A bond is created during gypsum board cure between a gypsum matrix and a
tacky coating applied onto a glass fiber. The tacky coating is comprised
of a polymer composed of methacrylic acid and dimethyldiallyammonium
chloride. The polymer is dissolved in an acidic aqueous solution and is
roller coated onto the glass fibers. The chopped glass fibers may also be
placed in such an acidic solution, which is made alkaline by the addition
of alkali, thereby precipitating the polymer out of solution as a tacky
composition that produces a tacky coating on the glass fibers. The glass
fibers with the tacky bond coating are incorporated in an alkaline gypsum
slurry to form a gypsum board having a first and second facer sheet. The
tacky coating on the glass fibers bonded to the gypsum matrix result in
compliant load transfer between the gypsum matrix and the glass fibers,
yielding improved flexure strength and nail pullout resistance.