We spend our days surrounded by drywall, but we don’t often stop to think about it. We all know what drywall is, but do you know why it’s called drywall?
Most commonly known as drywall, it has a variety of other names such as sheetrock, wallboard, plasterboard, and gypsum wallboard. Drywall is used to create walls and ceilings, as well as design features like eaves, arches and other custom elements. It is quick and easy to install, incredibly durable, easy to repair and can also be used to add fire resistance.
Did you know the DRY in drywall refers to its installation?
To understand the “dry” reference in it’s name, you must first understand it’s history. Before drywall became the go-to for building interiors, plaster was used for creating walls and ceilings. Through a difficult and time-consuming process, layers of wet plaster were laid over wooden strips called laths. Each coat required a long drying time before the next could be applied, which resulted in weeks of work, and therefore increased labour costs.
Originally called “Sackett Board”, drywall was first invented in 1916 in the form of small, fireproof tiles. In less than a decade it evolved into its commonly known form, consisting of a single layer of compressed gypsum between two sheets of heavy paper. Surprisingly, it took nearly 25 years for drywall to become commonly used throughout the building industry!
The DRY in drywall references the drywall application, which is water free. The invention of drywall resolved the lengthy and labour intensive application and dry time associated with plaster, allowing wall and ceiling construction to be completed in one tenth of the time!
Contact the team of experts at Premier Drywall for quick, high quality drywall installation – no drying time needed!
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