All about Gypsum
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Manufacturing process

From materials to plasterboards, learn about the steps involved in manufacturing gypsum.

Manufacturing gypsum

Gypsum is made from:

 

  • natural gypsum, sedimentary rock extracted from mines or underground quarries,
  • synthetic gypsum, produced from by-products of energy generation or industrial waste.


Making gypsum from natural gypsum involves crushing and grinding the gypsum mineral, then firing it at 150°C. Additives can be mixed with the gypsum in very small quantities:

 

  • starch improves the adhesion between the gypsum and the cardboard in plasterboard production,
  • retarding agents slow the setting time of gypsum.

Glossary

Gypsum, crushing, plasterboard... Every profession has its technical jargon!

Glossary

Manufacturing plasterboard

Plasterboard is made up of a thin core of gypsum between 2 cardboard sheets. Its manufacture involves several steps:

 

  • the gypsum is mixed with water. Various solid and liquid admixtures are introduced until a homogeneous slurry is obtained,
  • 2 layers of cardboard are continuously unrolled, 1 below and 1 above the mixer. The edges of the upper cardboard layer are glued to the edges of the lower layer. The sandwich then passes through a system of rollers that compresses it to the desired thickness,
  • after drying, the sheets are cut into standard lengths,
  • they are then stored, ready to be shipped to building sites.

Supervised manufacturing

Drying time
Extensive R&D programs have been devoted to drying as this stage has an impact ob the quality of the finished product. The drying time must be uniform and very precise:

  • sheets containing too much moisture cannot be stored properly,
  • "burned" sheets lose their mechanical strength because the cardboard and the gypsum tend to come apart.

 
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Gypsum

Gypsum is a construction material made by firing the gypsum mineral in a kiln and then grinding it. It can be used as a paste or as pre-fabricated boards. Mixed with water, it forms a gel that sets within a few minutes and then hardens. It is widely used for interiors: coatings, dry partitions, ceilings and wall linings in the form of tiles or plasterboard. It has several important properties: accoustic and thermal insulation, fire resistance etc.