A construction board includes a foam body having first and second planar surfaces, said foam body including a polyisocyanurate foam matrix defining a plurality of closed cells, said closed cells being at least substantially devoid of hydrocarbon blowing agents, and said foam body being characterized by a density, pursuant to ASTM C303, of at least 2.5 lbs/ft.sup.3; and a facer disposed on a planar surface of said foam body, said facer including a glass substrate having an internal planar surface proximate to said foam body and an external planar surface opposite said foam body, a first coating disposed on said external surface, and a second coating disposed on or proximate to said internal surface, where said first coating disposed on said external surface includes an inert filler, and where said second coating disposed on or proximate to said internal surface includes intumescent material.

An open cell set gypsum core includes an interlocking matrix of gypsum having air voids distributed therein. The air voids define cells having cell walls formed by the interlocking matrix. The interlocking matrix further includes channels distributed therein. The channels interconnect the air voids and comprise openings in the cell walls.

Disclosed is a method and system for blending a foam modifier with foaming agent on-line, e.g., as may be particularly useful for gypsum or cement slurries. The foam modifier comprises a fatty alcohol that is added to a gypsum or cement slurry that includes foaming agent, such as an alkyl sulfate surfactant. The fatty alcohol can be a C.sub.6-C.sub.16 fatty alcohol in some embodiments. The use of such a foam modifier can be used, for example, to stabilize the foam, reduce waste of foaming agent, improve void size control in the final product, and improve the gypsum board manufacturing process.

A cladding panel comprising a top multi-film layer and a base layer configured for connection to a substrate, the top multi-film layer including at least an external substantially transparent film and a granular film adjacent to the external substantially transparent film. Disclosed are also methods of producing the cladding panel and kits of cladding panels.

A method of preparing a thermoplastic roofing membrane, the method comprising (i) extruding a composition including a thermoplastic polymer and a mineral filler to form an extrudate; (ii) forming the extrudate into a sheet having first and second planar surfaces; (iii) allowing the sheet to at least partially cool; and (iv) mechanically treating the first planar surface of the sheet to thereby expose the mineral filler.

Techniques of forming a foamed insulation material from gypsum waste are disclosed herein. One example technique includes mechanically comminuting the gypsum waste from an original size into particles of gypsum at a target size smaller than the original size and mixing the particles of the gypsum with a binder to form a mixture of particles and binder. The binder is configured to bind the particles of gypsum upon hydration. The example technique can further include performing air entrainment on the mixture until a foam is formed from the mixture having the particles of gypsum and binder. The foam has water that causes the binder to bind the particles of gypsum. The example technique can then include removing moisture from the mixture with the formed foam to form a foamed insulation material from the particles of gypsum.

A gypsum tile backer panel with a pre-impregnated or pre-coated nonwoven fiber face mat. Methods for manufacturing these gypsum tile backer panel which include applying a gypsum slurry to a pre-impregnated or pre-coated nonwoven fiber face mat are also provided. A gypsum tile backer panel system employing the gypsum tile backer panel is also provided.

The invention relates to a decorative panel suitable for assembling a floor, ceiling or wall covering by interconnecting a plurality of said panels with each other. The panel has a substantially planar top surface, and a substantially planar bottom surface, at least four substantially linear side edges of which at least one pair of side edges are provided with interconnecting coupling means for interconnecting one panel with another, the panel having a laminated structure including a core layer having an upper side and a lower side and a decorative top layer connected to the upper side of the core layer. The core layer includes a layer of a cementitious mineral material which includes a cement and a dispersant. The invention further relates to a decorative covering, in particular a decorative floor covering, decorative ceiling covering, or decorative wall covering, including a plurality of interconnected decorative panels.

Disclosed is a composite gypsum board comprising a board core comprising set gypsum sandwiched between face and back cover sheets. The composite gypsum board also comprises an intermediate sheet between the board core and the face cover sheet, with a thin, dense gypsum layer disposed between the intermediate sheet and the face cover sheet. Optionally, a second dense gypsum layer can be disposed between a first major side of the board core and the back cover sheet. Also disclosed is a method of preparing a composite gypsum board in which an intermediate sheet is applied over a dense gypsum layer disposed on a face cover sheet. A back cover sheet is applied to the other major side of the board core, with a second dense gypsum layer optionally disposed therebetween.

A sound attenuation material includes a plurality of particles, each having a core and an elastic or compliant coating around the core, and a matrix surrounding the plurality of particles, the matrix being less dense than the core. A method of manufacturing sound attenuating materials includes adding an elastic or compliant coating to core particles and drying the coating, mixing the coated core particles into a matrix material, and pouring the mixture into a mold. The core particles are denser than the matrix material.