Drywall on parade
As any do-it-yourself drywaller realizes, you have a variety of unique kinds of drywall. Go to your local home improvement supplier or lumberyard and you’ll discover that what you thought was “pretty normal” is really only the tip of the iceberg.
Try not to let all those unique types of drywall overwhelm you! On the list are separate kinds of drywall compositions, thicknesses, and sizes for different applications and uses. How do you know what you will obtain? Below is information on the most typical kinds of drywall made today to aid you make the perfect decision.
Standard Drywall
It’s the most common type of drywall (white paper front) and is utilized for the majority of home improvement and new home interior construction. In advance of beginning a project check with local building codes to ensure that they don’t specify that particular type of drywall will need to be utilized in construction.
Standard drywall is mostly sold in either 4′x8′ sheets, or 4′x12′ sheets. Which of these sizes you use is dependent upon the size of the space in which you are installing drywall, the number of people performing the work, and the easiness of access (in a basement, for one thing, it may be impossible to turn a corner with a 12′ sheet). 4′x12′ sheets are tough for a lone person to work with. Drywalling can be done by one person if you have a good drywall hoist, but it’s still difficult to work with on your own.
My recommendation is to use 4′x12′ sheets whenever possible. It reduces the number of cuts that need to be constructed as well as the multitude of joints that should should be finished.
Usual drywall may end up being sold in a form of widths - 1/4″, 3/8″, 1/2″, and 5/8″. 1/2″ is the normal width of drywall, suitable for the majority of interior construction on walls and ceilings. 1/2″ drywall is considered acceptable by the majority of local making codes.
1/4″ drywall is known as flex-board and many times made use of for curved surfaces. Its ratio somewhat fragile and not highly suggested for the amateur drywall installer.
5/8″ drywall is heavier-duty drywall, suitable for use in commercial settings, high traffic areas, or where a few excess insulation or noise control is needed. In a few areas, 5/8″ drywall is required by local codes.
Moisture-Resistant Drywall (Green Board)
Moisture-resistant drywall is also known as Green Board in reference to the water-resistant green paper made use of outside the gypsum. Moisture-resistant drywall is a standard variety of drywall utilized for high-moisture areas especially bathrooms & kitchens. There is little difference from normal drywall except that the paper backing made use of has a frequently higher moisture resistance than standard drywall.
Green board is highly suggested for use in bathrooms, damp basements, and might be used in kitchens (especially around stoves and sinks). It is important to note that green board is not fire-resistant, nor waterproof, but resistant to damp conditions.
Fire-Resistant Drywall
The final standard variety of drywall is Fire Resistant, or FR, drywall. FR drywall is located most typically in the 5/8″ big variety. Special fibers and other fire-resistant things are included with the gypsum core to create more fire-protection than standard drywall.
Designing codes in a multitude of areas demand using of Fire Resistant drywall for a variety of applications, talking to:
* Walls separating an attached garage from a living space.
* Walls and Ceilings in attached apartments or condos.
* Enclosed rooms enclosing furnaces, water heaters, or other fire hazards.
* Occasionally, kitchens.
You have a number of other types of drywall as well, including soundproof drywall, paperless drywall, and others, but they are less typical and so I won’t cover them here. The best of luck on your drywall project.