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Will Your Walls Face Abuse Or Impact?
April 8, 2015
We Dare You To Take A Bat To Our IR Panels!
Should you specify Abuse Resistant (AR) or Impact Resistant (IR) gypsum panels for those interior wall assemblies in high-traffic areas? Theoretically, if you put “Abuse Resistant” in the boxing ring with “Impact Resistant,” which one would be the heavyweight champion? Both gypsum panels are tough, but we would bet on “Impact Resistant.”
Both Abuse Resistant (AR) and Impact Resistant (IR) gypsum panels protect high-traffic areas where interior wall damage is more likely to occur, but there are distinct differences between them. There are also specific applications for each, depending on the amount of stress your wall assembly will encounter.
Abuse Resistant gypsum board (Gold Bond® BRAND Hi-Abuse® XP® Gypsum Board )
Will hard objects potentially drag along the wall surface? Abuse Resistant panels are designed for use in wall assemblies where surface abrasion is a concern, so AR = “surface of the board.” Areas prone to surface abrasion and indentation include: Corridors, entryways, lobby areas and warehouses.
Impact Resistant gypsum board (Gold Bond® BRAND Hi-Impact® XP® Gypsum Board )
Is it likely that heavy objects could strike or penetrate the wall? Impact Resistant panels, with a little more muscle, are designed for use where abuse and impact resistance is needed, so IR = “intrusion into the wall cavity.” Areas prone to cavity penetration include: Gymnasiums, correctional facilities, schools and workshops. For a product to be AR or IR compliant, it must meet the test standards of ASTM C 1629 . ASTM C 1629 has four test methods to quantify a level of abuse/impact resistance. Each test has a classification level (1-3), with 3 being the best. We recommend specifying the following test levels for Abuse and Impact products.
To simplify the process, National Gypsum offers an excellent choice for both AR and IR gypsum panels. You can count on Gold Bond ® BRAND XP ® Gypsum Board when you need a moisture and mold resistant paper-faced panel with exceptional surface durability (Hi-Abuse XP) or impact resistance (Hi-Impact XP).
Our Gold Bond® BRAND eXP® Interior Extreme® product line features coated fiberglass facers as well as an enhanced moisture and mold resistant gypsum core. This line also features superior AR (Gold Bond® eXP® Interior Extreme® AR Gypsum Panel) and IR (Gold Bond® eXP® Interior Extreme® IR Gypsum Panel) options. Easy to work with and handle, this flexible substrate works well for both wood and metal construction and is approved for specific UL fire-rated designs.
Both product lines have also achieved GREENGUARD GOLD Certification for indoor air quality, the highest industry standard.
Contact your construction design manager today for help specifying the best gypsum board for your next project. We’re here to help you build better.
Company: 
National Gypsum
Of: Pat Grotlisch and Amy Hockett
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