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MagO® magobp.com MgO Board

The Green, Affordable Alternative to Gypsum & Fibre-Cement

CMMA
ASTMIntertek

Best Practices

Storage and Handling

MagO board is a strong and water resistant construction board that can take a lot of punishment. To get the best performance, it needs to be handled and installed appropriately.

MagO boards should be stored flat on a well-supported surface off the ground. Mago panels will exhibit creep over time adjusting to uneven surfaces.
Although mago panels can survive many cycles of wetting and drying, magnesium oxychloride and oxysulfate cements are affected by long term saturation and as such boards need to be protected from saturation using membranes, coatings, flashings and other best practices.

Carrying

Although mago panels can be carried flat, and in fact,  if they break it is a sign that something is not right,  carrying is best done by holding individual sheets vertically using two workers.

Cutting and machining

MgO will work best with carbide tools, resulting in clean square cuts that will provide higher quality installations. Circular saws including table saws work best. The boards can be scored and snapped using disposable knives that can cut through the fiberglass mesh from the smooth side.

Edges can be routed flush or to create shapes and patterns using synthetic diamond or carbide cutters. When using saws with precision depth adjustment sheets can be cut directly off the pile without marking the sheet below, which contributes to fast and accurate work.

As with cutting any materials that make dust, all workers should be protected from the dust by using a vacuum, blowers, breeze, or dust masks.

Fastening

MagO Board is very strong and its high compression strength makes it difficult to use a hammer to set nails below the surface. Nail guns work very well from staples, pin nailers, and framing and specialty guns for attaching wallboard such as the Bostich SF150C.

Many types of screws work but the best ones have self-counterboring heads and small nibs under the head that bore into the surface. These work well with MagO boards since, unlike gypsum, it does not compress.

All fasteners must be coated or use stainless steel against the corrosive action of the magnesium chloride component which increases in the presence of moisture. MagO is around 9 to 10 ph, mildly alkaline.

MagO boards may contain chlorides that could become corrosive to metals in the presence of water. In particular MgCl can erode zinc and so soft galvanized coatings should not be used unless as part of a system with a barrier coat applied over the zinc as per GRABBERGUARD ™ by Grabber screws. Interestingly Grabber determined that the high alkaline content of MgO enhances phospheric coatings which may be used for interior or dry locations. Stainless steel 316 or 304, 305 grades will work in wet environments as will epoxy or ceramic coated fasteners ideally over zinc rich base layers similar to GRABBERGUARD ™

Please check back for new information as we test and approve additional fasteners.

Adhesives

Many construction adhesives work, as do moisture cure urethanes and some contact cements. Test assemblies should be made when using any new adhesives depending on the final project requirements.

Painting

As with all substrates, appropriate primers must be used. The best primers are formulated for cement boards, such as Sherwin Williams Loxon, which provides the lowest VOC numbers and cost among the several brands that we have tested.   Potassium silicate (water-stone) paints work well as do many urethanes. CBT also offers a purpose made surfactant / adhesion promotor / sealer made by Jiemei Company.

Fillers
Rapid Set OnePass
Rapid Set OnePass Technical Bulletin

Methodology

Consider that working with MagO Boards is more like using plywood and boarding a room is more like installing paneling or building a cabinet. If the joints are made tight and close fitting, you will not require tape, corner bead, or mud as when using gypsum boards. MagO boards can be applied vertically or horizontally over wood or steel studs. Inside corners can be finished with a small bead of appropriate caulking and outside corners using butt joints that are sanded or routed smooth that are harder and stronger than metal beaded gypsum corners.

Keeping small spaces between the sheets while connecting the sheets to each other with small pieces of MagO that are used as a backer means you do not have to connect on a stud and this can save time and material. The joints should be filled with a backer rod and appropriate caulking. This can provide a level 4 finish within one work day. Please check out the Media section for more information on this technique.

The above method is only one of the many ways that can be applied when installing MagO boards. There are various techniques that will work well to install MagO boards, which include the traditional method to apply gypsum using tape and mud.

Sherwin Williams Paint Spec

Interior Wall Connection Details

Spec_061645_MagOSheathing_2014-02-07

Spec_074460_PrefinishedMagO_2014-02-07

Spec_078220_FireproofingMagO_2014-02-07

Spec_092820_MagOBackingBoard_2014-02-07

Butt Joint and Fastener Finishing Guidelines Issue 2

Portamill But Joint Tool

PCD Blade Life Test

Blog Posts

2014 Wrap Up.

2014 was a very good year for MagO, and we would like to extend our thanks to all of you for your support in making things happen. We have completed more projects; we have more architects specifying MagO and we have learned more about this remarkable product. Most importantly our roster of staff has grown; […]

The Vancouver “Board of Trade Show”

MagO will be attending the trade show hosted by Vancouver Board of Trade, which we are a member of, to promote sustainability in our society. The trade show will be hosted at The Fairmont Waterfront Hotel – Waterfont Ballroom, from 3:30 pm to 7:00 pm on October 29. You can find more details at Vancouver […]

Exhibiting at AIBC Conference 2014

On October 9 to 10, MagO will be exhibiting at the Architectural Institute of British Columbia (AIBC) Conference 2014. The conference will be held in Ballroom D of the Vancouver Convention Centre West, we welcome everyone to stop by our booth and get more insights of MagO and its products. The conference brings together architects and other […]

Green Option for Drywall Wining Converts

A new fire-and-water-resistant wallboard that is cleaner and tougher than common drywall, more durable and much more environmentally friendly is winning converts in B.C.’s construction industry… To read the full article, please go to Magnum BIV ad and advertorial.

MagO Joined Organizations

MagO is proud to become a member of Vancouver Board of Change (BOC), Building Supply Industry Association of BC (BSIA), and Vancouver Board of Trade. We will be more engaged in the industry events and promote sustainability in the building material industry as well as to help develop local economy. We will be exhibiting our products in […]

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voting member C17, E06

Mago boards are highly resistant to wetting and drying, however they should be protected from long term saturation due to ongoing chemical reactions that could reduce their strength. Mago boards…

"MagO Board's main ingredients are taken daily by millions of people for good health and plants need them for photosynthesis. MgO board also has a very low carbon footprint which…

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