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The interior Wall - to - Wall Choices
The interior Wall - to - Wall Choices
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Wall - to - Wall Choices
WALL AND CEILING MANUFACTURERS GET CREATIVE The invention of new technologies and processes can open up fresh, even unlikely, possibilities for materials that have been around forever. Like wood, for example. "Twenty - five to 30 years ago, people saw wood as less effective for acoustics," says Lyle Fuller, president of GWP Wallworks Acoustic Architectural Products. But in recent years, wood has undergone a resurgence in the acoustics field, not least on account of its esthetic potential. Of course, its natural beauty alone is not enough; it has to do the acoustical job. Whats turned things around for wood is the advent of new processes that enable the manufacture of "perforated wood products that allow sound to travel through," says Fuller. He says that the Swiss company Tavapan makes wood acoustical products that have been available to the Canadian market for about a dozen years. "Our showing people what its products can do has increased its popularity." LEED is greening materials for acoustics, as elsewhere in the walls and ceilings sector. GWP Wallworks has begun offering a biodegradable PVC component for its Fabri - Lok system. The proprietary system enables sound - insulating and/or decorative fabric to be installed over existing surfaces with the aid of a rigid track system made from PVC, but without bonding. Demand has been small so far, and the biodegradable vinyl remains quite a bit pricier. GWP Wallworks also has an underlay product line with recycled content. "Whether the content is recycled or not depends on the solution the client needs. Often though, the product with recycled content is more expensive than the virgin one," Fuller says. Overall, he says, "Were seeing a lot more concentration and interest from architects, designers and specifiers in suitable products for LEED points." But the level of interest or demand for recycled content varies across the country. At the high end is the Ottawa region where about 35 per cent of orders request some level of recycled content. B.C. is in the middle range and Albertas demand is at the low end with about 15 per cent of orders calling for recycled content On the other hand, Alberta owners are proactive about minimizing the risks of water damage. "Interior partitions used to have regular drywall on the base building contract. But more owners are asking for water - resistant board in Alberta. They are concerned about mold and the potential for water damage, and using f ibreglass matte, water - resistant board. We are using a lot of DensArmor. Owners are asking for it everywhere, especially around mechanical and electrical," says Young Lim, the chief estimator at ВС Drywall Installations Ltd. The risk of water damage to drywall because of weather during highrise construction is a factor in the demand for water - resistant board. "In the last three or four years, Dens - Armor is being used for the whole base contract. Its a little slower to work with, theres more mudding and taping, but there are less hassles with water damage," says Lim. When it comes to ceiling tiles, theres been increased demand for acoustic T - bar systems, and architects are being precise in indicating a particular product. "We used to pick and often the lowest bid would win," says Lim. "Armstrong ceiling tile has been in demand in Calgary." The companys range of products for commercial and institutional settings may have something to do with it. That seems geared to make it a good fit for Calgary, which has the countrys highest number of head offices per capita, and plenty of commercial office buildings. When the Health Services Association of Alberta moved into new headquarters, the space included a large boardroom with a rounded wall and windows looking out onto a curved corridor. The architect selected the companys Optima fibreglass ceiling panels, using two sizes of trapezoidal panels for the main corridor and a third for where the radial ceiling extended into other areas. Armstrongs architectural services group helped develop and build the ceiling panel system. The range of options for T - bar ceilings is expanding. Also, demand for wood - based T - bar systems has grown in the last three years, says Danny Gallagher, president of Gallagher Bros Contractors Ltd. More wood products for ceilings have entered the market, with wood panel finishes and a linear wood system for feature ceilings. "These would be for more upscale versions of suspended T - bar ceilings. We started to see this with the provinces forestry - boosting initiative," says Gallagher. 
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