By Gary Dymski
reprinted from Newsday, Long Island, NY
Bend it, shape it, paint it. Plaster
or panel over it. The result is an inexpensive and dependable wall
covering. Even the most
difficult
parts of "hanging" drywall — taping
it and finishing it — have been made more convenient over the years
with products such as fiberglass tape, premixed joint compounds and dust-free
sanding
equipment. But this month the building industry might be in for one of the
biggest drywall break-throughs since 1890, when Augustine Sackett and Fred
L. Kane developed a "plaster board" for the New York Coal Tar Chemical
Co.
Perhaps no other building product is
as under appreciated as drywall.
|
Humitek, a mold-
and-moisture-resistant drywall from USG Corp., is expected to be
on the market some time
this month.
The panels, which will be available initially in a 5/8-inch thick-ness,
will run 8,10 and 12 feet in length and will be identified by a light-face
blue paper and the Humitek brand name printed on taped edges. (Homeowners
and contractors should be careful not to confuse Humitek with traditional "blue-board," which
is used for veneer plaster applications.) Over the past few years,
toxic mold has become a nightmare for builders, insurance and real
estate companies
and manufacturers of construction materials. A mold fighter Humitek
contains a biocide, from the blue face paper to the brown paper backing,
to fight
against mold and mildew. These new panels are an improvement over "greenboard," a
moisture-resistant drywall used for non-water-bearing walls in bathrooms
and kitchens. With greenboard, moisture can penetrate the board's core,
where mold and mildew can grow.
In regions where high humidity, especially
in finished basements, is a concern, Humitek is likely to be a popular
product. It's expected to be well received because mold and mildew are
huge concerns in the building industry. But pricing could be an issue.
Humitek is likely to cost about twice as much as regular drywall, which
runs anywhere from $6 to $8 per sheet, depending on the thickness. On
the plus side, Humitek is no more labor intensive than normal drywall.
Except for a specially formulated joint compound, Humitek can be in-stalled
and finished with the same methods as regular drywall. Builders and homeowners
who want mold-and-mildew protection will probably compromise when it
comes to using Humitek. They'll want it for the basement or another area
where moisture might be a problem.
Other improvements
USG is not the only manufacturer to introduce
a moisture-and mildew-resistant interior wall product. Georgia-Pacific
recently introduced DensArmor Plus, which uses inorganic glass
fibers on its mat surfaces and in its gypsum core to ward off mold
and mildew.
The drawback to DensArmor is that it is labor-intensive. To get
mold and mildew resistance on both faces of the DensArmor panels
the exposed
face must be finished with a skimcoat of a joint compound or a
roll of a drywall surfacer. Most of the major drywall manufacturers
will
be coming
out with mold and mildew resistant panels soon. It’s likely
that price will likely come down as similar products are introduced.
But if
you're scheduled for drywall hanging your new home or a remodeling
project and have moisture concerns don't hesitate to use the new
drywall. It's
sure to be well worth the added cost.
