What Is Drywall? | Production Process | Installation |

Introduction

Drywall also referred to as dry lining and plasterboard, may be a material typically used for constructing walls and ceilings, as an alternative to plaster. it's made primarily from gypsum, which may be a mined mineral. Drywall is often preferable to plaster which features a long drying time, and walls and ceilings which will take weeks to plaster are often completed in days using drywall. It also has good fire-resistant characteristics, is straightforward to put in, is durable, and is comparatively easy to take care of.

Production Process

Drywall was invented by the US Gypsum Company in 1916 and was first marketed as small fireproof tiles. before this, interiors had relied on lath and plaster techniques which were time-consuming and labor-intensive. After several years, it began to be manufactured within the sort of one layer of gypsum compressed between two sheets of heavy paper. During the post-WW2 construction boom, drywall became the foremost common wall-covering material. Mined gypsum is mixed with several additives, like starch, paper pulp, and an emulsifier that acts as a thickening agent. it's blended with water to make a thick paste which is spread onto manila in thick layers. Another sheet of manila is placed on top before being oven-heated to dry the fabric out. it's then dug sheets. Although it differs around the world, most drywall in Europe is digging sheets that are 120 cm wide, with 90 cm and 60 cm wide sheets also available. the foremost commonly cut length is 240 cm, although lengths of 250 cm, 260 cm, 270 cm, 280 cm, 300 cm, and longer also are cut. Drywall tends to be available at thicknesses of 9.5 - 25 mm. the foremost common edge treatments that are available are; tapered edge, plain edge and beveled on all sides. variety of specialized sorts of drywall are often manufactured, such as Fire-rated: Fiber strands are added to the quality mixture to offer an extended fire rating. Impact-resistant: Fiber strands are added and thicker paper is used. Moisture resistant: Water-resistant reports are often used when the drywall is to be installed in areas susceptible to moisture. Soundboard: Polymers are added which convert noise energy to heat. Lead-lined: a skinny layer of lead is added between the gypsum core and therefore the paper backing to be used in X-ray rooms or areas susceptible to radiation. Flexible drywall: Where drywall is to be used for tight arches and/or curves, thinner boards are used that are ‘wetted down’ before getting used. Blue board: A special green coating is employed to hide the drywall, making it easier for veneer plastic to stick thereto.

Installation

The first step within the installation of "Drywall" is to chop the sheets to the lengths required. this could be done on a dry and level surface employing a drywall saw. A handsaw and/or circle cutter are often wont to cut the required holes for electrical outlets, light switches, and so on. Drywall panels are then fastened onto wall studs or to furring strips that are applied over masonry surfaces. Panels are fixed to metal studs vertically, but best fixed to timber studs horizontally since timber is more likely to warp over time, and horizontally hanging (along with a drywall adhesive) helps minimize deflection. Fixing techniques include wallboard nails or plasterboard screws. Typically, screws are placed about every 10 cm. The finishing process involves concealing the joints between panels using wallboard joint tape and a joint compound spread along each seam employing a finishing knife. Once the compound has set and dried, it should be lightly sanded using sandpaper until no tape is visible on the surface and it's smooth and flush with the remainder of the wall. Drywall ceiling installation requires thinner sheets than walls, as they're not as heavy which makes them easier to put in. When installing, the walls should be built first to offer extra support for the ceiling. To repair the damage, a joint compound is employed to fill small holes that are then sanded smooth and flush. Larger holes may require filling with a bit of cut drywall and joint compound.

Drywall is additionally referred to as plasterboard, plasterboard, and sheetrock. For thousands of years, plaster made up of lime, sand, animal hair and other ingredients were wont to create a smooth interior finish. Later, it had been discovered that gypsum dried faster than lime, so gypsum became the most ingredient in plaster. It wasn’t until well into the 20th century, though, that sheets of plasterboard began to exchange traditional wet plastering. Drywall may be a sheet or panel of construction material made from gypsum plaster pressed between thick sheets of fiberglass mats or heavy paper. it's widely used for ceilings and interior walls. Today, drywall comes in standard sizes and thicknesses. The drywall sheets utilized in Australian homes are usually 2.4 meters long by 1.2 meters wide – an equivalent to a typical sheet of plywood or fiberboard. The sheets are heavy and brittle and care must be taken when handling them. Straight cuts are often made in plasterboard just by scoring through one outer paper layer and snapping off the unwanted excess. Drywall is applied to walls and ceilings using special drywall nails or screws, which penetrate the gypsum without shattering it and hold the heavy sheets firmly with their wide heads. Drywall nails and screws are sunk just beneath the surface of the drywall. After it's installed, the indentations and seams are filled using special plastering products applied with a trowel.

Through The Years Drywall Manufacturers Added a Variety Of Improvements That Resulted In The Following Benefits:

Lighter weight, from a mean of two pounds per sq ft (9.8 kg per sq m) within the 1950s to about 1.6 pounds per sq ft (8 kg per sq m). The lower weight reduces shipping costs and facilitates installation and handling.

1-Easy to repair when damaged.

2-Fire resistance developed in the late 1950s made drywall suitable for walls or ceilings requiring a fireplace rating beyond 20 minutes.

3-Moisture resistance developed within the early 1960s led to the assembly of aluminum-laminated drywall suitable for bathrooms, basements, and high-moisture areas.

4-Improved sound insulation.

5-Improved impact resistance.

6-However, concerns remain for drywall, such as:

Screws begin unexpectedly.

7-Vulnerable to moisture damage.

8-Paper is edible by termites.

Corrosion, distasteful odor, and illnesses caused by volatile Sulphur compounds and other toxic gases emitted by the so-called “Chinese drywall.” sulfide gas smell like rotten eggs. Drywall is additionally referred to as sheetrock, which isn't a generic name but a drywall name produced since 1916.