GYPSUM HISTORY

The oldest traces of plaster renders are 9,000 years old, and were found in Anatolia and Syria. We also know that 5,000 years ago, the Egyptians burnt gypsum in open-air fires, then crushed it into powder, and finally mixed this powder with water to make jointing material for the blocks of their monuments such as, the magnificent Cheops Pyramid for example. The ancient Egyptians used models of plaster taken directly from the human body.

The Greeks also used gypsum, in particular as window for their temples when it was of a transparent quality ("selenite gypsum"). The writer Theophraste (372-287 B.C.) described quite precisely the fabrication of plaster as it was done at that time in Syria and Phoenicia.

The Romans cast in plaster many thousands of copies of Greek statues.

Plaster of Paris. Throughout the centuries, expertise was gained in many parts of the World with gypsum calcinations. In the 1700's, Paris was already the "capital of plaster" ("Plaster of Paris") since all the walls of wooden houses were covered with plaster, as a protection against fire. The King of France had enforced this rule after the big London fire literally destroyed this city in 1666. Large gypsum deposits near Paris have been long been mined to manufacture "Plaster of Paris".

The ancient Greeks also used a transparent quality of gypsum "selenite", in particular to construct statues and windows for their temples.

The writer Theophraste (372-287 B.C.) described quite precisely the fabrication of plaster as it was done at that time in Syria and Phoenicia.


The Romans cast in plaster many thousands of copies of Greek statues.

Today the plaster is used widely in a lot of applications of our daily life and in different sectors, such as the construction industry, health, agriculture, decoration, paintings, etc.

PRODUCT PROPERTIES & APPLICATIONS

Gypsum, a sedimentary rock (scientific name "Calcium Sulfate"), was created from the evaporation of sea water that was trapped in lagoons of subsoil and is usually found in mountains. The impure gypsum (that it is found in the subsoil) can have different color variations, such as grey, brown or red. The pure however plaster color is white.

The plaster is produced after a thermal treatment (130-170 Cï) of the mineral gypsum (CaSO4 × 2H2Ï), which is dehydrated partially in order to produce a hemi-hydrate substance (CaSO4 ×½ H2Ï). The chemical equation is:

(CaSO4, 2 H2O) + heat = (CaSO4 ×½ H2O) + 1.5 H2O


GENERAL USES

Gypsum is suitable for all interior plastering except areas directly exposed to free water or severe moisture and therefore is not recommended for exterior applications. Gypsum is also non-combustible and resist to fire for extended periods of time. Description of other applications for our products can be found below.


Plaster of Art

Due to its dazzling whiteness and excellent properties, such as the slow coagulation time (40 min), it is suitable for the creation of gypsum statuettes and decorations, where it gives a marvellous finishing.


Ceramic Plaster

This kind of plaster is used especially in the construction of molds because the achieved durability of the molds is the longest possible in time duration.


Buildings plaster

Super white plaster with rapid coagulation. This product it is applicable to the building industry where it provides easy and smooth application in the stuccowork, in the support of components, in mixtures with other materials and in paint stores as a companion of paints.
Furthermore, it's applicable as glue in the marbles industries by contributing effectively during cutting and placement of marble pieces together.


Hydrated Plaster

The application of hydrated plaster is addressed to the agriculture for the desalination of pathogen and saline terrenes as well as for the mixtures of mortars and many other building materials. Still, due to its attribute to decrease the acidic pH it is used in the industry of agricultural foods, such as the sugar and the mushrooms. This product it is also being used in the health industry for the production of medicines and for the castings of partial dentures.


Mineral Gypsum

Triturated in size of 30 cm, it is addressed exclusively to the cement industry.


Home Page -  Company Profile -  Products -  Quality -  Gypsum Info -  Photo Gallery - Contact