Plain Gypsum Ceiling Tiles — PVC Laminated or Painted, Lay-On

Jawdah Industrial Co. Ltd. manufactures PVC-laminated gypsum ceiling tiles and painted gypsum ceiling tiles for commercial, industrial and interior ceilings. The tiles are offered in four thicknesses, four gypsum types and a wide choice of face finishes, so one product line can cover most rooms in a building.

The plain tile is the simplest member of the gypsum family: a closed face, no perforation and a foil-backed core. It is the default choice where a clean, wipeable ceiling and lift-out access are needed and sound absorption is not part of the brief.

A lay-on tile has a square edge that sits on top of the grid flanges, leaving the full width of the tee visible between tiles. Because the tile is not clipped or screwed, it can be pushed up and lifted out by hand. 'Plain' means the face is not perforated; the tile reflects light and gives a uniform surface rather than absorbing sound.

Jawdah supplies square and rectangular plain tiles designed to rest on the flanges of exposed T-15 and T-24 grid systems.

The tile has three layers. The gypsum core gives mass, flatness and the fire and moisture behaviour of the chosen type. On the visible side, a PVC lamination film or a paint finish provides colour and a cleanable surface. On the hidden side, the back is faced with aluminium foil.

In general practice, a foil back acts as a vapour-retarding layer and helps limit moisture uptake from the ceiling void; Jawdah references water vapour transmission according to ASTM E 96-00 for this tile.

Regular (RG) tiles suit dry, air-conditioned rooms. Moisture Resistance (MR) tiles are formulated for rooms with higher humidity. Fire Resistance (FR) tiles answer specifications that require a fire-resistant gypsum formulation. Fire & Moisture Resistance (FMR) tiles combine both properties for areas that need them together.

Weight and core density vary according to thickness and type, so request the technical data sheet for the exact combination you intend to order.

Jawdah manufactures the tiles and supplies the matching T-Grid and hanging accessories as one package. The Plain Gypsum Ceiling Tiles Technical Data Sheet (PVC Laminated / Painted) and the Gypsum Ceiling System Catalogue are available from the Jawdah team on request.

Jawdah states the following references for this tile. Class E under BS EN 13501-1 is a reaction-to-fire class: it describes how the tile behaves when exposed to flame, not how long a ceiling resists a fire. If a project specification demands a higher reaction-to-fire class or a fire-resisting ceiling assembly, raise it with Jawdah before ordering.

Choose thickness with handling and module in mind. Thinner tiles are lighter on the grid and easier to lift; thicker tiles are stiffer, which helps on the 600x1200 mm module where the span between cross tees is longer. Choose the type from the room data sheet: humidity, cleaning regime and fire specification.

Light reflectance of more than 0.8 helps a ceiling bounce daylight and artificial light back into the room. Lighter film colours keep that benefit; darker films or paints change it, so confirm the colour early with the lighting designer.

On delivery and before installation, confirm thickness, type marking, size and finish colour against the approved sample. Reject tiles with crushed corners, lifted or creased film, or damaged foil backing. Once installed, check that every tile sits flat on all four flanges with no rocking.

Jawdah describes the tile as easy to clean, durable and easy to install. Wipe PVC-laminated faces with a soft, damp cloth and a neutral cleaner; avoid solvents and abrasive pads. Dust or wipe painted faces lightly. Replace tiles stained by leaks after the leak is fixed, rather than cleaning a damaged core.

Jawdah lists a wide range of application areas for plain gypsum tiles: halls, computer rooms, utility rooms, hospitals, shops, offices, airports and exhibition centres. The available finishes also let designers match the ceiling to interior colour schemes in showrooms, schools and commercial buildings.

For rooms where speech clarity or reverberation matters, such as meeting rooms and auditoriums, the perforated version is the better fit; see Acoustic Perforated Gypsum Ceiling Tiles.

Jawdah supplies the plain tile as part of a complete ceiling system. Grid thickness, colour and component lengths are on T-Grid Systems.

Install the grid level and square first, then lay tiles from the centre of the room outwards so perimeter cuts are equal on opposite walls. Handle tiles by the edges with clean gloves to avoid marking PVC or painted faces. Keep tiles in their packaging until the room is enclosed and stable.

Jawdah's Installation Manual and Tests are available in hard copy for project submittals.

Most problems come from asking the plain tile to do a job it was not specified for.

Values are reproduced from the Jawdah product specification.

The specification below follows the Jawdah product information sheet for plain PVC laminated / painted gypsum tiles.

Compared with the perforated gypsum tile, the plain tile has a closed face, a foil back and a wider thickness range starting at 7.5 mm. Compared with the plain GRG tile, it has no glass-fibre reinforcement and is offered only with a square lay-on edge. See Plain GRG Ceiling Tiles if lay-in or tegular edges are needed.