TS EN 13279-1

TS EN 13279-1 is the standard that sets out the definitions, key characteristics, and technical requirements for gypsum binders and gypsum plasters. It focuses on powder products based on gypsum binder for building use, including premixed gypsum-based plasters intended as finishing coats for interior walls and ceilings.

What product families fall within the standard

The scope covers gypsum-based building plasters applied by hand or by machine, as well as gypsum binders used directly on site or further processed into products such as gypsum blocks, gypsum plasterboards, fibrous-reinforced gypsum boards, gypsum fibrous plasterwork, and gypsum ceiling elements. Gypsum mortar for internal non-load-bearing partitions not exposed to water is also included.

How gypsum and lime relate in practice

In general technical terms, gypsum materials harden through the setting of calcium sulfate-based binder, while additives, aggregates, and sometimes other binders are used to tune workability, application behaviour, and final performance. For this standard, the decisive point is that gypsum must be the principal active binding component. Building lime may be present as an auxiliary binder, but if lime is the principal active binder, the plaster falls under EN 998-1 instead. Calcium sulfate used as a binder for floor screeds is explicitly outside the scope.

The standard also defines reference tests for technical characteristics and provides for conformity evaluation of the covered products. In broader industry context, that gives manufacturers and specifiers a common basis for describing product behaviour, comparing formulations, and checking whether a gypsum-based product is intended for finishing, forming, or board-type applications within the building sector.