Gypsum concrete is a building material used as a floor underlayment used in wood-frame and concrete construction for fire ratings, sound reduction, radiant heating, and floor leveling. It is a mixture of gypsum, Portland cement, and sand. The brand name Gyp-crete, a Maxxon Corporation trademark, has come into general use as a term for gypsum concrete by construction professionals and architects.
Gypsum concrete usage in the construction industry started in the 1980s due to the advantages over lightweight concrete. Gypsum concrete is light weight and fire resistant, and doesn’t shrink crack. A 1.5 inch slab of gypsum concrete weighs 13 pounds per square foot versus 18 pounds per square foot for regular concrete. Both the quality of installation and strength in terms of PSI have increased significantly since the 1980s.
Famous quotes containing the word concrete:
“freeways fifty lanes wide
on a concrete continent
spaced with bland billboards
illustrating imbecile illusions of happiness”
—Lawrence Ferlinghetti (b. 1919)