Dry Walls
Construction
Modern dry construction methods—including Gypsum Boards, Fiber Cement Boards (FCB), and Cement/AAC Panels—are rapidly changing how we build, offering exceptional speed and versatility. However, structural shifting, thermal cycling, and building movements consistently cause joint cracking, surface defects, and coating failures when traditional materials are used.
Material Systems: Advantages vs. Real Challenges
Advantages
1. Fiber Cement Boards (FCB)
The Advantages: Exceptional moisture and water resistance, high durability, impact resistance, strong termite and pest proofing, high flexibility with multiple finishes, and remarkable speed of construction.
The Technical Challenges: Joint cracking remains the single biggest failure point. Systems also suffer from surface homogeneity limitations, restricted flexural tolerance, high site-skill dependency, and heavy cost escalations driven by repeated post-installation rework.
2. Gypsum Boards & AAC Panels
The Technical Challenges: Cumulative stresses stemming from steel framework deflections, fastening stress, and moisture variations cause localized movement concentrations at joints and interfaces, tearing apart traditional rigid finishes.
Challenges
White Cement Putty: Being hydration-based and highly rigid, it possesses extremely low strain tolerance. It cannot adapt to system movements, making it highly prone to fatigue cracking over time.
Isolated Joint Sealants: Sealants only manage stress locally inside the gap but fail to redistribute structural stress across the surface, causing cracks to migrate into adjacent board areas.
Standard Elastomeric Paints: Paint films are too thin to compensate for core structural movements. While they can mask minor hairline cracks temporarily, they fail if the underlying substrate remains unstable.
The FTR Product Toolkit
All drywall, panel, and board challenges can be fully eliminated using the unified FTR Drywall System:
ERP (Elastomeric Repair Plaster) Smooth:
An elastomeric, paintable plaster/putty engineered with high adhesion, strong film formation, and non-hydration chemistry to fill joints and coat surfaces flexibly.
Block Bond:
A highly polymerized tile adhesive engineered for heavy-duty tile fixing on flexible drywall areas.
NoSeep-1 & NoSeep-2:
Advanced acrylic elastomeric membrane waterproofing systems designed to eliminate moisture ingress in wet areas like bathrooms. NoSeep-1 handles smaller micro-voids, while NoSeep-2 addresses larger voids and serves as a waterproof tile pasting medium.
NoRust:
An advanced, direct-to-metal rust-inhibitive primer that converts rust into a stable iron compound to protect underlying structural M.S. (Mild Steel) framing.
Step-by-Step Installation Procedures
For application on Fiber Cement Boards, Cement Panels, and Gypsum Boards:
Board Preparation:
Fix the boards or panels securely, leaving a deliberate 3–5 mm gap between them. Ensure solid framework support behind every vertical and horizontal joint.
Joint Pre-filling:
Fill the open joints completely with ERP (Smooth) and allow it to dry thoroughly for 6 hours. Note: If any natural sinking occurs, apply a secondary structural coat.
Tape Embedding:
Apply a layer of ERP (Smooth) over a 2-inch wide track along the joints. Place the fiber reinforcement tape directly over the wet plaster and press firmly with a hard blade to pull out excess material and eliminate wrinkles. Allow it to dry completely.
Full Surface Coating:
Apply two thin, continuous coats of ERP (Smooth) across the entire surface of the board to establish a highly flexible, structurally unified, and seamless finish.
Final Polish & Paint:
Avoid sanding unless absolutely necessary. Scrape away any loose film or residue across the surface using a clean blade or 320-grit emery paper. No primer is required. Directly apply FTR-compatible premium emulsions (costing over Rs. 250 per liter). Do not overlay traditional putty on top of the ERP system.
Commercial Rate Analysis & Estimation
Advantages
Jointing & Taping (ERP Smooth – 20Kg): ₹2.08 / sq.ft. (Coverage: 1200 sq.ft.)
Surface Putty (ERP Smooth – Two Coats): ₹12.50 / sq.ft. (Coverage: 450 sq.ft.)
Premium Internal Painting (Zen Emulsion): ₹5.56 / sq.ft. (Coverage: 1500 sq.ft.)
Standard Site Labor Allowance: ₹10.00 / sq.ft.
Total Estimated Gypsum System Cost: ₹20.64 / sq.ft. (For external gypsum profiles, use No Moss Anti-Fungal Emulsion at an additional material cost of ₹7.08 / sq.ft.)
Cement Boards
Jointing & Taping (ERP Smooth – 20Kg): ₹2.50 / sq.ft. (Coverage: 1000 sq.ft.)
Surface Putty (ERP Smooth – Two Coats): ₹12.50 / sq.ft. (Coverage: 200 sq.ft.)
Premium Interior Painting (Zen Emulsion): ₹3.00 / sq.ft. (Coverage: 1500 sq.ft.)
Standard Site Labor Allowance: ₹10.00 / sq.ft.
Total Estimated Cement Board System Cost: ₹28.00 / sq.ft.
Cement/AAC Panels
Jointing & Taping (ERP Smooth – 20Kg): ₹6.25 / sq.ft. (Coverage: 400 sq.ft.)
Surface Putty (ERP Smooth – Two Coats): ₹12.50 / sq.ft. (Coverage: 200 sq.ft.)
Premium Interior Painting (Zen Emulsion): ₹3.00 / sq.ft. (Coverage: 1500 sq.ft.)
Standard Site Labor Allowance: ₹10.00 / sq.ft.
Total Estimated Panel System Cost: ₹31.75 / sq.ft.