Among the main advantages of drywall should be its ability to conduct low heat. Plates are able to breathe, which means they absorb and release moisture. The canvases comply with environmental standards, and they are based on dry gypsum, paper and starch. All this provides good thermal insulation, and also allows you to create a comfortable temperature in the room.
Thermal conductivity
Thermal conductivity of drywall is the property of the material to pass heat and transfer it to cold areas. This ability of the described material determines the coefficient of thermal conductivity. As a rule, the characteristic varies from 0.21 to 0.34 W/(m×K). The best indicators of thermal conductivity are in Knauf drywall. In this case, they are 0.15 W / (m × K). According to this parameter, the material can be compared with one of the mostenvironmentally friendly and warm materials - wood. If it compares with gypsum plaster or plywood, then the thermal conductivity of gypsum will be lower.
But due to its small thickness, even such thermal conductivity of drywall (it is used quite often for insulation) is not able to provide good wall insulation. The sheet has an average thickness of 12.5 mm. With its help, it is impossible to provide complete thermal insulation. However, if you combine canvases with other heaters, the materials will retain heat well.
Additional benefits
As another of the main advantages, it should be noted that the sheets can be used to create structures installed on the basis of the profile. As a result of this, a layer of air is formed inside, which contributes to the fact that the thermal conductivity of the GCR becomes less. This also provides additional ventilation of the walls, which eliminates the accumulation of moisture and prevents the formation of condensate. At the junction, where warm and cold temperatures come into contact with each other, a dew point, condensate, forms. The air gap is necessary to ventilate the wall, which prevents the accumulation of condensate.
In confirmation, it can be noted that air is the best heat insulator, so it is accepted everywhere to use it in conjunction with GKL. In addition, it can also provide soundproofing for structures and partitions, which are quite often installed in small studio apartments.
Types, their comparison and properties
Drywall ismultilayer paper and gypsum board. This design allows you to use the material as a finish, as well as create interior partitions from it. If you follow certain rules during installation, you can hang shelves on the walls and glue wallpaper.
But the thermal conductivity of drywall is not the only indicator that should be followed when choosing canvases. It is important to pay attention to the types of material. It can be:
- standard;
- flame retardant;
- moisture resistant;
- fire and moisture resistant.
When you visit the store, you will see Knauf drywall, the coefficient of thermal conductivity of which is the lowest among other varieties. In addition, this material is offered for sale in the "superlist" variety. It is characterized by a fibrous structure, which improves the properties of the sheets, facilitates the cutting process and increases strength. Superlist is convenient when installing interior partitions.
In general, the thermal conductivity of drywall is not the only characteristic that you should pay attention to. You must choose from a variety of canvas options, including:
- acoustic
- arched;
- vinyl.
For example, arched cardboard has a lower thickness and weight, which allows you to create curved complex structures. When using vinyl, you will feel that the material is easy to work with, because its surface is ready for decorative finishing and does not require puttying.
The thermal conductivity of drywall has been mentioned above, but you mustknow also about other properties of the GCR, among which:
- security;
- smoothness;
- easy to handle;
- high sound insulation performance;
- low cost;
- relatively light weight;
- mechanical strength;
- sustainable.
GKL special purpose
If we compare an insulated sheet with a standard one, the first one will have a layer of polystyrene foam on one side, which will reduce thermal conductivity. Such material does not have a cardboard coating, which makes it resistant to open fire and moisture. Such sheets resist fire well due to fiberglass reinforcing inclusions. As for moisture resistant sheets, they contain special additives against mold and silicone. Sheets are made in other colors and can be green or pink.
Properties of Knauf drywall and its comparison with standard drywall
The thermal conductivity of the Knauf GKL is already known to you. It's time to learn about sheet density. It is equal to 10.1kg/m2, which is 30.3kg per sheet. If we compare with conventional GKL, then the one described in this section also has a green cardboard shell. This material has a standard thickness of 12.5 mm and is usually used for interior decoration of rooms that are operated at high relative humidity. These could be:
- showers;
- bathrooms;
- pools;
- laundromats.
This distinguishes this drywall with a thermal conductivity that is much lower than that of standard sheets. The latter are usually not used at high humidity. An additional difference is also the presence of water-repellent modifiers and antiseptic impregnation in moisture-resistant sheets from the Knauf manufacturer. The cardboard layer is covered last. This helps protect the sheet from mold and mildew.
Another difference is that the Knauf drywall core does not lose its geometric shapes and does not swell at high humidity. Ordinary breathable drywall, if the air humidity exceeds 70%, begins to lose shape, and when dried, it cracks and crumbles. Moisture-resistant sheets are devoid of this property, so they can be used for interior wall decoration, where relative humidity can reach 90%.
Comparison of drywall types by additional properties
GKL thermal conductivity is one of the important characteristics, however, when choosing this material, it is also necessary to pay attention to the purpose. Different types of GCR have their own properties. For example, a standard sheet contains no additives and may be light gray or blue in color. Such sheets are intended for operation at a humidity of not more than 70%. Decorative structures, partitions are created from this material, it is used for cladding ceilings and walls, as well as when creating large-area structures.
The thermal conductivity and density of drywall are now known to you, but you also need to take an interest in the basic properties of some types of this material. Among the latter, a moisture-resistant sheet should be distinguished, which contains fungicidal and hydrophobic modifiers. This allows the material to be used in wet areas. You can recognize such canvases by the blue markings. GKVL operation is possible in damp rooms. Most often, such sheets are installed on balconies, loggias, kitchens and bathrooms. You can use the material for the installation of window slopes, installing in conjunction with waterproofing.
The thermal conductivity of drywall is now known to you, but it is also important to know that there is a fire-resistant material on sale, the color of which can be red or light gray. The marking is red. The sheet contains fiberglass, which prevents fire. The material is used for passive protection of premises from fires. You can recognize the sheets by the GKLO marking. They are recommended for the construction and repair of structures in crowded places. It can be stations or shopping centers. Such canvases proved to be excellent as fireproof partitions. With their help, you can form boxes and ventilation shafts, sheathing the latter.
The thermal conductivity of drywall is not a fundamental characteristic when choosing a material that will be used under special conditions. In this case, we are talking about sheets, which are subject to increased requirements for fire andmoisture resistance. Such sheets have a green color and a red marking. This variety is quite rare on the market and is not manufactured by many companies. The material is universal.
Another variety is designer drywall, which has the ability to bend. It is commonly used to create arches. This view is designed to create complex structures of arbitrary shapes. With it, you can decorate the living area by making various interior elements and even furniture. The sheet has a small thickness and high flexibility due to the reinforcing layers of fiberglass. Thickness varies from 6mm to 6.5mm.
Among the main advantages, there is no need to soak the canvases to give them the desired shape. Sheets have fire-retardant properties. On sale you can also find acoustic drywall, which is distinguished by holes of 1 cm. The reverse side has a sound-absorbing layer. This type is used in those conditions where protection from external noise is necessary, this includes concert halls or recording studios. It is not recommended to putty the surface of such drywall, but it is quite possible to paint it.
The thermal conductivity of drywall may differ when comparing some types of this material. This was discussed above. However, before choosing a material, it is important to pay attention to the properties. You can purchase high-strength material, which is marked as GKLVU. The material is reinforced and can withstand high mechanical loads. Heavy household appliances like a TV are hung on the wall or ceiling. Can be used in different rooms. Such a sheet can be moisture resistant or fire resistant.
Drywall comparison by edge type
If you take a look at the drywall sheet, you will notice that the long side has an edge, which is necessary to create an accurate mating. Its length reaches 5 cm from the outside. Depending on the type of edge, the putty can be applied with or without reinforcing tape. You can find out about the type of edge if you pay attention to the back of the canvas. On sale there are sheets with the following edges:
- straight;
- semicircular;
- rounded;
- thinned.
The choice of type is determined by the preferences of the consumer who will putty the surface.
Additional features: advantages and disadvantages
Among the positive properties of drywall should be highlighted high bending strength, poor flammability, ability to tolerate low temperatures, high thermal conductivity, environmental friendliness, low weight, ease of installation. This material also has its drawbacks, namely, poor moisture resistance, fragility during transportation and installation, as well as insufficient strength. In addition, without a frame, sheets are quite difficult to install.
As for the bending strength, this property can be said that a square meter of fabric can withstand up to 15 kg of load with a thickness of 1 cm. A rather important characteristicis also a bad flammability. It is provided with a plaster base. The material is poorly flammable and belongs to the group G1 for flammability and B2 for flammability.
Material withstands low temperatures well. In the cold, it does not crack and does not burst, but if the temperature rises, then the physical properties are restored. It is impossible not to mention also the coefficient of thermal conductivity. Cloths regulate the level of humidity, which is especially true for GKLV.
Comparison of drywall thermal conductivity with other materials
In order to understand the issue of thermal conductivity in more detail, this indicator should be compared with the corresponding indicators inherent in other materials. The coefficient of thermal conductivity of drywall from the company "Knauf" is 0.15 units. Compared to other materials, this figure is significantly lower.
For example, the thermal conductivity of reinforced concrete is 1.5 units, while wood has a thermal conductivity coefficient of the same 0.15 units. This applies to plywood and other wood finishing materials. But regarding plaster - this indicator can vary from 0.21 to 09, which depends on the type of material.
In conclusion
Drywall is a versatile material that is used in many areas of human activity. This includes construction, repair and decoration. Even partitions can be created from drywall, which allow you to cope with the work much faster andhelp save money.
