WHAT IS GYPSUM BOARD?

Gypsum board is the technical product name used by manufacturers to define a specific gypsum-core board material that is typically installed on the walls and ceilings of the interior or exterior of a residential or non-residential structure. The product is defined by the ASTM C11 standard as “the generic name for a family of sheet products consisting of a noncombustible core primarily of gypsum with paper surfacing.” Drywall and plasterboard are non-technical synonyms for gypsum board.

Gypsum board differs from products such as plywood, hardboard, and fiberboard because of its non-combustible core. It is designed to provide a monolithic surface when joints and fastener heads are covered with a joint treatment system.

Gypsum wallboard is the most common type of gypsum board and is the predominant type used as a wall and ceiling surfacing. Most of the wall and ceiling surfaces in a home are covered by gypsum wallboard.
Members of the Gypsum Association also manufacture gypsum sheet products that do not have a paper facing. These products are called gypsum panel products and are defined by the C11 standard as “a family of sheet products consisting essentially of gypsum.” Glass mat- faced panels and panels manufactured without a facing that have a gypsum core are examples of gypsum panel products.

The commonality between the board and the panel definitions is the gypsum core. The core often contains additives, but to be considered a gypsum board or panel, and be regarded as drywall, the core must be predominantly gypsum.

There are many types of gypsum board. Standard size gypsum boards are 48 or 54 inches wide and 8 (2440 mm), 10 (3050 mm), 12 (3660 mm), or 14 (4270 mm) feet long. Board is available in thicknesses from 1/4-inch (6.4 mm) to 1-inch (25.4 mm) thick, with the most common being 1/2-inch (12.7 mm) and 5/8-inch (15.9 mm) thick material.

Gypsum boards and panels are manufactured for use in a variety of applications and performance situations: ceramic tile and marble backing materials, exterior building sheathings, plaster bases, elevator and pipe shaft enclosure systems, and ceiling and soffit enclosures. Modern manufacturing permits specialized additives and sheet materials to be placed in boards to provide increased impact resistance and sound attenuation qualities.
Gypsum board is the premier building material for wall, ceiling, and partition systems in residential, institutional, and commercial structures. Gypsum products provide fire resistance, sound control, economy, versatility, quality, and convenience.

Gypsum is also used in other ways, such as a base for orthopedic casts, as a soil amendment, as a food additive, and as an inert additive to many food and cosmetic products.