Gypsum fiberboard, a new wallboard
material introduced in Europe
in the early 1980s, is just beginning
to be produced in the United States
and marketed as an alternative to
drywall. It is stronger and denser
than conventional drywall, and
reportedly resists fire, moisture, and
sound better than drywall. Perhaps
most important to tradesmen, the
new wallboard can be installed and
finished without tape.
Gypsum fiberboard is like a drywall
particleboard. It is formed from
a mixture of gypsum, recycled paper
fiber, and Perlite (an expanded mineral
aggregate). The materials are
bonded together without glue by
heat and pressure. Two U.S. companies
manufacture the new wallboard:
Highland American manufactures
Gypsonite and Louisiana-Pacific
manufacturers FiberBond. Gypsonite
is a solid material; FiberBond is layered
so that the