USG Boral’s patented Fiberock, a multi-functional sustainable material, has been used extensively for ceiling linings, wall linings in stairwells and on bulkheads in the high traffic Overseas Passenger Terminal (OPT) at West Circular Quay, as part of improvements to the premier cruise facility.
The original project specification was for two different fibre cement materials to be applied. However, the contractor, Interior Works, wanted to use just one product for the two applications to increase efficiency on site and reduce waste. USG BoralFiberock was the chosen material, with the added benefits of water, fire, mould and impact resistance, as well as excellent acoustic qualities.
In total, 800 sq m of Fiberock was supplied to the OPT project, with USG Boral staff working closely with Interior Works to ensure supplies were on the ground in a timely manner. A tight schedule with many trades working two shifts a day, and limited site access during the day, required precise coordination of deliveries to installation teams, which also favoured a single product solution.
“Interior Works was keen to use one product as a substitute for the two specified 6mm and 9mm fibre cement boards, which substantially streamlined the fitout process,” said Liz Borg, USG Boral national account manager commercial.
“Fiberock was not specified on this project, but we felt we could achieve a better outcome by using Fiberock,” said Interior Works director, Darren Hitchon. “We used more than 30,000 sq m of Fiberock at the Hornsby Mental Health Hospital so we knew from experience that we could control the outcome more and that it paints up much more easily and gives a better finish than the product that was specified.”
Interior Works site manager Lloyd Pennings added, “One of the main benefits of Fiberock is that our installers find it easier to cut and lighter and faster to install than fibre cement products. The fact that we can use it on interior and exterior soffit surfaces means we have less inventory to manage in terms of delivery to and around the site, and of course reduced wastage.”
Fiberock is like paperless plasterboard, getting its strength from a patented process of growing gypsum under high pressure which interlinks the crystals with paper, so there is no paper needed on the outside. There is also no possibility of delamination, as it is a solid matrix.
USG Boral Fiberock is approved by GECA (Good Environmental Choice Australia) as a sustainable product and is recyclable. Every board can be reused by removing it and rebating the edges before being reapplied. Fiberock also contains very little new material, incorporating 10 per cent recycled cellulose (from post- industrial paper and cardboard) and 85 per cent re-encapsulated gypsum.
The finished wall system balances its higher cost of board, when compared to conventional plasterboard, with time, labour and logistical savings at installation. A contractor can achieve with a single layer of Fiberock what other walls would achieve with a double layer. The boards also provide longevity, and result in lower maintenance partitions and walls.
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For more information, go to www.USGBoral.com or fiberock.com.au
