So, what drywall exactly is?
Drywall is not just a building material or a surface. It has many more things to offer to a building and the builders. Drywall is the safest materials used for commercial and residential walls across the construction industry. To summarize, the popularity of drywall is attributed to many reasons. More than being just a surface, drywalls play a crucial role in making your home completely moisture resistance, fire resistance, mold resistance, sound-proof, and water-proof. Plus, it is also easy to install and requires some simple repairs if damaged.
Before drywall came to the market, builders and developers used have plaster for the walls. And needless to say, plaster required lots of energy, high upfront coats, long drying times, and extremely labor-intensive. Plus, its installation processes and repair procedures are also very challenging, time-consuming, and tough to carry out. Thus, when the concept of drywall hit the market, it soon became the most popular choice for homeowners and clearly, it is now one of the most widely used building materials for wall construction.
Blue Board Drywall
Named for its outer coating of specially formulated blue paper, blue board drywall is a highly moisture-resistant form of drywall that’s best in bathrooms and basements. It still has the inner layer of gypsum, but the outer blue paper is specially treated for moisture resistance. However, it’s not waterproof, so blue board is designed only to be used indoors.
Fiberglass or Paperless Drywall
In recent years, developers have started making a new type of drywall that uses fiberglass mesh for the outer layers instead of paper. Fiberglass-coated drywall is both mold and moisture resistant.
Purple board drywall is not just moisture and mold resistant, it’s fire-resistant as well. The gypsum is fire and moisture resistant, and it’s sandwiched between mold and moisture resistant paper, and is usually 5/16-inch thick. This type of drywall is used for ceilings, walls that need moisture protection, but also for high traffic areas because it is dent and scratch-resistant. Purple board drywall will usually cost about 30% more than regular drywall.
If you need drywall that’s fire-resistant, you’ve got a couple of choices to pick from.
Type X Drywall
Type X drywall has a fire-resistant gypsum center and two layers of paper, one regular and one liner-backed. This is a thicker board, at 5/8 inches, so it’s a little more difficult to cut through. But because it’s thick, it’s also good for dampening sound. Type X drywall has to pass a one-hour fire resistance test and is generally used in apartment buildings and garages.Instart Drywall Contractor is here to help you with your drywall needs.
Type C Drywall
Type C drywall matches Type X drywall in thickness, but more glass fibers are used in the gypsum core of Type C. Type C is basically an amped-up version of Type X, so it’s more fire-resistant than Type X. Type C is about 10% more expensive than Type X, but they’re not interchangeable. Type C is a better option for ceilings because it performs better when laid horizontally, while Type X does better vertically.We are always happy to help you with your drywall needs. Call us today!