Fibre Cement Takes Some Beating

The benefits of fibre cement boards are becoming better understood according to Jayne Arkell, Marley Eternit Business Manager – Hydropanel. Here she takes a look at why the material represents the future in terms of drywall construction boards. "The type of board used to create a dry wall can have long-term implications on the performance of the building. Whether part of a refurbishment, extension or new-build, choosing the right material is therefore essential to provide longevity and value for the client. Recently, an increasing number of customers have realised the advantages of using cement boards over traditional plaster boards – and there are three key benefits: Resistance to impact It is fibre cements’ ability to withstand impact that has resulted in it being commonly specified for public buildings such as schools, colleges and hotels. Often, fibre cement boards are used in vulnerable locations, for example, walkways that are especially exposed due to high crowd traffic. It was to demonstrate the impact resistance of fibre cement boards to a British Standard that we recently carried out tests at the BRE (Building Research Establishment) to BS 5234-2: 1992. The tests were carried out on a nominal 100mm partition wall that comprised one layer of our 12mm Hydropanel wallboard fixed to either side of steel studs at 600mm centres. The partition wall, thanks to the concrete-like strength of fibre cement, easily achieved a pass to BS 5234-2: 1992 on all criteria, including stiffness, resistance to surface damage by a variety of objects and the effects of door slamming. A pass was also achieved for resistance to crowd pressure along with lightweight and heavyweight anchorage tests. The BRE tests will help increase awareness of the advantages of using fibre cement boards, which will prove invaluable on many projects. For example, we recently supplied our Hydropanel boards on the washroom refurbishment at O2 venue in London. The ability of the fibre cement boards to withstand crowd pressure requirements, along with its water resistance, proved to be the deciding factors for the specifier. The fact that the tests at BRE were carried out on a complete wall construction will provide a useful guide for specifiers and contractors to replicate in the field. We find that carrying out these type of ‘system solution’ tests – in this case a complete partition wall construction, makes it much easier for customers to replicate actual performance in the field. Resistance to water and moisture Of course, impact resistance is just one requirement of modern buildings. In today’s diverse and demanding environment, dry construction boards have to offer resistance to water. This is a requirement for all rooms with high humidity and areas that are washed on a regular basis, ranging from bathrooms in residential homes to washrooms in leisure centres. Products such as plasterboard, even when treated are often unsuitable for these harsh conditions and quickly lead to flaking paint, unglued tiles, and crumbling of separation walls. Fibre cement is 100 per cent water resistant and rot-proof. One of the consequences of humidity is the development of moulds and mildews and the spreading of bacteria. Moisture is therefore a serious concern as mould growth causes unsightly markings on the walls, which requires regular and costly redecoration. Left unchecked, the moisture penetrates into the structure of the building leading to costly repair bills especially if traditional plaster board walls have been used – a house smelling ‘fusty’ is one of the signs that you have a condensation and mould problem! Our Hydropanel boards have a high alkaline level that renders them resistant to moss, mould and mildew, and bacteria – which eliminates the fusty smells as well as reducing expensive repair bills. Resistance to rupturing In all buildings items are attached to the walls. Television screens, s

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