A Dry-Wall Question

[sirineou]

I Have posted this question in an other forum , but got conflicting and unclear answers, so maybe I can get a clearer answer here.

I asked about the use of Drywall in Thailand,

I am planing to build a house in a property we own in Thailand and I would like to frame some of the interior walls with metal studs and cover them with Drywall.

I am very good at it, I like the flexibility of the system (can run electric an plumbing inside the walls), and I like the fact that the walls are lightweight.

I was told that Dry-wall is not a good idea in Thailand because of the humid weather and the possibility of mold.Makes sense.

I replied that Florida , where I live is Humid and we use drywall there, and was told that in Florida the homes have central A/C that removes the humidity from the house. Again it makes sense.

But then I got to thinking ( not always a good idea Thinking has got me in to a lot of trouble, )

I got to thinking that, My Garage in Florida is Drywall and I don't have A/C in my garage, and I also don't have mold.

Also I see the ceilings in Thailand covered with drywall and they don.t seem to have a mold problem, and I see drywall with an insulation backing for sale in many of the large home improvement stores in Thailand, So..

What do you all think about the use of drywall in Thailand?

Is there a Drywall that is formulated for the humid weather in Thailand?

Has any one used it for partition walls? and if so, what is your experience with it.

any comments and or advice would be appreciated.

Thank You

[Naam]

no problem using drywall in Thailand on metal studs but avoiding wood because the termites here are much more voracious than the Florida species.

[Crossy]

Agree with Naam, if you use the locally produced materials you should have no issues. We don't have stud walls but the stuff they used on our ceilings was very rigid, much more-so than we would use in the UK.

Ensure that there is no ingress path for the local fauna. Termites won't eat your materials, but all sorts of other critters large and small would dearly love to set up home in your safe, dry walls

[maddas]

we use villaboard in oz for wet areas, http://jameshardie.c...ard.html not sure about thailand supplies, but coupled with good paint it works fine, cheers

http://jameshardie.com.au/products/villaboard.html

Edited January 16, 2013 by maddas

[HeijoshinCool]

So, slightly to the left of topic, is drywall over metal studs cheaper or more expensive than block?

[kamalabob2]

There are several reputable companies that manufacturer and sell Gypsum wall board or Gypsum Ceiling sheets in Thailand. I visited the headquarters of one of these firms for product information and they spoke very good English, gave me informative brochures and answered all my questions face to face. We used autoclaved aerated Concrete Cement blocks for all of our exterior walls, and 98% of our interior walls. One bedroom was too large so we had the "ceiling gypsum subcontractor" make a large closet with no shelves, for 10,000 baht. No door frame, no interior electric wiring and only two walls. No mold problems at all, but we had that gypsum painted with good quality primer and two coats of interior paint. It was metal studs for the wall construction, all things this team (every province must have similar gypsum teams) seemed very familiar with. I believe you could get quite a bit of information sent to you, or even set up an in person meeting with several Thailand firms including:

http://www.gyproc.co.th/products_en.html or http://www.siamgypsum.com/en/home.html

I have noted in OTHER homes where termites have eaten gypsum ceiling boards and gypsum wall boards that were wet due to leaks from poor drain pipes from a 2nd floor. I noted that even the "GREEN Board" can be eaten by termites.

[Pacificperson]

There are several reputable companies that manufacturer and sell Gypsum wall board or Gypsum Ceiling sheets in Thailand. I visited the headquarters of one of these firms for product information and they spoke very good English, gave me informative brochures and answered all my questions face to face. We used autoclaved aerated Concrete Cement blocks for all of our exterior walls, and 98% of our interior walls. One bedroom was too large so we had the "ceiling gypsum subcontractor" make a large closet with no shelves, for 10,000 baht. No door frame, no interior electric wiring and only two walls. No mold problems at all, but we had that gypsum painted with good quality primer and two coats of interior paint. It was metal studs for the wall construction, all things this team (every province must have similar gypsum teams) seemed very familiar with. I believe you could get quite a bit of information sent to you, or even set up an in person meeting with several Thailand firms including:

http://www.gyproc.co.th/products_en.html or http://www.siamgypsum.com/en/home.html

I have noted in OTHER homes where termites have eaten gypsum ceiling boards and gypsum wall boards that were wet due to leaks from poor drain pipes from a 2nd floor. I noted that even the "GREEN Board" can be eaten by termites.

I agree. Termites won't eat the gypsum, but they do love the paper that covers it, and if they have to go through the gypsum to get it, they will.

[Khun Jean]

I actually like the large thin concrete boards. They are 122x244 or 125x250 and are stronger and lighter then drywall.

[sirineou]

Thank you all for your replies they are all very informative and I appreciate it.

I an interested in, and encouraged by in Kamalabob2's interior drywall closet, and the fact that he has no mold problems

but I am now concerned with the paper eating termite problem, I wonder how probable that problem is. Is it something that happens all the time , or is it a rare instance?

Has any one else used drywall for interior wall partitions? if so what is your experience with it?

I am also intrigued by Khun Lean's 4'x8' concrete boards,

I wonder, How thick are they? How do they compare in cost to a 4'x8' drywall panel? Drywall has a paper finish for painting, how are the concrete panels finished, and finally how does one tape the joints and finish the corners?

Again Thank you all

[David006]

Agree with Naam, if you use the locally produced materials you should have no issues. We don't have stud walls but the stuff they used on our ceilings was very rigid, much more-so than we would use in the UK.

Ensure that there is no ingress path for the local fauna. Termites won't eat your materials, but all sorts of other critters large and small would dearly love to set up home in your safe, dry walls

555 agree..under our house is open in part and we got mice in one small area between the concrete beams and an adjacent wall ( got in next to our gas line)..... their urine disintegrated the ceiling gyproc.

again a bit left of topic .....OP notes the use gypsum for the convenience of services....

.....on that note, have you seen the gypsum clip in metal frames for electric outlets and switches.?...

I wanted to cement them into our brick walls when I wired the house as thought conduit and boxes too hard and overkill .. I direct buried the wiring and plugged the walls in the end.....

Think the OP would be better off with brick than gypsum walls..... economically anyways.

I guess the use of stud walls would influence the structural design/specs of a house..ie steel roof and cement tiles etc vs wood and tar or shingle in NA?

Having said that gonna build a built in wardrobe with gypsum board and steel studs ...just so I will have some bits of gypsum to fix the downstairs ceiling..

[David006]

just had annuva thought.....lol

Typically many bathrooms/laundry areas in Thai house designs are wet ie no shower stalls per se...think maybe use brick for bathroom walls...?

Also things like Kitchen cupboards here do not have the back clearance required for the necessary battens for mounting on gyproc walls......so additional cross studs in mounting areas would be necessary maybe?

Edited January 17, 2013 by David006

[Khun Jean]

The concrete boards are about 3-4mm thick and cost around 150 baht a piece.

The main difference is how you are going to fix those as the material is very hard, so countersinking screws is difficult. You can also use rivets or just cement them in place.

Inner walls can be made cheaply and filling the cavity with foam gives it insulation qualities and sound dampening.

For normal drywall you can use an epoxy to treat the paper, it will make it very hard and termite will leave it alone, a small untreated patch however is enough for them.

[thaicbr]

Viva board and Sherawood are both good alternatives to plasterboard.. But saying that Gyproc have been making and selling their standard boards here for a long time so i think... no problem.

[sirineou]

I wonder if there is an additive that can be added to the paint that will make it resistant to termites, and or if there are any paints that termites don't like to eat. I would think that a drywall panel painted with such paint (perhaps an oil bases alkid \primer)on both sides would be impervious to termites.

I am not in Thailand right now, unfortunately I have to work and am in the US, as soon as the project I am involved in is finished I will come to Thailand and take up Kamalabob2's (definitely an improvement over Kamalabob1.0 ) suggestion to visit some of this drywall places and have some of this concerns addressed. In the mean time any of you that might have any ideas and or experience concerning the above questions please chime in

So far I have learned a few things that I did not know before I started this thread , as I always say ," the strength of TV is in it's sub-forums "

[PhayaoPete]

Thank you all for your replies they are all very informative and I appreciate it.

I an interested in, and encouraged by in Kamalabob2's interior drywall closet, and the fact that he has no mold problems

but I am now concerned with the paper eating termite problem, I wonder how probable that problem is. Is it something that happens all the time , or is it a rare instance?

Has any one else used drywall for interior wall partitions? if so what is your experience with it?

I am also intrigued by Khun Lean's 4'x8' concrete boards,

I wonder, How thick are they? How do they compare in cost to a 4'x8' drywall panel? Drywall has a paper finish for painting, how are the concrete panels finished, and finally how does one tape the joints and finish the corners?

Again Thank you all

We have come across a problem with taping gypsum ceilings to chapped, masonry walls. It can't be taped in the gypsum sense...as it won't adhere to the masonry. It got overlooked, by me...so now we have a nice fugly crack along the perimeter of the ceilings in some rooms. There is a pliable, paintable sealant in a tube that should be used to "tape" this joint. It did not get used, thanks to the half-assed painter we had. He should have known about this, but....TIT. Make sure it is a paintable sealant...some are not. A fine bead of this will paint nicely and give somewhat, (earthquakes not withstanding). Good luck pp

[MrRealDeal]

There are defenitly kinds of drywall that are better for humid locations , drywall for bathrooms anyplace in the US is generally a different type than the rest. Usually called Greenboard .... It has an oil based additive and the paper is green hence the name.

[MrRealDeal]

I'm not familar with how many of these are available in Thailand but here are some choices:

• Regular white board, from 1/4" to 3/4" thickness
  
• Fire-resistant ("Type X"), different thickness and multiple layers of wallboard provide increased fire rating based on the time a specific wall assembly can withstand a standardized fire test. Often perlite, vermiculite and boric acid are added to improve fire resistance.
  
• Greenboard, the drywall that contains an oil-based additive in the green colored paper covering that provides moisture resistance. It is commonly used in washrooms and other areas expected to experience elevated levels of humidity. [3]
  
• Blueboard, blue face paper forms a strong bond with a skim coat or a built-up plaster finish providing both water and mold resistance.
  
• Cement board, which is more water-resistant than greenboard, for use in showers or sauna rooms, and as a base for ceramic tile
  
• Soundboard is made from wood fibers to increase the sound rating (STC)
  
• Soundproof drywall is a laminated drywall made with gypsum, other materials, and damping polymers to significantly increase the STC^{[citation needed]}
  
• Mold-resistant, paperless drywall^{[citation needed]}
  
• Enviroboard, a board made from recycled agricultural materials
  
• Lead-lined drywall, a drywall used around radiological equipment^{[citation needed]}
  
• Foil-backed drywall to control moisture in a building or room^{[citation needed]}
  
• Controlled density (CD), also called ceiling board, which is available only in 1/2" thickness and is significantly stiffer than regular white board.
  
• EcoRock, a drywall that uses a combination of 20 materials including recycled fly ash, slag, kiln dust and fillers and no starch cellulose; it is advertised as being environmentally friendly due to the use of recycled materials and an energy efficient process.^[29]
  
• Gypsum “Firecode C.” This board is similar in composition to Type X, except for more glass fibers and a form of vermiculite, used to reduce shrinkage. When exposed to high heat, the gypsum core shrinks but this additive expands at about the same rate, so the gypsum core is more stable in a fire, and remains in place even after the gypsum dries up.
  

[Morakot]

no problem using drywall in Thailand on metal studs but avoiding wood because the termites here are much more voracious than the Florida species.

That's what I thought and still think. Having done a whole ceiling on a metal system, I wanted to build a dry wall partition. I went to my local builders yard and asked for the parts for a drywall metal stud and track system. Amazingly I was told that unlike ceilings, wall are normally done in timber frame...

Who sells systems like this?

Edited January 18, 2013 by Morakot

[uwe_rayong]

http://www.gyproc.co...framing_en.html

Usually shops that sale the boards also stock the framing.

[kamalabob2]

I am not sure who sells the metal system in the above post. I do know that a local Buriram "ceiling team" built our closet in two days. We did NOT fit our the closet with any electrical plugs in the gypsum sheet walls nor did we attach anything to the walls to hang clothes. It was more of a storage room. The point being that local "ceiling teams" can not only do creative ceiling work, but perhaps, at a modest cost build your interior walls. I'll go on record as saying in our case the sheet rock / dry-walls are NOT nearly as effective for hindering sound as the 7.5 thick CPAC autoclaved Aerated Concrete Block interior walls.

[kamalabob2]

Post #19 makes sense. These ceiling teams have real sources of materials, and even Up Country, none of this is really hard for a Thai with motivation and experience to source.

[Morakot]

I do know that a local Buriram "ceiling team" built our closet in two days. We did NOT fit our the closet with any electrical plugs in the gypsum sheet walls nor did we attach anything to the walls to hang clothes. It was more of a storage room.

Looks very good!

Did they skim render this or is it just painted?

[Morakot]

I actually like the large thin concrete boards. They are 122x244 or 125x250 and are stronger and lighter then drywall.

Sounds interesting what are they? Any advantages and disadvantages?

[Morakot]

So, slightly to the left of topic, is drywall over metal studs cheaper or more expensive than block?

I am guessing, there is not much difference in terms of the material and labour costs.

But each methods might be more suitable in certain situations.

Edited January 18, 2013 by Morakot

[Mudcrab]

Thank you all for your replies they are all very informative and I appreciate it.

I an interested in, and encouraged by in Kamalabob2's interior drywall closet, and the fact that he has no mold problems

but I am now concerned with the paper eating termite problem, I wonder how probable that problem is. Is it something that happens all the time , or is it a rare instance?

Has any one else used drywall for interior wall partitions? if so what is your experience with it?

I am also intrigued by Khun Lean's 4'x8' concrete boards,

I wonder, How thick are they? How do they compare in cost to a 4'x8' drywall panel? Drywall has a paper finish for painting, how are the concrete panels finished, and finally how does one tape the joints and finish the corners?

Again Thank you all

I have a home in North Queensland where the termites eat everything. Never had a problem though...the simple but easy secret is to separate the termites from wood or plasterboard.

The home is on steel posts which the termites can't eat.

Look at a product called Termimesh if you want to use timber (or lumber for our US friends) on a concrete base (yes termites eat through concrete).

Termimesh is a lightweight very fine flexible stainless ( I think )steel mesh that the termites can't chew through. Wrap the mesh around the wood and put in place.

Extemely effective. Not cheap but is a one off cost. And better than drowning the place, missus and kids in an ongoing dose of chemicals!

If you can't find Termimesh ...let me know