Sources of Gypsum Fiber Underlayment
At the time this column was going to press, I could only uncover one manufacturer of the gypsum fiber underlayment. My instinct tells me that within a short period of time, they will have competition of some sort.
The marketplace has yearned for years for an underlayment other than wood. Sure, you could buy cement board but there are some installation and other issues with this product.
The gypsum fiber underlayment product seems to be one of those amazing products that seem to have very many positive qualities and scant few negative ones. The biggest negative point I can raise is simply that the underlayment is not 100 percent waterproof. If you need a 100% waterproof underlayment, then use cement board.
But the truth of the matter is that if you have a water problem, many of the flooring products that are installed over the underlayment will probably be ruined. If they have to be replaced, so to will the underlayment. It is a moot point to a large degree.
The manufacturer of the gypsum fiber underlayment is United States Gypsum Company (USG)- go figure! They have considerable experience working with gypsum as they are possibly the world's largest manufacturer of gypsum drywall. They call their new underlayment FIBEROCK®.
I have been to USG's testing and research labs and am extremely impressed with the amount of work and thought that goes into their products. USG is a company that wants to produce quality and do it all of the time. They have a long history of reliability. Anyone who has worked with USG products will tell you that they are great and that the company constantly strives to improve them. You will love FIBEROCK®, trust me.
I urge you to visit their website for tons of product information:
You can find FIBEROCK® at any home center.
