When building a new office, retail space, or any other type of commercial building, it’s important to keep in mind the fact that fire resistant materials are required in order for the building to pass safety inspections and meet certain safety requirements. One of these requirements is the use of plasterboard. Plasterboard is a fireproof material that is used to line walls and ceilings or to build partitions in a space. Plasterboard provides insulation to a building and is a safer alternative to plaster.
What Is Plasterboard Made Of?
Fireproof plasterboard is made from a gypsum core and reinforced using glass fibres which makes them more fire retardant. The gypsum in the fire-retardant plasterboard contains small amounts of water that is released in the event of a fire to keep the temperature of the fire down and under control. There are a variety of different types of plasterboard that come in different sizes and thickness. Certain plasterboard is made thicker than others because it is designed specifically for extra insulation and fire resistance. Thicker plasterboard can also be energy efficient as it retains more heat and can save you a significant amount of money during the cold winter months.
Why Get Plasterboard?
Aside from the fact that in many new builds plasterboard is required, there are many different reasons to use plasterboard in your project. The most obvious reason is that it helps protect your building and its contents should the unfortunate event of a fire break out. Due to the fire resistant material that plasterboard is made out of, it can help to protect the structure of your building and improve the chances of survival until the fire services arrive. As mentioned previously, plasterboard also doubles as insulation which can keep cool air in or warm air in which can save you a lot of money on your energy bill.
Installing Plasterboard
If you want to take a DIY approach to installing plasterboard, it’s important to know how to do it the right way. Luckily, the installation process is pretty simple and all you need to do is use screws or an adhesive to fix the fire retardant plasterboard in place. When installing your plasterboard, make sure that you attach them firmly to the wooden studs and that the fireproof plasterboard panels are flush when fixing them to the studs, with no gaps to be seen.