India shipped fibre cement board to the Gulf, South Asia, East Africa, the United Kingdom and the United States across the last full trade cycle recorded in HS 6811 — and for a category that most buyers still think of as a commodity sheet, the spread of grades on offer is unusually wide. Two boards can carry the same thickness, the same nominal size and the same “non-asbestos” line on the invoice, and still differ by 300 kg/m³ in density, by 9 MPa in bending strength and by twenty years in stated lifespan.

This guide sets out how to source fibre cement board from India against a specification rather than a price, using the Wedge Industries Limited 2026 export range — WedgeCem® and WedgeClad® — as the worked example. Every figure below is quoted from the manufacturer’s published 2026 catalogue and the HS 6811 trade panel it carries. Where a value is grade-specific, the grade is named.

Ventilated rainscreen facade clad in fibre cement board from India in mixed grey, terracotta and sand finishes
Rainscreen facade in 8 mm WedgeClad board. Photograph is illustrative and does not depict the manufacturer or facilities described.

Where Indian fibre cement board actually goes

Fibre cement flat sheet trades under two HS subheadings: 6811.82 for non-asbestos cellulose fibre-cement sheets, panels and boards, and 6811.89 for other articles of non-asbestos cellulose fibre-cement. Getting this right on the shipping documents matters more than it looks — the 6811 family still contains asbestos-containing subheadings, and a misclassified consignment into a jurisdiction with an asbestos import ban invites an inspection you do not want.

The recorded destinations for Indian fibre cement board cluster in three places:

The flow runs the other way too. India itself imports fibre cement board, principally from Thailand, China, the United Arab Emirates, Germany, Taiwan and Mexico. That is worth knowing if you are a buyer, because it tells you the Indian supply base is not insulated from Thai and Chinese pricing — and it explains why a serious Indian exporter will declare country of origin per shipment rather than blanket-stamping every container “Made in India”.

Traded volume by thickness

ThicknessShare of traded volumeTypical use
12 mm28%Tile backer, external sheathing, cold-store lining
9 mm20%Partition, duct enclosure, shaft wall, LGSF sheathing
6 mm20%Ceiling lining, dry partition facing, soffit
18 mm18%Structural flooring, mezzanine deck, external wall
8 mm9%Prefab internal skin, facade board
Others5%4.0–4.5 mm ceiling, 15–16 mm fire-rated, 20–24 mm heavy deck
Source: Volza shipment data, HS 6811. India export Dec 2021 – Feb 2024; India import Feb 2022 – Sep 2023. Percentages are approximate and rounded.

Read that table as a stocking instruction. Four thicknesses — 12, 9, 6 and 18 mm — account for 86% of everything traded. If you are opening a distribution position in a new market, those four in the 2400 × 1200 mm and 2440 × 1220 mm formats will cover the large majority of what walks through the door, and everything else can be brought in against a confirmed order.

What “non-asbestos” means, and what it does not

“Non-asbestos” is a statement about one ingredient. It tells you nothing about density, strength or durability, and buyers who treat it as a quality claim end up comparing a 1250 kg/m³ ceiling board against a 1600 kg/m³ compressed structural deck on price per sheet.

The uncured WedgeCem mix is 40% Portland cement, 50% high-purity quartz flour, 2% lime and 8% cellulose/PVA fibre. After autoclave curing, the matrix is approximately 90% calcium silicate and 10% cellulose fibre, and asbestos content is none across all grades and formats. That cured chemistry is what produces the properties buyers actually specify against: it is inorganic, so it offers no nutritional value to insects and no substrate for mould; it is non-combustible rather than merely fire-retardant; and it is inert at end of life, which is what makes the board recyclable as construction aggregate rather than a hazardous waste stream.

The practical consequence for a specifier: ask for the density and the test standard, not the marketing category. Every claim below is tied to one or the other.

Three density families, mapped to application

Office elevation clad in non-asbestos fibre cement board panels from India
WedgeClad through-colour and UV-coated facade panels, 8 mm. Illustrative photograph.

Selection in this range is governed by two variables only: density and thickness. Wedge splits the range into three families, and the mapping below is the fastest way to eliminate two-thirds of the catalogue in one pass.

FamilyDensity / thicknessCeiling & partitionTile backer & prefab wallExternal cladding, flooring & wet areas
WedgeCem MID
WCB-M
1250–1350 kg/m³
4.0–9.0 mm
Primary — ceiling lining, dry partition facing, soffit, duct and shaft enclosureSecondary — prefab internal skin at 8.0–9.0 mmNot recommended
WedgeCem HIGH
WCB-H
1400–1500 kg/m³
6.0–16.0 mm
Secondary — fire-rated wall lining and heavy-duty partition at 15–16 mmPrimary — tile backer, wet-area lining, prefab and LGSF wall sheathingSecondary — external sheathing and cold-store lining at 12 mm
WedgeCem EXTRA
WCB-X / WCL
1400–1600 kg/m³
7.5–24.0 mm
Not recommendedSecondary — mezzanine underlay and external wall build-upsPrimary — ventilated rainscreen facade, lap siding, structural flooring, marine and wet areas

Two mistakes account for most of the failures in this product category, and both are visible in that table. The first is putting a MID-density board into a wet area or an external application, where it will absorb, move and eventually delaminate at the fixings. The second is over-specifying EXTRA compressed board for a suspended ceiling, where the extra 40 kg per sheet buys nothing except a heavier grid and a higher freight bill.

The twenty export-grade SKUs

Fibre cement board sheathing fixed to light gauge steel framing for an LGSF partition
9 mm WedgeCem HIGH board on LGSF framing — the partition and prefab sheathing application. Illustrative photograph.

The 2026 export range is deliberately narrow — twenty quote-ready SKUs rather than an open-ended thickness ladder. The 2400 × 1200 mm and 2440 × 1220 mm formats in 6, 9, 12 and 18 mm together account for the large majority of all traded volume in HS 6811 fibre cement board, and the range is built around that fact.

SKU codeProductSize (mm)Thk (mm)Density (kg/m³)Wt/board (kg)Primary application
WCB-M-04-2440WedgeCem MID2440 × 12204.01250–135015.5Ceiling lining, dry partition facing
WCB-M-06-2440WedgeCem MID2440 × 12206.01250–135023.2Internal partition, ceiling, soffit
WCB-M-06-2400WedgeCem MID2400 × 12006.01250–135022.5Internal partition (India / GCC standard format)
WCB-M-08-2400WedgeCem MID2400 × 12008.01250–135029.9Partition, prefab internal skin
WCB-M-09-2440WedgeCem MID2440 × 12209.01250–135034.8Partition, duct enclosure, shaft wall
WCB-H-06-2440WedgeCem HIGH2440 × 12206.01400–150025.9Tile backer, wet-area lining
WCB-H-08-2440WedgeCem HIGH2440 × 12208.01400–150034.5Tile backer, prefab wall panel skin
WCB-H-09-2400WedgeCem HIGH2400 × 12009.01400–150037.6Prefab / LGSF wall sheathing
WCB-H-10-2440WedgeCem HIGH2440 × 122010.01400–150043.2Sheathing, mezzanine underlay
WCB-H-12-2440WedgeCem HIGH2440 × 122012.01400–150051.8Tile backer, external sheathing, cold-store lining
WCB-H-12-2400WedgeCem HIGH2400 × 120012.01400–150050.1Highest-volume export SKU — general construction
WCB-H-15-2440WedgeCem HIGH2440 × 122015.01400–150064.7Fire-rated wall lining, heavy-duty partition
WCB-H-16-2440WedgeCem HIGH2440 × 122016.01400–150069.0Fire-rated assemblies, riser and duct casing
WCB-X-12-2440WedgeCem EXTRA2440 × 122012.01500–160055.4Flooring underlay, external soffit, marine / wet
WCB-X-12-2500WedgeCem EXTRA2500 × 125012.01500–160058.1European / UK format flooring & cladding
WCB-X-18-2400WedgeCem EXTRA2400 × 120018.01500–160077.8Structural flooring, mezzanine deck, external wall
WCB-X-20-2440WedgeCem EXTRA2440 × 122020.01400–150092.3Heavy structural floor deck, industrial platform
WCB-X-24-2440WedgeCem EXTRA2440 × 122024.01400–1500110.8Ultra-heavy floor deck, machine platform
WCL-U-08-3000WedgeClad UV-Coated Facade3000 × 12008.01400–150041.8Ventilated rainscreen facade, UV-stable finish
WCL-W-075-3000WedgeClad Wood-Grain Siding Plank3000 × 2007.51300–14006.1Exterior lap siding, fascia, soffit, feature wall
Weights are nominal, calculated at mid-range density; ±7% tolerance applies. Dimensional tolerance per ISO 8336:2006.

The full SKU list with weights, formats and grade references is set out in the fibre cement board catalogue (PDF). Alongside the boards, five accessory and small-format lines complete a supply position: WCT-04-595 and WCT-06-600 lay-in grid ceiling tiles (595 × 595 × 4 mm and 600 × 600 × 6 mm), WCL-T-08-2440 through-colour facade board in ten integral colours, WCA-JC-20 jointing compound in 20 kg pails, and WCA-SCR corrosion-resistant self-drilling fibre-cement screws supplied per 1,000.

Technical properties: the numbers that decide the specification

Installer fixing a fibre cement tile backer board to steel studs
12 mm WedgeCem HIGH tile backer being fixed to steel studs at 200 mm edge centres. Illustrative photograph.

Three grade references carry the test data: WedgeCB13 (MID), WedgeCB14 (HIGH) and WedgeCB16 (EXTRA). When you request test certificates, request them against the grade reference, not the SKU.

ParameterWedgeCB13 (MID)WedgeCB14 (HIGH)WedgeCB16 (EXTRA)
Density (kg/m³)130014501500–1600
Thickness range (mm)6–204.5–204.5–24
Length / width (mm)1220–3050 / 610–12201220–3050 / 610–12501220–3050 / 610–1250
Stated lifespan (years)> 40> 50> 60
Non-combustibility, BS 476 Part 4A1A1A1
Surface spread of flameClass 1Class 1Class 1
Fire resistance60 min @ 12 mm60 min @ 12 mm60 min @ 12 mm
Bending strength, dry (MPa)131522
Bending strength, wet (MPa)101216
Impact shock resistance (kJ/m²)9 @ 6 mm9 @ 6 mm12 @ 9 mm
Screw withdrawal strength (N)120012001200
Water absorption (%)353032
Moisture content (%)7.56–86–8
Moisture movement (%)0.070.04–0.070.07–0.12
Frost resistance (freeze–thaw cycles)252525
Acoustic insulation (dB)51 @ 6 mm51 @ 6 mm51 @ 6 mm
Thermal conductivity, ASTM C177 (W/m·K)0.1670.250.27
Dimensional tolerance, ISO 8336:2009PassPassPass
Warm water / soak–dry, ISO 8336:2009PassPassPass
Asbestos contentNoneNoneNone

Four rows in that table repay a second look.

Facade and siding: the WedgeClad side of the range

Close-up of a fibre cement rainscreen facade in grey, terracotta and off-white panels
Open drained joints on a fibre cement rainscreen — external work never uses a filled flush joint. Illustrative photograph.

Rainscreen facade is where fibre cement earns its premium over the alternatives, and it is also where the specification traps sit. WedgeClad Facade is an 8 mm high-density board at 1400–1500 kg/m³, supplied two ways:

Both are non-combustible Class A1 to BS 476 Part 4 and rated Class 1 for surface spread of flame — the two lines that get a cladding product through a fire-safety review on a mid-rise building.

The siding plank, WCL-W-075-3000, is a 7.5 mm pre-painted lap plank at 3000 × 200 mm and 6.1 kg per plank, at 1300–1400 kg/m³ and also Class A1. Ten wood-grain finishes run from WEDGE-SP001 Pale Ash through Nordic White Oak, Natural Birch, Honey Oak, Golden Teak, Terracotta, Burnt Orange, Rosewood and Walnut to WEDGE-SP010 Charcoal. The same ten codes apply to the UV-coated facade board and to the through-colour board. Uncoated board is supplied Natural Grey as-manufactured across all WCB grades, or Off-White with a sanded face for ceiling and lining work.

Wood-grain fibre cement lap siding planks on a house elevation
WedgeClad 7.5 mm wood-grain siding plank, 3000 x 200 mm, in a WEDGE-SP finish. Illustrative photograph.

One procurement note: printed swatches are representations. Finish thickness tolerance is ±0.03 mm and a physical sample is supplied on request — and the physical sample governs. Approve colour off the sample, never off a catalogue page or a screen.

Standards and certification to ask for by name

A supplier who cannot name the standard is quoting a sheet, not a board. The WedgeCem and WedgeClad range is tested and declared against the following, and nothing beyond this list is claimed:

StandardScope
ASTM C1185Sampling and testing of non-asbestos fibre-cement flat sheet
ISO 8336:2006Fibre-cement flat sheets — product specification and test methods
ISO 8337:2006Fibre-cement flat sheets — dimensions and physical requirements
BS 476 Part 4Non-combustibility — Class A1
BS 476 Part 6 / 7Fire propagation and surface spread of flame — Class 1
EN 12467Fibre-cement flat sheets — European product specification
ISO 9001:2015Quality management system
CEConformity marking for supply into the European market

Three documents should travel with every consignment and should be named in your purchase order, not requested after arrival: the certificate of origin, the mill test certificate for the batch, and the MSDS. Country of origin is declared per shipment — India or China — so if your market applies a preferential duty rate or a trade-remedy measure by origin, that declaration is the document your customs broker will be working from. Our certificate of origin guide covers how the document is issued and what it must state; the HS code classification guide covers getting 6811.82 versus 6811.89 right at the outset.

Packing, container loading and minimum order

Fibre cement board is a weight-limited cargo, not a volume-limited one — with a single exception. Container quantities are calculated at nominal board weight against a working payload of 25 t for a 20′GP and 26 t for a 40′HQ.

Format / thicknessWt/board (kg)Boards/palletPallets/20′GPBoards/20′GPBoards/40′HQ
6.0 mm — 2400 × 120022.580131,0401,120
9.0 mm — 2440 × 122034.86011660720
12.0 mm — 2400 × 120050.14012480520
18.0 mm — 2400 × 120077.82512300325
24.0 mm — 2440 × 1220110.82011220232
7.5 mm plank — 3000 × 2006.1200122,4005,200
Plank loads are volume-limited, not weight-limited. Quantities are indicative and confirmed against the packing list at time of loading.

Note the last row. Siding planks are light enough that the container fills before it loads out — which is why a 40′HQ takes 5,200 planks against 2,400 in a 20′GP, more than double, while every board line in the table gains only around 8%. If you are mixing planks and boards, load the boards to weight and fill the remaining cube with planks.

Packing is a fumigated wooden pallet to ISPM 15, heat-treated, with rigid corner protectors on all four edges, a plastic cover over the full pallet and steel or PET strapping in a minimum of four bands. Each pallet label carries SKU, size, thickness, quantity and batch. Tolerances: ±0.03 mm on finish thickness, ±3% on quantity per order, ±7% on nominal board weight, and dimensional tolerance to ISO 8336:2006.

Minimum order quantity is one 20′GP, and mixed-SKU containers are accepted. For a first order into a new market that matters more than the headline price: it lets you land four thicknesses in one container, test the demand and reorder against real offtake rather than a forecast. Our container loading guide covers stuffing and weight-distribution practice, and the Incoterms 2020 guide covers where the cost and risk hand over.

Fixing and application: the rules that protect the warranty

Most fibre cement complaints are installation failures, not product failures. The guidance below applies to WedgeCem and WedgeClad boards fixed to light-gauge steel or timber framing; project-specific details, fire-rated assemblies and structural flooring build-ups are issued separately on request.

Substrate and framing

Fasteners and spacing

Self-drilling screw driven flush into a fibre cement board on a steel stud
Screws driven flush, not countersunk below the board face — 12 mm minimum from the board edge. Illustrative photograph.

Joints and movement

Joint between two fibre cement facade panels showing the open drained gap
An expressed joint between facade panels, allowing 0.04-0.12% moisture movement. Illustrative photograph.

Cutting and PPE — read this one properly

The board contains no asbestos, but it does contain crystalline silica as quartz flour — 50% of the uncured mix. Dry cutting or sanding without extraction generates respirable crystalline silica, which is a regulated occupational hazard in most of the markets this board ships to. Non-asbestos does not mean dust-free.

Product catalogue 2026
Fibre Cement Board Catalogue — WedgeCem & WedgeClad

All twenty export-grade SKUs with weights and formats, the full technical property table for grades WedgeCB13, CB14 and CB16, the standards and certification scope, colour and finish codes, packing and container loading quantities, and the condensed fixing and application guide.

Download the PDF cataloguePDF · 17 pages · 1.2 MB

A specification checklist for your enquiry

Fibre cement board quotes are difficult to compare because suppliers quote different things. Send the following six items and you will get offers you can put side by side:

  1. SKU code or grade reference plus thickness — “12 mm fibre cement board” is not a specification; “WCB-H-12-2400, grade WedgeCB14” is.
  2. Format. 2400 × 1200 mm for India and the GCC, 2440 × 1220 mm as the principal export format, 2500 × 1250 mm for European and UK projects. Ordering the wrong format means cutting waste on every sheet.
  3. Quantity in boards or containers, and whether you will accept a mixed-SKU container.
  4. Destination port and Incoterm. Weight-limited cargo means the freight line moves the landed cost materially.
  5. Certification set required — CoO, MTC, MSDS as standard; add CE documentation for European delivery, and name any market-specific approval.
  6. Finish, where relevant: Natural Grey, Off-White sanded face, or a WEDGE-SP finish code for coated and through-colour product.

Wedge Industries Limited quotes against confirmed SKU, quantity and destination port, and issues lead time, packing list and certification set with the offer. Technical support for fire-rated assemblies, facade sub-framing and structural flooring build-ups is available at enquiry stage rather than after award — which is the stage at which it is actually useful.

Where to see the range on OZIANT

The full fibre cement board range is listed on OZIANT under the Wedge Industries Limited supplier profile, with a page per thickness and format. The most-specified lines:

Buyers in the recorded destination markets can start from the country pages for the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Oman, Saudi Arabia, the United Kingdom and the United States. To price a specific consignment, post an RFQ with the SKU, quantity and destination port; every supplier on the platform carries a verification status you can check before you engage.

Frequently asked questions

Is fibre cement board from India genuinely asbestos-free?

It depends entirely on the grade you buy — HS heading 6811 still contains asbestos-containing subheadings, so the classification on the invoice is the first thing to check. Non-asbestos board classifies under 6811.82 or 6811.89. The WedgeCem and WedgeClad range states asbestos content as none across all grades and formats, with a cured matrix of approximately 90% calcium silicate and 10% cellulose fibre. Ask for the mill test certificate for the batch, not a general product statement.

Which thickness of fibre cement board should I order?

Four thicknesses account for about 86% of all traded volume: 12 mm (28%), 9 mm (20%), 6 mm (20%) and 18 mm (18%). As a rule, 4–6 mm for ceilings and dry lining, 8–9 mm for partitions and prefab skins, 12 mm for tile backer, external sheathing and cold-store lining, 15–16 mm for fire-rated wall linings, and 18–24 mm for structural flooring and mezzanine decks.

What is the minimum order quantity for export?

One 20′GP container, and mixed-SKU containers are accepted. Loading is weight-limited at a working payload of 25 t for a 20′GP and 26 t for a 40′HQ, so a 20′GP holds roughly 1,040 boards at 6 mm, 480 at 12 mm and 300 at 18 mm in the 2400 × 1200 mm format. Siding planks are the exception — they are volume-limited, at 2,400 planks per 20′GP and 5,200 per 40′HQ.

What fire rating does fibre cement board achieve?

All three WedgeCem grades are non-combustible Class A1 to BS 476 Part 4 and Class 1 for surface spread of flame to BS 476 Parts 6 and 7, with a fire resistance of 60 minutes stated at 12 mm. The 60-minute figure is thickness-dependent: a 6 mm ceiling board is non-combustible but is not a 60-minute board. Fire-rated assemblies are detailed separately and should be specified as an assembly, not as a board.

Which countries import fibre cement board from India?

Recorded destinations in HS 6811 trade data include the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Oman and Saudi Arabia in the Middle East; Bhutan, Nepal and the Maldives in South Asia; Kenya, Tanzania and the Seychelles in Africa and the Indian Ocean; and the United Kingdom and the United States. India also imports fibre cement board, principally from Thailand, China, the UAE, Germany, Taiwan and Mexico.

Do I need special precautions when cutting fibre cement board?

Yes. The board contains no asbestos, but quartz flour makes up 50% of the uncured mix, so cutting and sanding generate respirable crystalline silica. Cut outdoors or with on-tool dust extraction, wet-cut where practicable, use FFP2 or better respiratory protection with eye protection and gloves, and avoid dry sanding without extraction. Score-and-snap works for thin boards; use a carbide-tipped or diamond blade on thicker sections.


About the data

Product specifications, SKU list, technical properties, packing data, container quantities, standards list and finish codes in this article are taken from the Wedge Industries Limited WedgeCem® and WedgeClad® Product Catalogue 2026 (2026 Export & Project Range). Trade figures — destination markets, supply origins into India and the thickness split — are from Volza shipment data for HS 6811, covering Indian exports from December 2021 to February 2024 and Indian imports from February 2022 to September 2023; percentages are approximate and rounded. Board weights are nominal at mid-range density with a ±7% tolerance, and container quantities are indicative and confirmed against the packing list at time of loading. Standards, certification scope and country of origin are declared per shipment and should be verified against the certificates issued with your consignment. Photographs are illustrative and do not depict the manufacturer or facilities described. Published 06-09-2026.