There is a type of sheet goods on the wall of my house and I don't know

what kind of sheet goods it is.

It's called "maai at gan cheum" which translates as "damp proof sheet goods".

It looks like "plasterboard" as we say in Europe,I think it's "drywall" in America.

So I presumed it was plasterboard until I tried to drill a hole in it.The ordinary bit

for steel wouldn't go through it.

So what is it....It looks like plasterboard but it's really hard and really heavy..

How do I drill a hole in it and how do I cut it.

It's one of the fibre loaded cement boards (many varieties). Shera is one of the better known brands, http://www.sheraeu.com/Boards.html they also do a textured version as a wood substitute http://www.sheraeu.com/Planks.html

Drill it using masonry bits with the hammer action OFF, a really sharp regular twist drill will work in the smaller sizes, but you'll need to keep sharpening it.

Cut with a diamond disc-cutter in the angle-grinder or a diamond blade in your jigsaw.

EDIT Important note, most of these are now asbestos-free but you should still wear dust protection, if it's older material take extra precautions.


Much of the 'wood' in our home is this stuff, as you've found very hard (it will wreck a carbide tipped circular saw blade).

Thanks Crossy,

There's no writing on it anywhere.One side is rough,one side is smooth.

Any way,I get the picture.