About Sheetrock
For many years, lathe and plaster was the industry standard for constructing interior walls. It was a lengthy, expensive process and a good plasterer was a real craftsman. In the 1940s, sheetrock came on the building scene and helped fundamentally change home building. Sheetrock is actually a brand name, although the word is commonly used to describe drywall or wallboard. Sheetrock as a brand is manufactured by a subsidiary of the United States Gypsum Co. (USG), which was founded in 1902 and is still the largest producer of sheetrock today.
History
The United States Gypsum Company was founded in 1902 as a consortium of plaster manufacturers. An early version of the ubiquitous Sheetrock panels were Sackett Board, a panel made of layers of plaster and tough paper. USG perfected Sackett Board until modern sheetrock was developed and mass produced. In the post war 1940s, the product caught on with builders and the art of lathe and plaster fell by the wayside. For several decades thereafter, sheetrock was regarded as "poor mans plaster" and finer homes were still built the old-fashioned way. However, the speed, ease and much lower price of using drywall became widespread, and today even the most ostentatious of McMansions are built using Sheetrock.
Today, USG not only manufactures sheetrock, but other related supplies like drywall mud, joint compound, drywall tape, plaster, paint, ceiling tiles and floor underlayment.
Function,
Compared to plaster, sheetrock drywall is easily damaged and has lower insulation properties. It comes in 4 by 8-foot sheets of varying thicknesses. The core is soft gypsum reinforced with fiberglass, covered by paper. Sheetrock is fastened to the framing, then taped and mudded for a smooth appearance. Texture may then be sprayed on, or applied by hand. If the wood used in framing is damp, nail pops appear within months as the wood dries, shrinks and forces the fasteners up. Normal settling of a house can also result in nail pops or stress cracks along the joints.
Types
There are several types of sheetrock, depending on the application.
Regular wallboard sheetrock is 1/2 to 5/8-inch thick, covered with gray paper, and can be used on walls and ceilings alike. This is by far the most commonly sold and used.
Ceiling sheetrock panels are somewhat thinner and lighter, so the don't have a tendency to sag and pull tape joints apart. Ceiling panels are often used in larger or vaulted ceilings, because of the extra stress.
Abuse resistant sheetrock is identical to regular wallboard, but the paper covering is thicker, more pliable and usually tan or brown.
Water resistant sheetrock is often called greenboard for its color. It's used primarily in bathrooms.
Fire resistant sheetrock is treated with a fire retardant. Depending on the thickness, it can withstand fire from burning through to an adjacent room for up to an hour. It's most typically used in commercial applications, like motels.
Working with Sheetrock
Sheetrock is nailed or screwed to the ceiling joists and wall studs. Metal corner bead is nailed to outside corners, and window or soffit returns.The seams are filled with joint compound, then paper joint tape is embedded. After this dries, two more coats of joint compound are applied with a broad drywall knife. Nail holes are also filled. The walls and ceiling are then either sanded smooth, or sanded and textured. Trim and baseboards are then installed. All surfaces are then primed and painted, either by spray or with brush and roller.
Prevention/Solution
Since Sheetrock is soft and quite easily damaged, there are several ways to prevent or minimize drywall damage around the home. Baseboard or hinge mounted door stoppers to prevent door handles punching holes through the drywall. Vinyl corner protectors can be glued or tacked to vulnerable corners. Paintable or pre-painted wainscoting is an attractive solution for protecting lower walls in high-traffic hallways, and chair rail prevents chair backs from hitting dining room walls.
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