When renovators talk about interior walls, you may have heard the terms sheetrock and drywall thrown around. One of the questions we encounter as general contractors is whether there is a difference between these two materials. Since it’s important for homeowners to understand the process and materials used in their home remodeling services, we’re taking this post to break down both terms.
In this post, we’ll dive into everything you need to know about sheetrock, drywall, and remodeling a home’s interior walls. To schedule your home remodeling services, give our general contractors a call or connect with us online.
What is Drywall?
If you’ve spent much time in older homes or buildings, you’ve probably noticed that older homes tend to feature plaster instead of drywall in their wall construction. That’s because drywall didn’t really come into widespread use until the 1930s when it was introduced as an affordable, lightweight, and easy-to-install alternative to conventional wall building materials. After its introduction, it would quickly take over as the most commonly used wall material.
Drywall is primarily manufactured using a lightweight mineral called gypsum, which is ground into a fine powder and then pressed in between two sheets of paper to create a board or “sheet.” Once it’s delivered to a home for installation, contractors complete the walls by attaching the drywall to the building’s frame.
What is Sheetrock?
Much like the term “Kleenex” is used interchangeably with “tissue” and “Jell-O” can refer to any gelatin product, the term “sheetrock” is considered a synonym for drywall that means the same thing. Drywall was originally developed by the United States Gypsum Company, who would later patent the product in 1916 under the name Sheetrock®. Although the association with the original product has been long forgotten by most more than a century later, the proprietary eponym made its way into mainstream use.
More Facts About Drywall
There are many different types of drywall, and the type that’s needed for a given project will depend on a number of factors. Here are a few more interesting facts about drywall:
● Recommended drywall thickness can vary depending on the area in a home where it’s meant to be installed.
● Special types of drywall can be purchased with additional insulation, moisture resistance, or fire resistance.
● You can even install soundproof drywall if you’re interested in soundproofing a room for home recording purposes, for example.
● The installation process is much faster than conventional plaster installation.
Minnesota Drywall Installation Services
When you need drywall installation services for your Minnesota home, we’ve got you covered at The Construction Group. We offer a complete range of home remodeling services including insulation installation services, drywall repair, and more. To connect with a member of our team, contact us on the web or give us a call at 651-731-5857 today.