Not everyone knows that gypsum board for facing frame structures has an analog that can be used when installing flooring. We are talking about gypsum sheets for the floor. They include pressed gypsum, as well as fluff pulp and technological additives.
Cellulose acts as reinforcement, which increases the strength of the material. As for additives, they are necessary to ensure moisture resistance. GVL for the floor differs from traditional drywall in that it has a uniform structure, and there is no cardboard shell. You can find out about this as soon as you look at the material.
The main types of GVL
Gypsum fiber is environmentally friendly and highly durable. It is available in the form of rectangular plates with a seam or straight edge. Specialists distinguish two types of drywall sheets, which have different operational properties. This determines the area of use.
GVL for a floor can be presented by standard plates which possess high strength characteristics, fire safety and hardness. You can use such sheets not only for decoration of residential and industrial premises, but also for flooring. During operation, the normal humidity level must be observed. Sheets have standard lengths and widths of 2500 or 1200 mm, respectively. As for the thickness, it can vary from 10 to 12.5 mm.
Moisture resistant material
Moisture-resistant GVLV for a floor is designated by the abbreviation GVLV. Sheets at the production stage are processed with hydrophobic substances, which allows to achieve high moisture resistance. You can use these canvases in rooms with high humidity, namely:
- in the bathrooms;
- in showers;
- in the kitchens.
Suitable material for finishing garages, basements and attics. Sheets are issued in the usual and small format. In the first case, we are talking about a material with the following parameters: 2500 x 1200 mm. The dimensions of small-format sheets are 1200 x 1200 mm. This allows for easy installation.
Some companies produce GVL specifically for the floor. This applies to the Knauf company, which produces Superpol material. It is made by gluing two sheets together. Edges have folds of 50 mm wide. The total thickness is 20 mm. The advantage of this moisture-resistant GVL for the Knauf Superfloor floor 1200x600x20mm is that the material is ready for installation in the construction of the prefabricated base.
The main advantages of GVL
In addition to the strength and hardness, which the manufacturer managed to achieve due to the concentration of cellulose, the described canvases have other positive characteristics, among them are:
- ability to regulate humidity;
- high viscosity;
- low thermal conductivity;
- incombustibility;
- light weight;
- the possibility of mounting on a wooden floor;
- frost resistance.
Canvases can be used for any type of interior decoration. Plates are suitable not only for flooring, but also for cladding ceilings, walls, as well as interior partitions. GVL for a floor is capable to regulate humidity. This is due to the structure of the material. Excess moisture is absorbed by the canvases, and then it is again released into the air, which has become drier. It is impossible not to mention the high viscosity. Products are easy to install, they do not crumble during processing and are not covered with cracks.
GVL plates for a floor have insignificant heat conductivity. This indicates excellent thermal insulation properties, which allows the material to be used as a reliable insulation. This characteristic is in demand when using sheets for floor installation. Gypsum fiber is also used as fire protection of buildings due to its incombustibility. If a fire occurs, the material can prevent the spread of flame into neighboring rooms by restricting access to wet utilities.
Additional advantages
GVL sheets for the floor also have a slight weight, which is approximately 18 kg. Sheets do not create additional load on bearing ceilings, and their transportation and installation are not accompanied by difficulties. Laying can be done on wooden floors and even concrete. Work is carried out in a short time. On the finished surface you can lay:
- parquet board;
- carpet;
- laminate;
- linoleum;
- the tile.
GVL is also frost-resistant. Plates are able to withstand repeated freezing and thawing, which allows them to operate in unheated rooms, for example:
- garden houses;
- country buildings;
- garages.
Main disadvantages
Moisture-resistant GVL for the floor, although it has a relatively low weight, it requires 2 people for installation. Some masters consider this feature to be a significant minus. They also note the fact that during installation, the canvas can be fragile. But this is only true if the wrong work is being done with them. Consumers are often repelled by the significant cost of gypsum fiber sheets. In this regard, the market is filled with fakes. HVL should only be purchased from trusted manufacturers. The material must have certificates confirming compliance with the requirements of GOST, which will guarantee quality.
Laying on a wooden floor: preparation of the foundations
The surface before laying the GVL sheets on the wooden floor must be prepared. But first you need to evaluate the surface condition. For this, the boards are removed so that it becomes possible to inspect the structure. Often, gypsum sheets are affected by rot. No matter what kind of rot has formed, the affected areas become soft. You can check the condition of the wood as follows: in the place where the color and structure were changed, it is necessary to drive the awl. If it comes in easily, then the site is affected. These fragments must be removed. If the damage is significant, then the design changes completely. Wooden parts are treated with an antiseptic.
Before using moisture-proof GVL for a floor, you should evaluate whether additional logs are still needed. A measure in preparing the surface is also the use of the building level. If necessary, the base must be leveled. In some cases, lags are fitted for this purpose. Excess material can be removed with a planer. If it is necessary to raise the floors, then it is necessary to lay bricks or install wedges. The floor boards can be aligned according to the same principle as when installing fiberboard. First, all the protruding hats of self-tapping screws and nails are recessed. Then the surface is checked by level. You may have to work with a grinder or a planer.
Chips and crevices are sealed with putty. If the depressions have a depth of more than 2 cm, fine expanded clay can be poured there. A vapor-permeable material is covered on the prepared base. It can be waxed paper or parchment. In order to exclude deformation of plates, an insulating tape is used. It can be based on mineral wool or polystyrene. It has a thickness of 10 mm. The tape is glued around the perimeter of the room. After completion of work, the protruding material can be removed.
Plate mounting
At the next stage, you can do the laying of paintings. Marking is applied to the sheets. In this case, the clearance for the insulation tape must be taken into account. In order not to damage the plate during its cutting, it is necessary to put the material on a flat surface. It is cut with a construction knife or a hacksaw. A curved hole can be made with a round cutter.
It is necessary to lay gypsum fiber on the adhesive mixture with additional fastening with screws. They need to be located around the perimeter of the plate, recessing the hats. The distance between the screws should be 35 cm. If we are talking about small-format sheets, the step must be reduced to 20 cm.
It is necessary to lay gypsum fiber with the help of screws with double thread. When installing the material, the joints of the plates should not coincide with the joints of the floor covering. Plates should preferably be placed at an angle of 45 ˚ to the boards. In the rows, the sheets are displaced relative to each other. The same rule must be observed when laying a two-layer coating. The canvases of the upper layer should be arranged perpendicular to the elements of the lower. The distance between the seams in the rows should not be less than 20 cm.
Characteristics of Knauf Superfloor
GVL “Knauf” floors are elements in the form of prefabricated products. They can be used in the process of element-wise assembly in the construction of screeds. Cloths are made by gluing two gypsum fiber sheets. You can lay the material in buildings for various purposes. At the first stage of installation, marking of the floor level is carried out. Then a plastic film is covered, which will serve as a vapor barrier.
The next step will be the installation of the edge tape. It is located around the perimeter of the enclosing structures that are adjacent to the prefabricated base. The leveling layer can be leveled with dry filling. The main step is the installation of a prefabricated base. It is important to exclude slopes. Moisture-resistant GVL for the floor "Knauf" 1200h600h20 mm has a usable area of 0.75 m 2 . The heat transfer coefficient does not exceed 6.2 W / m C. The thermal conductivity coefficient can vary from 0.22 to 0.36 W / m C. The hardness of the front surface is 20 MPa or more.
You may also be interested in surface water absorption, which is 1 kg / m 2 or less. Among builders and home craftsmen, moisture-resistant GVL for flooring is very popular. Moisture-resistant “Knauf” is a material with a specific effective activity of natural radionuclides in the range of 370 Bq / kg. The material is packaged in separate bags, in which 70 elements with a total area of 50.4 m 2 . If you consider the canvas in terms of fire performance, you should know that the material belongs to the G1 class. As for the smoke generating ability, the plates can be attributed to group D1. Moisture-resistant GVL for the floor “Knauf superfloor” is assigned to the group of WG 1 for the spread of flame.
The main advantages of the Superpol system from the manufacturer Knauf
If you still don’t know whether it is worth choosing the Knauf Superfloor system, then you should consider its advantages. Among the pluses, the absence of wet processes during installation should be highlighted. You can start laying flooring a day after the completion of installation work.
The assembly of the floor is simple. You can install floor systems on your own or with the assistance of specialists. The material has a small weight, so it does not exert a load on the supporting structures. This is true when repairing dilapidated housing. Consumers quite often are also interested in the durability of the system, which has been tested over a decade of operation in rooms for various purposes. In this case, the floor can have a very different cross, which is characteristic for:
- houses;
- apartments;
- Hotels
- offices.
GVL for a floor moisture resistant 1200kh600kh20mm is also an excellent noise absorber. After laying it, you can not pay attention to the pranks of children, while preserving the nerves of neighbors. All the charm of comfort will allow you to feel the slabs also thanks to the heat-insulating properties. The material is environmentally friendly, so it can be used in rooms with special requirements for relevant standards.
Elements of the described gender increase labor productivity and reduce labor intensity. You can reduce installation time. Screws and adhesive mastic will no longer be consumed in the same volume. Using the described canvases, you can ensure the separation of joints and minimize waste. Through the use of residues from previous rows, a span of 250 mm can be formed. Screed parts are very easy to adjust. This is especially true in those rooms where there are enclosing structures with a complex configuration.
Finally
If you have already worked with the installation of other sheet materials like plywood or chipboard, then before starting the installation work, where GVL will be involved, you should familiarize yourself with the technology. It states that the width of the gaps between the sheets should not be more than 2 mm. The hats of the screws when fixing the paintings should be recessed in plaster, which will eliminate damage to the finish layer.
Any residual adhesive that has come to the surface should be disposed of after installation. The composition should not accumulate inside the joints and on those sides that are adjacent to the walls. If you have to work with a two-layer sheet, then at the edge of its joints must be cut off. At the final stage, the resulting surface must be processed. For this, joints and attachment points are sealed with gypsum putty. A reinforcing tape is covered on top.
If you work with a wooden surface, then you must purchase a putty designed for this material. In rooms where leaks are possible, waterproofing of joints and those places where the walls are in contact with the floor should be provided.