It is easy to hang things on a wall constructed with drywall.
Gypsum has an important role in homes and buildings, and is one of the most important construction materials used for interior construction. The mineral gypsum occurs throughout the world, although many of the deposits rich in gypsum are in the U.S. Once gypsum is mined, trucks deliver it to manufacturing plants that transform it into drywall.
Function
Gypsum is a primary component in homes and buildings of all kinds. Sheets of gypsum provide suitable siding for indoor walls and ceilings. Installers hang sheets of drywall by nailing or screwing them to wall studs and ceiling joists, and cover the seams with tape. Drywall comes in 4-by-8-foot sheets and can be large as 4 by 10 feet. Thicknesses vary depending on the application; the most common width in residential buildings is 1/2 inch. Unpainted drywall absorbs moisture readily, and some builders use water-resistant drywall for bathrooms, especially in bathtub or shower areas.
History
Although the use of drywall for walls and ceilings has become universal, its use as a construction material is relatively recent. Until the labor and material shortages created during World War II, plaster walls dominated construction techniques. Drywall was invented in the late 1800s, but contractors considered it an inferior product. Contractors had to use drywall to create homes and buildings during the war and afterward to keep up with demand, and drywall now dominates construction techniques for wall and ceiling construction.
Considerations
Drywall or gypsum board does not burn readily and has no volatile organic compounds that pollute indoor air. Unsealed or unpainted edges of drywall readily absorb water, so mold and mildew can grow inside it, creating health hazards. Drywall panels are inexpensive and easy to replace. According to the Gypsum Association, manufacturers are turning to alternatives for gypsum by using recycled and cleaned flue-waste from fossil-burning fuel plants, since gypsum itself is a finite natural resource.
Finishes
Drywall can be one of the most unforgiving building materials. The seams between the sheets of wallboard can show under paint, even when taped and smoothed with joint compound, especially in bright rooms or buildings. Drywall installers sought to find finishes to hide the imperfections of wall and ceiling installations. As of March 2011, installers often cover walls and ceilings with knockdown finishes, a light application of texture that obscures the seams and nail or screw heads. People who repair drywall that has been finished that way use canned texture to spray the replacement piece and the seams. If a building's owner wants wallpaper on the wall surfaces, installers should leave the surface smooth, since a knockdown finish shows through wallpaper.
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