You may notice that home builders sometimes use “drywall” and “Sheetrock” interchangeably, or even as verbs—as in, “I’m aiming to Sheetrock this room”. In fact, Sheetrock® is a brand of drywall that’s a registered trademark of the U.S. Gypsum Company, but there are not any functional differences between drywall and Sheetrock®.

Since its invention over 100 years ago, drywall has eased the method of building a house and embarking on home improvement projects. Before the arrival of drywall, builders had to use plaster in layers on supporting wooden strips called laths. Each coat necessitated ample drying time, and therefore the plaster needed time to harden at the top of the method . Needless to mention , lath and plaster was inefficient.

The prototype for drywall—a layer of plaster between four layers of wool felt—was first made within the late 19th century and was called Sackett Board, for its inventor, Augustine Sackett. The U.S. Gypsum Company began improving on the invention between 1910 and 1930, replacing plaster with gypsum plaster. Its new Sheetrock® brand came into use during war II, giving builders a quick and comparatively easy thanks to erect interior walls.

Regardless of which brand you select , the technique for installing drywall is essentially an equivalent across brands. You’ll cut the sheet of drywall to size by scoring the paper and breaking the interior material. You’ll then fix them to wall studs or ceiling joists with a nail gun, drywall screws, or drywall fasteners. You’ll got to conceal the seams between boards, which you’ll treat covering them with tape and joint compound. to urge a completely smooth wall, some builders seal it with veneer plaster.

Drywall is just a panel made from gypsum plaster covered with heavy paper. You’ll also see it labeled as wallboard, plasterboard, plasterboard , and in fact , Sheetrock®. It comes in several panel thicknesses, from ¼ inch to ¾ inch.

Some drywall, called green board, is coated with an oil-based additive on its report to form it moisture resistant. Cement board may be a more waterproof construction material than gypsum. Soundboard uses wood fibers to reinforce acoustics, while soundproof drywall has polymers that damp sound.

There are four main sorts of drywall:

Standard drywall is that the least expensive and comes in several sizes and thicknesses.
Mold resistant drywall is roofed in fiberglass rather than paper to resist mold and mildew.
Moisture resistant drywall, the greenboard mentioned above, may be a pricey but good selection for humid areas like bathrooms and laundry rooms.

Fire resistant drywall is formed with non-combustible fibers and is required by some building codes.

What is Sheetrock?

Sheetrock® may be a trademarked brand of drywall, manufactured by USG – U.S. Gypsum Company. due to its early appearance within the market and tremendous popularity, Sheetrock® has become synonymous with drywall, very similar to Kleenex has become the shorthand for tissues. Like other drywall, it comes in various thicknesses, and in mold- and moisture-resistant options. Sheetrock® comes in three grades of fire-resistant panels. It’s also considered lightweight and sag-resistant, so may be a good option for ceilings.

What are the benefits and drawbacks of drywall?

Drywall and Sheetrock pros

It’s less costly than other methods.
It’s easier to put in than other methods.
It’s faster to put in than other methods. Drywall can take each day to put in versus a week-long process of lath and plaster.
Special materials offer extra functions, like fireproofing, moisture resistance, and mold resistance.

Drywall and Sheetrock cons

It doesn’t block sound also as plaster.
Several people or a special lift could also be needed to lift large drywall sheets.
Drywall and Sheetrock® are often damaged more easily by water, and therefore the paper that sandwiches the gypsum can mold.
Using drywall does mean you’ll waste some material; workers waste tons of it cutting panels to size.

Finally, if you opt on drywall for your construction project, search for products that don’t contain sulfur. Some drywall containing sulfur can emit bad odors, cause health problems, and corrode metal.