Gyprock: CSR's branded plasterboard family
Gyprock is CSR's plasterboard brand: Standard, Aquachek, Soundchek, Fyrchek, Impactchek, Shaftliner. What each variant does and where the Red Book fits.
Ask Chalkline about this →Gyprock is CSR’s branded plasterboard product family, the dominant residential plasterboard brand in Australia. “Gyprock” is used so widely that it has become a generic term in trade speech (“get me some gyprock”), but only CSR’s product carries the Gyprock brand; Knauf, Siniat, and other manufacturers sell their own plasterboard ranges under their own names (verified 2026-05-28, CSR Gyprock).
The Gyprock product family
CSR layers specific properties onto the standard board to suit different applications. The headline products you will see specified on Australian residential jobs:
| Product | What it adds | Typical use |
|---|---|---|
| Gyprock Standard | Baseline plasterboard | General living areas |
| Gyprock Aquachek | Water resistance | Wet areas (see water-resistant plasterboard) |
| Gyprock Soundchek / Supachek | Higher density for acoustic systems | Party walls, bedrooms in apartments, home cinema |
| Gyprock Fyrchek | Fire resistance level (FRL) | Garage-to-dwelling walls, separating walls, shaft enclosures |
| Gyprock Impactchek | Reinforced core, ~2x impact resistance | Corridors, stairwells, kids’ rooms (see impact-resistant plasterboard) |
| Gyprock Shaftliner | 25 mm thick, edge-tongued for shaft walls | Lift shafts, riser ducts, fire-rated shaft enclosures |
Each variant pairs with a system: the specific board, jointing compound, fixings, framing, and insulation that together achieve the rating in a tested wall or ceiling assembly.
The Red Book
CSR publishes the Gyprock Red Book, the tested-system reference that builders, certifiers, and specifiers use to confirm a wall or ceiling assembly meets its rated performance (fire, acoustic, structural). See CSR Gyprock Red Book for the detail; in practice it is the document the certifier opens when checking that the system on a job (board + framing + fixings + insulation) matches a tested arrangement.
A rated wall is only rated if it is built per a tested system. A swap of board grade, screw spec, or insulation can break the rating even when the change looks trivial. The Red Book is what tells you whether the change is OK.
Gyprock vs other brands
The three main plasterboard manufacturers in the Australian residential market:
- CSR Gyprock: largest market share, full residential and commercial product range, Red Book tested systems.
- Knauf: international manufacturer, comparable product range including Vapour Panel (see foil-backed plasterboard) and the wet-area Aquapanel.
- Siniat: third major player, similar product range.
For most builders, the choice is determined by the supplier on the job, not a brand-specific preference. Where the spec calls for a CSR Gyprock system tested under the Red Book, do not substitute another brand without checking the tested-system equivalence: a Knauf system and a CSR system that look similar on paper may not be interchangeable for compliance purposes.
How to specify and order
- Specify by product code, not just “13 mm board”. “Gyprock Fyrchek 13 mm” tells the merchant exactly what to deliver; “13 mm fire-rated plasterboard” leaves room for substitution.
- Match the system, not just the sheet. The Red Book system specifies the screw, the screw spacing, the framing, the insulation, and the jointing. A “Gyprock Fyrchek wall” with the wrong stud spacing or insulation is not a Gyprock Fyrchek wall.
- Confirm batch and supply. Large jobs may be delivered across several truck loads. Check that each delivery is the right product and grade, not a substituted standard board.
For a builder
- Mind the brand-vs-generic trap. The architect’s spec might say “plasterboard” or “Gyprock” interchangeably, but the certifier will check what was actually fixed. If the rating depends on a specific tested system, the brand and product matter.
- Keep the delivery dockets. The dockets record the product supplied and the batch. A defects claim ten years on against a fire or acoustic wall traces back to whether the board specified is what was installed.
- Use the Red Book early. Pull the system reference at the design stage, not at install. Late-stage discovery that the framing centres do not match the tested system is expensive to fix once linings are on.
- Finish to the level specified. Gyprock products install to standard plasterboard practice and finish to AS/NZS 2589 levels 0 to 5, like any plasterboard. The finish level needs to be on the schedule.
References
- CSR, Gyprock product range (manufacturer, product family lineup; verified 2026-05-28).
- Standards Australia, AS/NZS 2589:2017 Gypsum linings, Application and finishing (verified 2026-05-28).
Related
See also
Last updated: 2026-05-28. Verified: 2026-05-28. Quarterly review for currency.