FRIC-LO® is an instant friction-reduction tape developed for drylining and light gauge steel frame applications where building movement needs to be accommodated without unwanted friction between components.
Its role in facilitating building movement is recognised within British Gypsum Best Practice Guidance BPG003 – Drylining to facilitate building movement. The guidance includes specific installation guidance and system details for Fric-Lo® 2020 5M Instant Friction Reduction Tape.
The guidance reflects an important challenge in modern construction. Taller and more flexible structures are designed to accommodate greater vertical and horizontal movement, which means non-structural elements also need to be detailed so that they can move appropriately without creating unwanted resistance, distress or noise.
Lynvale supplies FRIC-LO® alongside a wider range of specialist solutions for LGSF, SFS and drylining applications, with product information also available through our NBS Source profile.
How FRIC-LO® Helps Accommodate Building Movement
FRIC-LO® is designed to reduce friction at critical interfaces within drylining and steel-frame systems, helping components move more freely where relative movement is expected.
Typical applications include:
- SFS infill systems
- Deflection-head details
- Stud and track systems
- Drylining interfaces where movement needs to be accommodated
British Gypsum BPG003 specifically includes good-practice guidance for FRIC-LO® installation, examples of good and poor installation practice, and a GypWall Single Frame detail incorporating Fric-Lo® 2020 5M Instant Friction Reduction Tape.
Why Friction Reduction Matters in Tall Buildings
Modern tall and slender buildings are typically designed to tolerate greater movement than lower-rise structures. This can include both vertical movement from imposed and dead loads and horizontal movement caused by factors such as inter-storey drift.
Where non-structural elements resist that movement, unwanted forces can be introduced into partitions and interfaces. British Gypsum’s guidance highlights the importance of allowing internal fit-out elements to move independently and of minimising frictional resistance where movement is expected.
Correct product selection and installation are therefore important parts of the overall drylining and movement strategy, alongside the structural engineer’s movement requirements and the wider performance needs of the system.
Applications Across LGSF, SFS and Drylining
FRIC-LO® can be used across a range of steel-frame and drylining applications where controlled movement is required, including:
- Tall-building and high-rise construction
- Light Gauge Steel Frame (LGSF) systems
- Steel Framing Systems (SFS)
- Hybrid construction systems
- Drylining and plasterboard fit-out
Its role is particularly relevant where movement at deflection heads, studs, tracks or adjacent components needs to be accommodated without introducing unnecessary friction into the system.
Supporting Better LGSF and SFS Detailing
FRIC-LO® forms part of Lynvale’s wider range of products for LGSF, SFS and building-envelope applications, including airtightness, thermal-break and moisture-management solutions.
For contractors, manufacturers, designers and drylining specialists, our team can provide product guidance and help identify suitable solutions for individual project details.
If you are working on an LGSF, SFS or drylining project and would like to discuss FRIC-LO® or related construction-sealing requirements, get in touch with the Lynvale team.
