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BETTER CHEMISTRY. BETTER MATERIALS. BETTER BUILDINGS.
TechBoard®
MgO Interior & Exterior Sheathing
High-performance exterior sheathing built on better chemistry. TechBoard® is a magnesium cement sheathing panel that helps create stronger, more resilient building envelopes. Designed for familiar wall assemblies, it delivers exceptional fire, moisture, and durability performance in a single panel, giving builders, designers, and owners confidence in every layer of the wall.
How It’s Used
Exterior Wall Sheathing
Replace conventional exterior sheathing with a durable MgO panel designed for familiar wood and light-gauge steel framing systems.
Interior Wall & Ceiling Sheathing
Use in interior wall and ceiling assemblies where resistance to fire, moisture, mold and pests provides an advantage over traditional gypsum or wood-based materials.
Nonstructural Backer Board
Install ¼” TechBoard® over an appropriate structural substrate to provide a durable MgO surface for compatible finishes. It is not intended to provide structural support when used on its own.
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Sizes & Specs
TechBoard® is manufactured in Canada and the United States and is available in individual, pallet, full truckload, and multi-truck quantities.
Built in North America. Supplied for projects of every scale.
Thickness
Available Sizes
Typical Applications
1/4" (6 mm)
4' × 8'
Non-structural backer board
1/2" (12 mm)
4’x8’
4’x9’
4’x10’
Interior and exterior sheathing
One Material. Multiple Advantages.
A sheathing panel is only as good as the material it's made from. At ZS2, we've spent years advancing magnesium cement technology through continuous formulation, manufacturing, and testing. Every improvement in the material is reflected in how the panel performs, from fire and moisture resistance to durability and long-term resilience.
Because when the chemistry is right, everything built on top of it performs better.
Naturally Fire Resistant
- Won’t contribute fuel in a fire, helping limit flame spread and improve building resilience.
- When exposed to extreme heat, chemically bound water is released as steam rather than smoke, helping dissipate heat during a fire event.
- Non-combustible by nature, without relying on added fire-retardant treatments or coatings.
Built for the Elements
- Won’t rot, swell, or delaminate like gypsum or wood-based building materials when exposed to moisture.
- Naturally resistant to mold and mildew because it doesn’t provide an organic food source for growth.
- Maintains strength and dimensional stability through changing climates, freeze-thaw cycles, and demanding jobsite conditions.
More Performance with Fewer Layers
- Combines multiple wall assembly functions into a single high-performance MgO board
- Ships flat-packed and installs using familiar framing methods, tools, and fasteners.
- Helps simplify specification, reduce trade coordination, and improve construction efficiency from design through installation.
Built for Decades
- Engineered for long-term durability with reduced maintenance and replacement over the life of the building.
- Supports resilient, lower-carbon construction without compromising performance.
- Helps owners, designers, and builders meet evolving expectations around lifecycle performance, resilience, and insurance risk.
Performs Where Gypsum Rots, OSB Burns, and Concrete Cracks.
MgO delivers the fire resistance, moisture durability, and long-term performance traditional building materials can't.
Familiar Install. Unfamiliar Performance.
Step 1 – Prep
Our MgO TechBoard® interfaces 1:1 with any traditional building method, replacing exterior or interior sheathing products like OSB or drywall.
Step 2 – Install
Using stainless steel staples, cement board screws, coated wood screws or stainless steel wood screws, install TechBoard® using the same tools and methods as other sheathing products.
Step 3 – Finish
Deferring to local code and authorities having jurisdiction, TechBoard® interfaces with all typical finishing methods. Vapour and/or weather barrier may be required depending on local code.
Innovation, Built.
Keep scrolling to see the transformation
Real projects. Trusted partners. Proven performance across North America.
From design support and manufacturing to installation and long-term performance, we're invested in every project long before the first panel arrives on site. Explore recent case studies, watch products being installed, or get our report card straight from the source.
TechBoard®: Magnesium Cement (MgO) Sheathing Explained
CMHC Housing Supply Challenge Project Spotlight: How ZS2 is Scaling What Works
Case Study: Milk Processing Facility
Product Resources & Technical
Documents
TechBoard® FAQ & 1 Pager
- Download
ZS2 TechBoard® - Data Sheet
- Download
ZS2 TechBoard® - Product Sheet
- Download
ZS2 TechBoard® - Installation Guide
- Download
CERus-1009-ZS2-Technologies-Ltd-QAI Laboratories
- Download
Recommended by
The 3/4” TechBoard has been a reliable choice for subfloors, providing a solid, level surface that installs quickly and performs well long-term. It minimizes movement and helps ensure a quiet, stable finished floor.
20 years ago I built the house next door and made it energy efficient at the time. My utility bills are on average $100/month on gas and $100/month on electricity. This is the same size house and my energy bills are $30-60/month each. So it’s super energy efficient.
The house is crazy good, warm in freezing weather and unchanged on warm days. Just circulating air and the furnace barely kicks in… So quiet too, can’t hear anything outside, utilities are excellent!
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes. TechBoard® is designed to integrate with conventional construction methods, replacing traditional exterior or interior sheathing while using familiar framing techniques, tools, and fastening methods. It can be used for sheathing, underlayment, and backer board applications, making it easy to adopt without changing how you build.
Yes. Unlike gypsum or wood-based sheathing, magnesium cement won't rot, swell, or delaminate when exposed to moisture. Proper weather protection during construction and installation should always follow project specifications, manufacturer guidelines, and local code requirements.
Fire resistance isn't an additive. It's built into the chemistry.
Unlike combustible building materials, magnesium cement won't ignite or contribute fuel to a fire. When exposed to extreme heat, chemically bound water within the panel is released as steam rather than smoke, helping dissipate heat while protecting the integrity of the building envelope. Combined with tested assemblies and proper installation, TechBoard helps deliver exceptional fire performance when it matters most.
Because every repair, replacement, and rebuild comes with additional material, labour, transportation, and environmental impact.
By resisting fire, moisture, mold, rot, and pests, TechBoard helps create building envelopes designed for long-term performance. The most sustainable building isn't simply one built with lower-carbon materials—it's one that continues performing for decades.
Built to Support Every Project.
From your first specification to the final installation, our team is here to make building with magnesium cement as straightforward as building with the materials you already know.
Find the Right Solution for Your Build
From standard MgO boards to project-specific prefabricated assemblies, see how each ZS2 product is specified, supplied and installed.
How you specify it
How it is supplied
How it is used
TechBoard®
Sheathing, backing board & underlayment
Select the required board size and thickness for the application.
Standard-format boards, ordered by sheet or project quantity.
Install in wall, ceiling and floor assemblies using familiar tools, fasteners and construction methods.
TechBoard® T&G
Tongue & groove subfloor panel
Specify the standard T&G panel and approved floor assembly.
Standard-format boards, ordered by sheet or project quantity.
Interlocking panels install over wood or steel framing to create a continuous structural floor deck.
TechPanel®
Prefabricated structural walls, floors and roofs
Provide your designs, structural requirements and target R-value.
Custom panels manufactured from your approved designs.
Numbered panels arrive ready for sequenced installation for building envelope.
TechClad™
Continuous Exterior Insulation Panel
Select a standard size, or specify custom dimensions and target R-value.
Standard sized panels or manufactured to project specifications.
Installs over existing or conventional framing to create a continuous exterior insulation layer.