An explanation of these tests is given in the technical article on page 11. Achieving The Desired Level Of Abuse-Resistance Table 1 contains products and systems listed in ascending order of abuse resistance. This list permits comparison of available products and systems in terms of abuse-resistance criteria. Note that the cost of the products and systems also increases as performance improves. However, an expensive system can be economical if it reduces maintenance or replacement costs.
Different designs require different levels of abuse-resistance, so design flexibility is essential.
What's right for a school or a hospital may not be acceptable for a bank or a prison. By their very nature, plaster systems provide more design flexibility than drywall, masonry and other types of construction. Because plaster systems provide more options in component selection. Thus, plaster systems provide designers with a progression of solutions to meet all levels of abuse-resistance. If a high level of penetration-resistance is also important, the gypsum base of a veneer system may not be acceptable.