Page 3 - 2017-04-CFR Volume 103 Gypsum Yes or No - April 2017

Why Does Gypsum Have Bad Reputation?

In the past there was a lack of product/market stew-
ardship by some gypsum concrete manufacturers
and market conditions created by GC’s to “value en-
gineer” projects with gypsum products that frankly
weren’t that great. Value-engineering resulted in
compromised quality (low cost = over-sanded/over-
watered underlayment). In other words the stuff you
think gypsum still is. Another reason is that in the
past, most multi-family projects used carpet and pad
which “covered” a multitude of sins in the substrate.
Recent trends towards using resilient products
“uncovered” sub-standard underlayments. USG in
particular has “raised the bar” by increasing base-line
compressive strength from 1500 – 1800 to 2500 psi
minimum and created user-friendly state-of -the art
formulations that require
less water of convenience
yet increased flow creating
a self-leveling product with
high strength. They have
developed close contact
with contractors and insti-
tuted educational and
quality programs for “hand
-picked” contractors.

Flooring manufacturers are not up to speed on gyp-
sum concrete innovations and technologies and as a
result are skeptical to recognize or endorse these
products even though they are in the ASTM F 710
and F 492 standards. Flooring manufacturers need to
recognize and open lines of communication to ad-
dress issues. The resilient flooring industry must rec-
ognize that they are not requiring 3,000 psi underlay-
ment under their resilient products because they call
out “commercial” applications for 3,000 psi ONLY.
Multi-family is NOT commercial. They are two sepa-
rate architectural divisions. If all resilient flooring
manufacturers simply required a 3,000 psi under all
resilient products, regardless of architectural division,
this would force GC’s, architects and gypsum con-
crete manufacturers to play on an “even field.”

The Attributes of “New” Gypsum:

Gypsum flooring products today are nothing like the
gypsum products of the past that have spurned so
many to question their validity, quality and perfor-
mance characteristics. As with so many things today
that create change, skepticism is hard to over-come.

3 Commercial Flooring Report April 2017