet with a cutter, remove dust residues from it, apply a sealant and bend, fixing it to the surface. The corner will look solid. To obtain a bend when creating arched structures, gypsum vinyl sheet can be heated from the inside out with a building hairdryer, and then shaped on a template.

The following video explains how to install gypsum vinyl panels.