Everyone knows plasterboard sheet, which has already firmly entered the ranks of the most famous materials for interior decoration. But what if there is another material that is superior to drywall? Interested? Then read the article about gypsum fiber sheet - a strong and reliable material for floor finishing.
Gypsum fiber sheet (GVL) is a finishing material that made from gypsum and reinforced with various additives, as well as cellulose. Its peculiarity is in a homogeneous material, which does not have a cardboard shell. There are two types of such material: GVL and GVLV (moisture-resistant gypsum fiber sheet).
The first type can be used in residential and industrial premises with a dry atmosphere, and the second - in buildings where humidity is high. Gypsum fiber sheet is a compressed material that consists of gypsum and finely ground paper. Waste paper adds GVL good strength, and gypsum binds its parts into a sheet.
Advantages and disadvantages of GVL for floors
- heavy weight;
- improper handling increases fragility during installation;
- high cost compared to drywall.
When choosing, you need to take into account that it is better to buy gypsum fiber sheets trusted manufacturers. For example, KNAUF products outperform Russian materials in some fairly significant indicators. If you buy GVLV, then check the markings each sheet, since dishonest manufacturers can dilute moisture-resistant boards with ordinary ones, which is difficult to notice at first glance.
Material Specifications
GVL is a sheet sanded on one side, which impregnated with a water repellent and a specialized anti-chalking compound that acts as a primer.
The length of a standard sheet is 2500 mm, width - 1200 mm, thickness - about 10 mm. If desired, the sheets can be other sizes.
Other technical characteristics that any GVL must comply with:
- Humidity - less than 1.0%.
- Density - no more than 1200 kg/m3.
- Bending strength is more than 5.5 MPa.
- Hardness - more than 22 MPa.
- Thermal conductivity - 0.22−0.35 W/m*ºС.
At high humidity GVL absorbs moisture and when dry, on the contrary, it releases it back. During production, gypsum fiber sheets undergo strict testing, as a result of which they receive certificates of conformity corresponding to GOST level.
Technology for laying gypsum fiber board on the floor
Before installation you should remove old material to inspect the floor and further actions. If there are irregularities, they must be eliminated, cracks on the surface must be filled with cement mortar or mounting mixture. You can use floor bedding for better prepare it for installation, after this, there is no need for additional thermal insulation unless you want better protection from cold and noise.
Now let's move on to laying the slabs themselves:
- First, the tape is glued, which is necessary to compensate for changes in the material due to temperature changes. It needs to be fixed along all the walls of the room in the place where the gypsum fiber boards will be laid. If you have not leveled the floor or insulated it, then treat it with a deep-penetrating primer.
- Next, we fix the sheets to the finished base using glue and self-tapping screws (they need to be screwed in every 35-40 cm around the perimeter of the gypsum fiber 2 mm inward). Make sure that the sheets are laid evenly; the seams should not extend less than 20 cm.
Regarding the number of layers gypsum fiber sheets, then in most cases one will be enough, but you should remember that if you are going to put second layer, then the sheets should lie perpendicular to the components of the previous ones, displacing the seams of adjacent rows; they are also attached with glue and self-tapping screws. But to make it more convenient, you can use special sheets that glue the slabs during installation. Their installation it will be easier to go since they have a smaller thickness and a seam that will help put one sheet on top of another.
Now comes the final part. Firstly, it is required joint processing between the plates. Take either putty or the remaining glue, apply it to the seams and press the reinforcing tape. Putty also should be sealed those places where the screws were attached. If you are placing gypsum fiber in a bathtub or other room with high humidity, then it is better to resort to additional waterproofing in the area of the seams and walls.
After 24 hours of completion of work, you can start finishing the floor. The material that is laid on the gypsum fiber board can be anything, it is tile or linoleum - it all depends on your desire.
Leveling the floor is one of the most important tasks during renovation. This will ultimately determine how long this floor will last, how the furniture placed on its surface will be visually perceived, and in general what impression the interior will make.
It is desirable to achieve alignment in such a way that it is simple, quick and without extra costs. In order for the leveling layer to serve for a long time, ensure safety and meet high performance characteristics, you need to choose the necessary one wisely building material. When installing the floor covering, you can use gypsum fiber sheet - GVL.
Peculiarities
At its core, GVL is a “close relative” of drywall. The structure of the sheets includes gypsum, cellulose, which binds it reliably, and other “additives” that ensure the strength of the material and its moisture resistance. GVL differs from plasterboard in that it does not have a cardboard shell, its structure is uniform, and it is denser.
Gypsum fiber sheets have a number of undeniable advantages:
- Under the floor, which is leveled using this material, you can immediately install any heating system.
- This coating is lightweight. It is easy to transport and convenient to lay even on not very strong foundations.
- Installation can be done in winter, since materials containing moisture are not used during the work.
- A person without specific builder experience can install gypsum fiber boards. It is enough to be able to hold tools in your hands.
- GLV-floor is quickly installed. There is no unnecessary debris or noise during the work process. On average, installation takes no more than one or two days.
- From traditional materials for leveling the floor - chipboard (chipboard) and DSP ( cement bonded particle board) - differs in that it does not creak after installation. Does not change shape after significant temperature changes.
- Well withstands increased mechanical stress and shock.
- In case of fire, it will become an obstacle to the fire. This material does not burn, but only chars.
- There are no restrictions on use. Gypsum fiber is appropriate in any building - low-rise and high-rise.
- Doesn't highlight harmful substances, and therefore is considered environmentally safe.
- There are few disadvantages of GVL.
- It is better to lay this material together, since it is difficult to handle it alone.
- If you handle the gypsum fiber sheet improperly, you can accidentally break the sheet.
- The material is quite expensive.
- A type of GVL - moisture-resistant gypsum fiber sheets (GVLV), although intended for use in rooms with high humidity, can still be affected by rot. In rotten areas they become soft. Sometimes entire sheets have to be replaced.
Kinds
By appearance GVL is a rectangular slab or sheet. Unlike conventional slabs, GVLV are treated with special hydrophobic substances. This makes it possible to use them in bathrooms and kitchens.
There are also sheets of gypsum fiber on sale that are glued together and mutually offset. They have folds on the edges, allowing you to quickly and easily install the leveling layer of the floor.
Specifications
A typical gypsum plasterboard panel for rooms with a humidity level that does not exceed the norm can have dimensions: length 2500 mm, width 1200 mm, thickness - 10 or 12.5 mm. The moisture-resistant board can be exactly the same format. Or it may have smaller dimensions; it is produced in the shape of a square 1200 by 1200 mm with a thickness of 10 mm.
In addition, GVLV sheets with dimensions of 1200 by 600 mm, a thickness of 20 mm and folds of 50 mm are sold.
To level the floor, you can choose slabs measuring 1500 by 1000 mm with a thickness of 10 mm.
The advantage of GVL is that this material has a viscous structure. Therefore, when installing in in capable hands does not crumble or crack. It has low thermal conductivity, and therefore not only levels the floor, but also makes it warm, which is extremely valuable for housing and public buildings.
Due to the fact that this non-flammable material, it is used for protection building structures from fire.
Gypsum fiber is resistant to frequent and sudden temperature changes. Therefore in unheated rooms type of garages, country houses it can be used with confidence.
Scope of use
It is convenient to “adopt” GVL panels for creating a dry floor screed in any home. For example, the weight of a self-leveling screed is approximately three hundred kilograms for each square meter. To construct it, you have to purchase materials such as cement, gravel, sand, etc. Plus, you need to wait until such a screed dries.
Therefore, the use of gypsum fiber sheet is an excellent alternative to all these worries and difficulties.
In addition, a concrete mixer to renew the concrete floor on the upper floor apartment building Not everyone will dare to drag it, and it will be difficult to place it in an apartment. With gypsum fiber and other components necessary for dry screed, everything is much simpler.
Using GVL you can make a subfloor over concrete floors, and over old wooden floors. There is no need to wait after this work is completed. You can immediately begin creating the top decorative layer. Laminate, carpet, linoleum and parquet fit perfectly on GVL; it is possible to put it on GVLV ceramic tiles in the bathroom. And the gypsum fiber, among other things, will serve as a soundproofing layer.
GVL does not contradict the installation of water and electric floors. In this case, it will be enough to use sheets with a thickness of only 10-12 mm. You don’t have to worry that the leveling layer will warp, ruining the entire coating.
Together with GVL slabs, fiber, polystyrene foam and fill insulators are used to create an insulating layer. Fiber wool includes mineral wool of different compositions. Expanded polystyrene is similar to ordinary foam. It holds heat well and is durable. But at the same time, it is quite expensive and can ignite.
Backfill heat insulators - crushed stone, slag pumice, expanded clay - are not as reliable, but are much cheaper.
Installation
You can lay gypsum fiber on both concrete and wooden floors with your own hands.
You must first calculate the quantity required material, purchase it and deliver it to the installation site.
An edge strip is installed on a concrete base around the perimeter of the room.
Vapor barrier is performed using polyethylene film. They overlap it so that one strip overlaps the other by about thirty centimeters. The film is fixed with tape, joining into a single whole.
If there are any communications or wires running along the floor, they need to be insulated, placing it in a protective corrugation. Then it is backfilled with expanded clay, which is leveled. In this case, there should be at least two centimeters of expanded clay between the cables and the gypsum board.
Expanded clay is poured, focusing on pre-installed beacons. A long strip is used to level the heat-insulating layer.
As you compact the heat insulator, you need to pay close attention to the places near the walls, in the corners and near the doors.
To make it more convenient to fill in expanded clay, and later to install the gypsum plasterboard boards themselves, you can make guides from wooden beam. They serve as a guide that shows the level to which the insulation needs to be filled, and also act as a lathing for fastening the gypsum fiber board.
Gypsum fiber is laid starting from the corner closest to the doorway. Elements of the subfloor are fastened adhesive composition. It could just be PVA or special glue. You can put two layers of gypsum fiber on the base. This will help strengthen the structure. The top layer is laid in the direction opposite to the previous one. The plates are also fastened together with glue and fixed with self-tapping screws.
During the work, excess glue that protrudes at the joints of the plates and near the walls must be carefully removed. If the top decorative covering will subsequently be carpet or laminate, the joints will also have to be puttied.
Finally, the floor is primed. The primer in the hardware store must be selected in such a way that its properties can be combined with the adhesive composition that was used to connect the GLV boards together.
If we're talking about about improvement wooden floors, the procedure will be approximately the same as when working with a concrete floor, but first you need to take care to carefully prepare the base for the gypsum plasterboard.
First of all, you need to figure out what condition the old floor is in. You will need to remove the boards and carefully assess the condition of that part of it that is not visible in a normal situation
It is possible that the structure will need to be strengthened with additional lags. It depends on what flooring material it is planned to be used as a finishing one.
Just as in the first case, alignment needs to be done. Sometimes this requires adjusting the joists. You may have to work with a plane, and in some places, to raise floors, install wedges, or even make supports out of bricks. The heads of nails and self-tapping screws on the boards must be deepened, ensuring that there are no small protrusions that will subsequently prevent the neat formation of a decorative floor covering.
Check how level the floor is using a level. The remaining defects must be removed with a sander. Although a plane will also work. Fill small irregularities such as cracks with putty. If there are deep depressions, sometimes it is enough to fill them with fine expanded clay.
According to the installation technology, a vapor-permeable material - glassine or waxed paper - must be laid on a wooden base.
The distortion of the gypsum fiber board during operation will be prevented by an insulating tape laid around the perimeter of the room ten millimeters thick and ten centimeters high. Its use will also provide sound insulation to a certain extent. The tape itself is made of polystyrene or mineral wool. After completing the installation of subfloors, the excess is removed.
To correctly lay the slabs themselves, you need to make markings on them taking into account the installed insulation tape. Excess material is cut off by placing it on a flat surface to make sawing convenient. For accurate cutting, you will need a hacksaw or construction knife, as well as round cutters for making shaped holes.
GVL is laid here also using glue. When performing a dry screed, it is enough to glue the sheets together in the area of the folds, onto which the adhesive is applied. In addition, the plates should be secured using self-tapping screws. They are screwed in around the perimeter of each panel so that the caps go two to three millimeters into the surface. On large slabs, fastening occurs every thirty centimeters, and on small ones - every twenty.
During the installation process, you need to ensure that the joints of the slabs themselves do not fall into the joints of the elements below the layer.
It is generally better to place the GVL at an angle of 45 degrees relative to plank floor. The slabs should also be shifted relative to each other from row to row.
Laying GVL flooring
Gvl (gypsum fiber sheet) is finishing material, made of gypsum reinforced with various technological additives and dissolved cellulose. A feature of gypsum fiber sheets is the homogeneity of the material, which does not have a cardboard covering (shell). Its density is significantly higher than that of drywall, which increases the strength of its technical characteristics. Depending on the area of application and properties, sheets are ordinary (Gvl) and moisture resistant (Gvlv).
When renovating an apartment, it is possible to lay gypsum boards on a dry floor, wet screed not always comfortable. You need to wait until it gains sufficient strength, dries, and prevents moisture from reaching the lower floors. Thanks to the sheets, the screed is made in a dry, clean way, so you can immediately, without waiting, begin laying the finished floor.
Gvl is a floor element, a compressed material, where fluffed waste paper plays the role of reinforcement, giving the sheets sufficient strength, and gypsum is the binding element. This combination has a number of advantages over both plasterboard and fiberboard. It even surpasses them in terms of moisture resistance. In addition, it is not subject to combustion and is environmentally friendly.
Many finishing coatings require leveling the floor and preliminary preparation. In addition, not all of them have sufficient sound and heat-saving characteristics. In this case, you can use a dry screed based on Gvl, which solves several problems simultaneously practical problems. This includes underlay for carpet, linoleum, parquet, laminate, subflooring, and insulation.
Please note that installation of gypsum boards is possible on wooden and reinforced concrete structures. Waterproofing material is laid on the base; sheets for dry screed will subsequently be assembled on it.
In this “pie”, a prefabricated floor, a layer of sound or thermal insulation material, For example, polystyrene foam boards. It is possible to install a heated floor on GVL or water. Different sheets can easily be placed under the sheets engineering Communication. The masonry processes take place according to the principle of “dry operations”, and this is a significant saving financial costs and time for construction works. In addition, the base floor is not only flat, but also insulated. It is worth noting that this technology involves the use of gypsum fiber sheets small sizes(width -1.5X1 m, thickness - 1-1.2 cm).
The sheets are laid out in two layers or they are replaced with factory-glued double slabs, equipped with folds at the ends. Last option definitely better.
Before starting the assembly process, it is necessary to insulate the floor with expanded clay, which performs a leveling task. As a vapor barrier, a polyethylene film with a thickness of at least 200 microns is spread under the expanded clay. Depending on the type of overlap, you can choose glassine or roofing felt.
Floor installation
When starting work, fix the edge tape, the thickness of which is one centimeter, around the entire perimeter of the room. It will simultaneously serve as a noise absorber for percussion instruments and a compensator for emerging deformations due to temperature fluctuations.
After laying the tape, cut off its excess along the upper edge of the edge of the future floor. Then place a vapor barrier underlay on the polyethylene film ceiling. Place each strip overlapping the previous one.
On the surface covered with film, carefully scatter the expanded clay into a fraction of no more than 0.5 cm. Align the guides according to the leveling bedding.
Using the guides as a rule, level the floor.
After this, carefully compact the expanded clay. If its thickness is more than 10 cm, then this work must be carried out with special care. Pay more attention to areas near walls, doorways and corners.
From the corner closest to the entrance, the very first layer of gypsum fiber sheets is installed.
Having laid the first layer, apply adhesive mastic (or PVA glue). The second layer is placed on the first (required!) in the opposite direction.
The technology of this assembly implies that during the installation of the upper layers, fragments of the GVL floor will need to be tightened with fasteners and glued along the folds.
The fixation step for sheets should be no more than 30 cm. If you have sheets more than 1 cm thick, then the length of the screw should be 1.9 cm. If you decide to lay slabs that are 1.2 cm thick, work with self-tapping screws the length 2.3 cm.
When installing the base floor, pay attention to the fact that when gluing the gypsum boards, it is necessary to remove excess glue protruding from the walls and at the seams. If you plan to lay carpet or laminate, then all fastening points, as well as seams, will need to be puttied.
After the second layer has been laid, fixed, and puttied, the surface should be primed. When purchasing a primer material, pay attention to the combination of it and the adhesive substance with which you plan to work on laying the screed.
Some nuances during installation
Remember that the sheets are cut only after the last of the rows has been laid. In other words, at the wall opposite the one where the installation process began. This way you will be able to achieve a seam spread of 25 cm (or more) in each layer. This is prerequisite high-quality installation. The width between the seams in the first layer should not be more than 1-2 mm.
Dry, double-thick floors, factory-glued, resemble the principle of working with small-format slabs. Work moves faster. With the help of folds coated with an adhesive substance, the sheets are joined. Cut the folds adjacent to the walls, tightening the slabs with fasteners.
Our advice! Just like single sheets, adjust the finished slabs to size when assembling the last row. Cut them with a jigsaw or hacksaw.
If the leveling bedding is 10 cm thick, three-layer gypsum plasterboards should be laid. In the upper layer, the size of the material can be more than 2.5x1.2 m.
When installing a heated floor on gypsum fiber sheets, the assembly of the dry screed begins with the laying of polystyrene foam slabs.
When creating basic heated floors on a bedding, the insulation material is laid out on the bedding (or directly on the film).
Types of base assembly from gypsum fiber sheets
There are only three options for dry GVL screed:
The main components of a prefabricated screed
- Hydro- and vapor barrier layer. This material is used to separate the floors and other elements of the floor “pie”. If the ceiling is reinforced concrete, then a dense film of polyethylene - perfect option separating layer. If the sheets are laid on a wooden floor, then glassine is used.
- Soundproofing and compensation gasket. This is an edge strip that can be secured with screws or glued. The material is fixed before laying the prefabricated screed around the entire perimeter of the room. Izolon tapes are produced, basalt wool, foam and other materials.
- Leveling layer. The principle of laying a prefabricated screed from GVL is created according to one of the above listed principles.
- GVL slabs are industrial two-layer or single-layer in two layers, tightened with self-tapping screws and glued by hand.
Remember! If you need to achieve a leveling bedding layer height of 10 cm or more, then the installation of a gypsum fiber floor must include an additional structural fragment - a third gypsum fiber layer, the thickness of which coincides with the thickness of the first two sheet layers.
Purchase of GVL slabs
When purchasing gypsum fiber boards, consider the following:
- for the floor you only need small-format slabs measuring 1.5x1 m, the thickness of which is 10 mm. You can also find in the markets a version of slabs with a thickness of 12 mm and a width of 1.2 mm.
- gypsum fiber boards are laid in two layers, which means that their area should be more area double the rooms.
- do not forget that these slabs come in two types - for walls and for floors, which in turn are divided into moisture-resistant and non-moisture-resistant. The first ones go on sale with a water-repellent solution.
If you need to insulate the floor, then it will be useful for you to know that thermal insulators are divided into 3 types - polystyrene foam, backfill and fiber.
Fiber thermal insulators. These include glass and mineral wool. Externally they are similar to cotton candy, but instead of sweet threads there is glass or molten granite. If you decide to opt for thermal insulators, purchase better materials foreign production, since domestically produced mineral and glass wool is not suitable for residential premises.
Thermal insulators made of polystyrene foam. They are similar to polystyrene foam and have heat-saving qualities. Long term services. But there are also disadvantages - high cost and flammability.
Backfill heat insulators. These include expanded clay sand, slag pumice, and crushed stone from slag. The downside is low heat-saving properties. Plus - low cost.
In addition, it is very convenient to use GVL material to replace the old, boring wooden floor in the country house by laying tiles on it. High-quality tile laying is done on a prepared base, the surface of which can be GVL. If the floor is without any special errors, then gypsum fiber sheets are attached to the floor with intervals of half a sheet (the first row is laid with a whole sheet, and the second with half, etc.) With this preparation, laying the tiles is done with ordinary glue, onto which it is fixed tile. But first the floor needs to be prepared.
IN wooden floor It is necessary to drill holes so that the process of rotting of the wooden raw materials does not begin and there is good ventilation. Wobbly and creaky floorboards are additionally screwed to the joists with self-tapping screws designed for woodworking. If the floorboards are completely rotten, replace them with new ones.
A waterproofing film is then placed on the floor to prevent moisture from penetrating the gypsum fiber sheets. Moisture in the floor can come from dirt or concrete floors.
If you need to increase the rigidity of the floor, then lay the sheets in two layers. Here, the seams of the initial layer should be located in the middle of the sheets of the next layer. The grooves - the joints of the sheets - are glued with glue, which is sold along with the sheets.
When facing, ceramic tiles are laid using an adhesive intended for tiles, which, according to the description, is suitable for gluing slabs onto gypsum plasterboard or gypsum plasterboard. Laying follows the same principles as for a conventional screed.
Advantages of gypsum fiber sheets:
In conclusion, I would like to note the advantages of floors made of gypsum fiber sheets.
- These floors are universal. You can immediately install a “warm floor” system when laying them.
- They do not emit harmful substances, and the acidity level matches the acidity level of human skin.
- Light weight (more than 18 kg).
- Easy and quick to install.
- The “wet process” is not used, which is very convenient in winter period construction and repair.
- Durable: do not creak, do not bend, do not knock.
- Able to withstand large point loads and gravity.
- They serve as an ideal barrier for fire to penetrate between floors of a building.
- They are successfully used both in low-rise and high-rise buildings.
One of the most important stages during floor finishing is the formation of a leveling layer. For a long time, the most acceptable way to level floors was to lay sheets of chipboard, fiberboard or fiberboard and a wooden floor. Today appeared on the market new material, characterized by ease of installation and high performance characteristics. These are gypsum fiber sheets or gypsum fiber boards that can be laid on the floor surface for leveling.
What is gypsum fiber sheet?
GVL are slabs made from reinforced gypsum and fluff pulp. Thanks to a special manufacturing technology, the material has a uniform structure and high density. It is these characteristics that provide gypsum fiber with advantages over plasterboard, chipboard and fiberboard.
Gypsum fiber board can be regular or moisture resistant (GVLV), which allows this material to be used for finishing any premises.
The increasing interest in this recently appeared material can be explained by numerous advantages, including:
- High strength. Cellulose reliably binds and holds the gypsum;
- Fire safety. Unlike wood-based panels (chipboard and DSP), gypsum fiber does not catch fire, but chars;
- Versatility. GVL can be laid on almost any base, and the finishing can be done with parquet, tiles, laminate or carpet;
- Easy to install. Installation of the leveling layer is carried out quickly, without unnecessary waste, debris and noise. On average, it will take 1-2 days to install a leveling layer of gypsum fiber boards.
In addition to the listed advantages, one can also note the high sound insulation of the material and its ability to retain heat well. A floor made of gypsum fiber boards, unlike chipboard and fiberboard, will not creak or knock, and will not deform when temperature conditions change.
All the advantages of this material are described in detail in the following video:
As you can see from the video, GVL really has many advantages. But gypsum fiber does not have many disadvantages, and the most significant is its relatively high cost.
Preparing the base
In the case where gypsum fiber sheets will be laid on a wooden floor, careful preliminary preparation of the base is necessary. Similar preparation carried out when laying any sheet materials(Chipboard, DSP and so on).
First, the condition of the floor is assessed. To do this, you need to remove the boards and inspect the entire structure.
Most often, GVLV are affected by rot. Regardless of the type of rot, the affected areas become softer. You can check the condition of the wood as follows: drive an awl into a place that differs in structure or color. If the instrument enters easily, the area is affected. Small fragments are removed; in case of significant damage, the structural element is completely replaced. Next is everything wooden parts must be treated with an antiseptic composition.
Depending on what kind of finishing coating you will need, additional installation lags. The next stage of work on preparing floors is checking their construction level and leveling. In some cases, unevenness can be corrected by adjusting the joists: the excess is removed with a plane, and wedges are installed or bricks are placed to raise the floors.
Leveling the surface of the floor boards is carried out in the same way as when laying fiberboard. First, you need to deepen all protruding heads of nails or screws. Then the surface is checked with a level, and all convexities are removed with a plane or grinder. The cracks and chips are sealed with putty. Fine expanded clay can be poured into depressions more than 2 cm deep.
Stages of laying gypsum fiber sheets
To the prepared wooden base vapor-permeable material should be laid. This can be glassine or waxed paper. To avoid deformation of GVL slabs during operation, insulating tape is used. It is made from mineral wool or polystyrene and has a thickness of 10 mm and a height of 10 cm. The tape is glued along the entire perimeter of the room. Upon completion of work, the protruding tape can be removed.
After graduation preparatory work proceed directly to laying GVLV slabs. Markings are applied to the sheets taking into account the gap for the insulating tape and, if necessary, cut. To avoid damaging the slab during cutting, it is recommended to place it in a horizontal position on a flat surface. Cut the material with a hacksaw or construction knife. Shaped holes are made using round cutters.
The gypsum fiber should be laid on an adhesive mixture and then secured with self-tapping screws. The fasteners are screwed along the perimeter of the slab, recessing the caps 2-3 mm into the material. The distance between the screws for fastening large-format sheets should be 30-35 cm, and for small-format sheets - 20 cm. Particular attention should be paid to the choice of screws. Laying gypsum fiber should be done using double-threaded screws and a self-countersinking device.
An important point is also the correct placement of sheets on the floor. The joints of the gypsum fiber boards should not coincide with the joints of the floor covering. It is advisable to place the slabs at an angle of 45 degrees to the boards. In rows they should also be offset relative to each other. The same applies to laying a two-layer coating: the elements of the top layer are placed perpendicular to the elements of the bottom, and the distance between the seams of both rows should not be less than 20 cm.
You can learn how to properly lay gypsum fiber boards on the floor from the following video:
This video material talks about a two-layer floor covering made from special sheets. Laying them is much more convenient due to the presence of a special fold for the lining.
As a rule, to create a durable coating, it is enough to lay gypsum fiber boards in one layer, but if it is necessary to strengthen the base, it is recommended to use just such double sheets.
What you should pay attention to?
Unlike the installation of other sheet materials (chipboard, fiberboard, plywood), laying gypsum fiber has its own characteristics. In order for the dry screed to be of high quality, it is necessary to pay attention to and check the following nuances:
- The width of the gaps between adjacent sheets should not exceed 2 mm, and all screw heads should be recessed deep enough into the plaster to avoid damage to the finish coating;
- Residues of adhesive protruding onto the surface after installation must be removed; the composition should not accumulate inside the joints and on the sides adjacent to the walls;
- The extreme folds in two-layer sheets are cut off.
Final work
The last step is correct processing the resulting surface. All joints and places where screws are attached are sealed with a special gypsum putty. Additionally, reinforcing tape should be laid and pressed over the joints. If fiberboard is laid on a wooden floor, then it is necessary to use wood putty.
You need a strong and reliable material for finishing the floor? Then, without hesitation, buy gypsum fiber sheet (GVL), which has excellent technical characteristics and properties. After all, it is made from gypsum and reinforced with special additives and cellulose.
GVL sheets, unlike plasterboard, have a uniform structure without a cardboard shell. This is a fairly durable and hard material, which also has fire-resistant qualities. There are two types of such material:
- ordinary gypsum fiber sheet, which is used for finishing residential and industrial premises with normal humidity;
- moisture-resistant GVL - used in buildings with increased level humidity.
Due to their versatility, gypsum fiber sheets are widely used in construction, including in landscaping interior partitions, suspended ceilings and wall cladding.
GVL for floors is especially popular - it is used for installing dry screeds, assembling the base, and also as facing material. The basis for installation can be either wood or iron. concrete base.
Specifications
Gypsum fiber sheets undergo thorough check, and their quality is confirmed by certificates of conformity that meet GOST. On one side, the GVL is sanded, and its edges are folded, which prevents chalking of the sheet.
For ease of use, this material is available in several sizes: small (1500*1000*10) and standard sheets(2500*1200*10). The thickness of the slabs can be from 10 to 20 mm.
Note! Only small-sized gypsum fiber board sheets are suitable for flooring.
Advantages and disadvantages of GVL
One of the main advantages of GVL is ease of installation and minimum waste during installation. You can easily lay the sheets yourself, thereby significantly saving your budget on hiring professional builders.
Gypsum fiber can be used as a substrate, insulation or subfloor. Almost any finishing coating can be laid on top of gypsum fiber sheets, since this material provides a reliable and even base.
In addition, GVL slabs have the following advantages:
- Density and flexibility.
- Resistant to moisture, especially moisture-resistant GVL.
- Provides excellent heat and sound insulation.
- Resistant to combustion (confirmed by relevant certificates).
- GVL sheets are not subject to deformation under the influence of temperature changes.
- The frost resistance of this material is 15 cycles, which makes it possible to install a gypsum fiber floor even in rooms that are not heated.
To the disadvantages use of GVL for flooring include:
- tangible weight of a sheet of such material;
- at improper installation GVL can break;
- higher price when compared with drywall.
Advice! When purchasing this building material, choose products from well-known and trusted manufacturers. This will guarantee the strength, reliability and durability of the GVL.
Also remember that to lay slabs in two layers, you need to buy material with an area twice as large as the area of the room.
Gypsum fiber screed - advantages and features
GVL sheets and slabs used for flooring have the following advantages:
This flooring has versatility and allows you to immediately lay the finish flooring. Also, when installing it, you can immediately install a “warm floor” system.
The absence of wet processes allows for repair and construction work to be carried out at any time of the year.
The finished coating can withstand significant loads and is highly durable - GVL does not creak, bend or knock.
Therefore, dry floor screed using GVL is increasingly used in construction and enjoys well-deserved popularity. It allows you to arrange:
- base base using expanded clay bedding (thickness 2–3 cm);
- subfloor in which insulation is used;
- a prefabricated screed, in which, in addition to expanded clay, additional polystyrene foam boards are used.
A dry screed with GVL allows you to immediately lay the main floor, without the need to wait for 2-3 weeks, as in the case of using a sand-cement screed.
Preparing the base
Before starting work, the concrete base should be cleared of debris, and old wooden floors should be strengthened so that the moving floorboards do not creak. If you do not level and insulate the floor, but plan to lay gypsum fiber board on the old coating, then the base must be treated with a primer.
Insulation, leveling and additional sound insulation of the floor under a dry screed involves the following processes:
Before laying gypsum fiber board sheets, the base must be vapor-proofed using polyethylene film.
Note! The film should cover all joints and extend onto the walls; excess polyethylene can be trimmed off.
Secure the beacons (guides made of aluminum or wooden joists), allowing you to evenly distribute the expanded clay and then fix the gypsum fiber sheets.
Make an expanded clay backfill (2–3 cm), which will prevent heat loss and provide excellent sound insulation.
Important! For better base strength, use expanded clay different sizes, starting from the smallest fraction.
Then, leaning on the beacons, level the backfill using a rule or water level. To facilitate this labor-intensive process, you need to evenly scatter the expanded clay from the very beginning. Then carefully compact the resulting base, Special attention Focus on the floor near corners, walls and doorways.
Laying gypsum fiber sheets correctly
Installation of gypsum fiber board sheets does not require special skills - the main thing is to follow a certain procedure so that the finished floor has the necessary performance characteristics.
First of all, lay a special mounting tape made of basalt wool or foam film around the perimeter of the walls, which will compensate for the expansion of gypsum fiber board sheets under the influence of temperature or moisture.
Then you can proceed directly to laying gypsum fiber sheets, observing the offset. To do this, you can saw one or more sheets of material.
Note! Installation of GVL must be carried out very carefully so as not to displace the expanded clay. Otherwise, the base will need to be re-leveled.
Laying the first sheet should begin from the corner located near the door. To secure the edges well, use special professional glue. Be sure to remove any excess glue that may come out on the seams.
And then the GVL is fixed using self-tapping screws, which need to be screwed in with a maximum step of 30–40 cm “flush”. For sheets with a thickness of 1 cm, take 2 cm self-tapping screws, and to fix 1.2 cm slabs, you need 2.3 cm long self-tapping screws. Trimming with a jigsaw or hacksaw is done at the end of each row.
If you decide to use carpet or laminate as the final floor covering, then all joints and fastening points should be puttied. And the mounting tape protruding above the sheet level is cut off using a knife.
How many layers of GVL need to be laid?
Usually one layer of gypsum fiber boards is sufficient. But if you want to lay two layers, then remember that they must be laid perpendicular to the elements of the previous layer. If the expanded clay layer reaches a thickness of 10 centimeters or more, then the gypsum plasterboard is laid in three layers. In this case, an additional layer of foam material can be laid.
At the same time, do not forget to shift the joints of adjacent rows, which are also secured with screws and glue.
You can also buy double-thick sheets that are already glued together. Their laying is carried out according to the same principle as small-sized gypsum fiber boards. And the presence of special folds with an adhesive allows you to quickly lay a new coating.
Note! If you are using gypsum fiber boards in rooms with high humidity, then in the area of joints and walls it is necessary to make additional waterproofing.
Features of installing heated floors on GVL
Heating systems can be laid on gypsum fiber boards, but it is necessary to have an understanding of some of the nuances of such work.
If one layer of gypsum fiber is used, then special grooves must be made with a milling cutter on the surface of the slabs for the floor heating cable. At the same time, do not forget to prime the gypsum fiber sheets.
Important! You should not lay heated floor cables under gypsum fiber boards, as its slabs have thermal insulation properties.
If you are laying two or three layers of gypsum fiber, then upper layer material must be assembled from strips, the width of which corresponds to the cable installation pitch. In this case, it is necessary to provide a gap for laying the cable, then the grooves should be covered with tile adhesive.
Not everyone can install a heated floor system on their own. House master, therefore, in this case, it is advisable to invite professionals for installation.
Having completed all the work on laying gypsum fiber boards, and after waiting a day, you can begin finishing floor. Do not forget that you can lay any floor covering on GVL depending on your preferences. And the dry laying method allows you to significantly save time on repairs, as well as money, because high-quality cement-sand screed is expensive.
Thus, gypsum fiber sheets are convenient, economical and quick way arrangement of a floor that has excellent performance characteristics.
Laying GVL (gypsum fiber) video