Tongue plates: characteristics and prices

We talked in detail about how to build a partition from tongue-and-groove slabs (SGP), so we will not dwell on this issue again. We will focus on the varieties of this material for interior walls, its characteristics and the price component. The main difference and the most noticeable external parameter of the slabs is the tongue-and-groove locking system.

There are two main types of tongue-and-groove slabs:

1. Plaster. It is made of cement and gypsum grades G-4 and G-5. It may also contain additives that increase moisture resistance and strength.
2. Silicate. Produced similarly to the popular lime-lime bricks from quicklime and quartz sand.

The dimensions of all tongue-and-groove gypsum boards are standard – the height is 500 mm, the width is 667 mm, but the thickness can be either 80 or 100 mm.

Let us compare the properties of gypsum and silicate tongue-and-groove plates using the table:

Separately, it is necessary to talk about the characteristics of moisture resistant gypsum GWP. Their water absorption rate is only 5%. The density of moisture-resistant tongue-and-groove gypsum boards is 1100 kg / m³, that is, slightly lower than that of ordinary ones. Standard size moisture resistant boards weigh more than usual – 29-40 kg. They are distinguished, as in the case of drywall, in green. Ordinary gypsum boards are white.

Silicate moisture resistant boards are not produced, their water absorption rate is already low.

As you can see, silicate GWPs are more durable, dense, but they weigh more with equal dimensions and retain heat worse. However, tongue-and-groove slabs are used only for internal partitions, therefore the sound insulation indicator is more important for them, and here silicate GWPs clearly benefit.

In addition to the main material of manufacture, tongue-and-groove plates are divided into full-bodied and with voids. The first type is more in weight, the second is lighter; inside the partition, communications can be hidden in voids-pipes. In addition, the presence of voids inside the slabs improves their performance of sound insulation and heat retention..

The price of one gypsum tongue-and-groove plate of a standard size 80 mm thick is about 190 rubles. 100 millimeters thick – 235 rubles. Moisture-resistant gypsum GWP will cost about 220–250 rubles, depending on the thickness. Hollow gypsum boards are cheaper – from 140 rubles.

The price of a full-bodied silicate tongue-and-groove slab will be about 56 rubles, but the dimensions will be smaller – 498x115x248 mm. In general, the cost of silicate GWP is lower due to the availability of the raw materials used..

Advantages of tongue-and-groove plates:

• are not afraid of mold and mildew;
• non-combustible material;
• it is possible to build a partition faster than from a brick due to the large size and ease of adhesion of the plates;
• the seam between the slabs due to the presence of grooves and ridges is minimal;
• much less mortar or glue is required for bonding;
• environmentally friendly raw materials used in production;
• slabs can be cut with an ordinary hacksaw;
• relatively low cost;
• due to the small thickness of the seams, it is possible not to plaster the partition made of PGP before wallpapering or painting, it is enough to prime it.

Disadvantages of tongue-and-groove plates:

• It is necessary to strictly observe the technology of installing the partition, make fastenings with the floor, ceiling, load-bearing walls, otherwise the design will turn out to be very unreliable;
• Sound insulation performance is lower than that of a partition of two sheets of plasterboard with an interlayer of soundproofing material or a brick wall;
• It is not recommended to attach objects weighing over 30 kilograms to walls made of gypsum GWP. In this case, you will need special fasteners;
• Despite the seeming simplicity of installation, you still have to use a level, monitor the evenness of the masonry;
• The tongue-and-groove slabs are quite heavy, it will be more difficult to put them in place alone as the masonry moves up;
• Partitions of more than 6 meters in length and 3.6 meters in height cannot be built from GWP;

As for the popular manufacturers of tongue-and-groove slabs, among them Knauf, Volma and Gifas can be noted..