5 Questions To Ask an Installer About Gypcrete

Gypcrete is a common building material that offers you level and sturdy flooring. This material can be easier to install than tile and cement floors.

Asking the applicator questions, such as the compatibility of your foundation to the gypcrete flooring material, can make sure you get quality underlayment for your premise.

Here are five questions to ask your installer before installing gypsum concrete underlayment on your premises:

What Are the Benefits of Gypcrete Flooring?

Gypcrete is more efficient in minimizing noises when used alongside sound mats. Gypsum concrete is a sound-absorbent material able to lower the transmission of impact noises through the floor or ceiling.

Using concrete for your floors can help you avoid squeaky spots you may get with wood. The sound-absorbent property of gypsum concrete keeps it from happening by dampening the sound.

Gypsum concrete floors can help your facility attain a class 1 or class 2 fire rating for enhanced safety. Applying a 3/4-inch layer of gypsum concrete or thicker enables you to achieve a class 1 fire rating.

The ease of applying gypcrete makes it ideal for constructing floors covering large square footage. The gypsum-based concrete that you use for underlayment has low thermal conductivity.

This increases your floor’s insulation to help keep your premises warm in the winter. The low thermal conductivity of gypsum also helps keep the heat out of your premises in the summer. 

Does My Floor Need Underlayment?

Structural concrete, wood substrates, and precast concrete planks may require adding a layer of gypsum concrete. This makes sure you get a lasting flat and smooth surface.

Putting gypsum concrete underlayment above structural concrete or precast concrete planks reinforces the strength of your surfaces. You can get better sound control when you add gypsum concrete to your structural concrete subfloor.

Gypsum-based concrete floors can achieve high acoustic efficiency when used as part of other sound control measures. Gypsum is a high-density, acoustic absorbent material.

These properties enable gypsum concrete floors to complement a quality sound control system that lowers unwanted noise.

Discuss your requirements with your applicator, who can help determine whether you need gypcrete underlayment for your home. 

Can I Get Estimates? 

Ask your applicator whether you can get cost estimates of your property. Established installers are ready to evaluate your property and give you an accurate estimation of the costs of flooring services and materials.

They can also help you find the best type of flooring by accounting for factors like your budget, humidity, and the wetness or dryness of an area.

When assessing your premises, the applicators can focus on the measurements and shape of your premises. This helps applicators make accurate estimates of fitting gypsum flooring materials that meet your needs.

How Does My Premises’ Foundation Affect the New Flooring?

Work with licensed applicators who can abide by safety measures, like using proper techniques to avoid breakages when installing the underlayment.

The gypcrete applicators will identify problems like a shifting foundation that can cause the gypsum concrete to break.

They can attach vinyl planks bonded to the gypsum subfloor with a pressure-sensitive adhesive. This helps prevent shifting foundations in high-risk areas characterized by shifting soils.

Will I Need Additional Space for Expansion?

Materials like vinyl may be added to gypsum flooring for enhanced durability. The varying expansion and contraction properties of gypsum and vinyl can cause breakages.

Applicators can help you safely add vinyl and other reinforcing materials to your concrete floor. They map leaving an expansion gap during gypsum concrete installation to prevent breakages.

Ask your applicator about the risk of breakage due to expansion or contraction to know whether you need to leave an expansion gap. 

Use Gypcrete for Floor Underlayment Today

Gypsum-based concrete flooring is less bulky and easier to install than wood or tile floors. The flooring option has sound-absorbent properties that help in acoustic control. It has low thermal conductivity to help maintain desired temperatures in your premises.

Skilled installers can make sure they are always available to answer your questions and help you get quality gypsum floor underlayment that meets your expectations.

You can opt for thick gypsum concrete floors with a class 1 fire rating to enhance fire safety. Contact a reputable gypcrete installer today to learn more about gypsum concrete floor underlayment.