Within the building industry, you can hear the words "sheetrock" and "drywall" used interchangeably. Most homes have drywall on the inside walls and ceilings. It is comprised of compressed gypsum that is sandwiched between two layers of thick, strong paper. Sheetrock is a high-end brand of drywall in the meantime.
This article will go over the differences between the two, including how they are used in real life, how much they cost, and how to fix and paint them.
Drywall vs. Sheetrock: What’s the Difference?
| Feature | Sheetrock | Generic Drywall |
|---|---|---|
| Origin | Branded (USG Corporation) | Unbranded, multiple makers |
| Consistency | High-quality control | Varies by manufacturer |
| Price | 10–20% higher | Budget-friendly |
Are you stuck on whether to use Sheetrock or drywall as if it's a big DIY decision? People sometimes use the words "drywall" and "Sheetrock" interchangeably. While they do the same thing, there are some little differences between the two that should be recognized. Read on to learn the difference between drywall and Sheetrock and how to pick the correct one for your project.
What Is Drywall?
What exactly is drywall? It's the unsung hero of modern building. The framework of internal walls and ceilings is hidden with drywall, which is a building material. Later in the 20th century, it replaced plaster as the main building material for new homes. Making drywall involves pressing and drying gypsum powder that is layered between thick pieces of paper. Gypsum gives the drywall support and rigidity, and paper makes the surface smooth, perfect for painting.
People often call drywall gypsum wallboard (GWB), wallboard, or plasterboard. It is made of gypsum (calcium sulfate dihydrate). It could have extra ingredients that make it work better. As was said before, "Sheetrock" is a well-known brand name that is sometimes used interchangeably with "drywall." More information on that follows.
Drywall is the most used building material right now since it is easy to install, cheap, and widely available. It is used in both homes and businesses. There are a lot of different kinds of drywall, and some types have special features, such being mold-resistant or moisture-resistant, to serve different purposes in the home.
All types of drywall are fire-resistant, however certain brands are better at it than others. Most types of drywall cost between $0.40 and $0.65 per square foot of material.
George Tip
People call drywall by different names, including plasterboard, wallboard, gypsum board, and Sheetrock, which is a brand of drywall. No matter what word contractors use, they are usually referring about standard drywall materials.
What Is Sheetrock?
Did you hear someone say "Sheetrock" like it's the fancy cousin of drywall? Sheetrock is a brand name for drywall, which means that all Sheetrock products are drywall, although not all drywall is marketed as Sheetrock. The terms have evolved to signify the same thing since so many people use them.
Sheetrock can be used to build walls and ceilings on top of the structure of a home or business, just like drywall. Sheetrock is a well-known brand that people trust for many kinds of building projects.
There are different types of Sheetrock drywall panels, each with its own set of features and qualities to think about. These include coatings that resist moisture, flames, and sound. Sheetrock does not give out sulfur aromas like other brands of drywall. These smells can be unpleasant, cause health problems, and corrode metals like the screws that contractors use to attach the panels to the studs.
Sheetrock is normally more expensive than other generic drywall brands since it is better, more popular, and comes in a wider range of styles.
Where to Use Sheetrock vs. Drywall
Sheetrock Applications:
- High-end interiors: UltraLight panels cut labor by 30%.
- Wet areas: Mold Tough resists humidity in bathrooms.
- Soundproofing: SoundBreak XP for home theaters.
Sheetrock is a type of drywall that may be used for many different things, both in homes and businesses. Because of its consistent quality and performance, builders and contractors often choose it as their preferred material. There are many sizes and thicknesses of sheetrock to fit different projects.
Drywall Applications:
- Budget builds: Standard panels for garages/closets.
- Temp walls: Easily removable for renovations.
There are more types of drywall than just sheetrock. Other companies that make drywall make similar panels with paper-covered gypsum centers. Standard drywall and sheetrock are very similar in terms of their functions, making them both adaptable and widely used in construction.
Types of Drywall and Sheetrock
Have you ever looked through a drywall catalog and felt overwhelmed by all the options? Here are some features of standard drywall and the Sheetrock brand. Check out our drywall types page for a more in-depth look at the many kinds of drywall available. Here are some important facts:
Whiteboard: The most common type of drywall is whiteboard, which is sometimes called "standard drywall." The main use for it is to build new homes' walls and ceilings. It comes in 4-by-8-foot sheets, and each panel weighs around 50 pounds.
Soundproof drywall: All drywall or Sheetrock blocks some sound, but soundproof drywall does an even better job at this. Soundproof drywall has an extra layer of viscoelastic polymer inside it to help reduce noise in places that need better sound management, including home cinemas, bedrooms, home offices, or music studios.
Ceiling drywall: Ceiling drywall, often known as sag-resistant drywall, is made to hold up ceiling panels. This alternative is lighter and less heavy than regular drywall, which keeps it from sagging and makes it easier to put up the drywall above.
Moisture- and mold-resistant drywall: Green board and blue board are two types of products that don't let moisture or mildew in. This kind of drywall is great for rooms that need to be able to handle moisture, such the kitchen and bathroom. It has a paper backing and is covered in wax to keep water out.
Fire-resistant drywall: Fire-rated or fire-resistant drywall is a special type of drywall or Sheetrock that is often used in basements, garages, or other places where there are appliances or equipment that could start a fire. This type of drywall works by stopping flames and smoke from spreading during a fire.
If you engage a drywall contractor in your area to do the work, they will help you find the best product for your room. They will also check that your drywall fulfills building codes. This is very important in places where moisture can be a problem, like kitchens and bathrooms, and in places where fire might be a problem, such garages and boiler rooms.
Drywall Pros and Cons
Before starting your job, you should think about the pros and downsides of both drywall and Sheetrock, no matter which one you choose.
Pros
DIY-friendly: Many drywall jobs are easy for do-it-yourselfers to do, and a utility knife makes it easy to score; no special tools are needed.
Affordable: It costs 60% cheaper than plaster since it costs $0.40 per square foot. Even though Sheetrock is more expensive because of its brand name, many project planners can still afford it.
Fireproof: Drywall is naturally resistant to fire, and there are types that make it even safer.
Paintable and coverable: You can paint, wallpaper, and add different textures and finishes to sheetrock and drywall to match your home's style.
Easy to repair: Is your drywall broken? No problem at all. Using plaster or wood to fix or replace broken parts of drywall takes longer, is harder, and costs more than using drywall.
Variety: If you need extra qualities like better fire protection, sound insulation, moisture resistance, or lightweight drywall, you have a lot of choices.
Cons
Moisture vulnerability: If you don't install drywall correctly or let it get wet, it can get moldy, mildew, obvious water damage, and break down.
Heavy: Drywall is heavy because it has a mineral in it that looks like rock. This is especially true when using big sheets. To handle big sheets or big jobs, you might need special tools or more than one person.
Dusty: Cutting drywall or Sheetrock makes a lot of dust. If the work area isn't blocked off with plastic sheeting or other barriers, this dust can spread all over the working site and make a big mess.
Toxicity: Most drywall is safe, but imported types can be dangerous to your health, and cutting into older drywall that has asbestos can also be dangerous.
Eco-friendliness: Most of the drywall that is thrown away ends up in landfills, which can harm the environment. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) did research that showed that chemicals can leak from drywall into groundwater.
If the pros and cons of drywall don't work for you, you can look into other options that might be better for you.
Standard Sizes for Drywall and Sheetrock
Ever showed up to a job site with the wrong drywall size? That sinking feeling is worse than forgetting your tape measure. Let's make sure it never happens again.
Leading drywall manufacturers, like USG Sheetrock, make sheets that are 4 feet wide and 8 feet long, with widths of 1/2 and 5/8 inches. These sizes are commonly used in home building.
Thickness
1/2-inch drywall: Half-inch drywall is used on all the walls in the house.
5/8-inch-thick drywall: This thicker drywall, which is sometimes called Type X, is used in ceilings and other places that need to be fire-resistant, like furnace rooms.
1/4-inch drywall: This is a less common variety of drywall that is a flexible panel that can be used for bridges and curved walls.
| Measurement | Best Use Case | Special Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 1/4" | Curved walls | Flexible but fragile (handle with care) |
| 3/8" | Repairs/remodeling | Don't use for ceilings |
| 1/2" | Standard walls | Most common residential size |
| 5/8" | Ceilings, fire-rated walls | Required for commercial buildings |
Tip: There are times when 1/4-inch drywall costs the same or more than 1/2-inch drywall, even though it has half as much material.
Widths
Drywall is usually 48 inches wide. Although it's not usually sold in shops, you can also ask for 54-inch-wide drywall.
Lengths
The lengths of drywall are meant to cover groups of 16 inches or more. There are sixteen inches between each wall post. For this reason, drywall is usually sold in 8-foot and 12-foot pieces.
| Footage | Recommended For | Weight (1/2") |
|---|---|---|
| 8 ft | Basements with low ceilings | 54 lbs |
| 10 ft | Standard rooms (9' ceilings) | 67 lbs |
| 12 ft | Master bedrooms | 81 lbs |
| 14-16 ft | Open concept spaces | 95-108 lbs |
Tip: When you compare prices per square foot, twelve-foot drywall sheets usually cost the same as eight-foot sheets. You might spend a little more than planned. Longer sheets have benefits like fewer seams, which makes fitting faster, and a smoother look.
Edge Profiles
Tapered Edge: The taper on the long sides comes together to make a V-shaped gap that is filled with joint cement and covered with tape to make the joints look complete.
Sqaure Edge: On the shorter sides, square edges that are 90 degrees to each other make a butt joint.
Tip: Sheetrock brand uses more pronounced tapers for smoother finish work.
Cost Comparison
Sheetrock Costs:
- $12–$20 per 4x8ft panel.
- Added $0.15/sq. ft. for specialized types.
Sheetrock is a well-known and trusted brand, so it might cost a little more than regular drywall. The price may change depending on the type of goods, its thickness, and its size. When deciding whether to use generic drywall, contractors and builders often weigh the brand's reputation, reliability, and product availability against the potential savings.
Drywall Costs:
- $10–$18 per 4x8ft panel.
- Green board: +$2–$3 per panel.
Most of the time, standard drywall from different companies is cheaper than sheetrock. reduced brand awareness may lead to reduced costs, even though it performs and is of the same quality. It's important to think about the needs of the project because some applications may necessitate a certain brand or type of drywall.
Tips to Save Money
Buy in bulk: If you buy 50, 60, or more sheets of drywall at once, or more, some stores may give you a discount of $1 to $3.
Avoid extra features: Mold-resistant drywall and ultralight drywall have certain benefits, but if you want to save money, go with regular drywall panels if your project allows it.
Think about local suppliers: Lumberyards may offer better prices on drywall than home improvement stores or hardware stores.
Buy overseas: Most foreign gypsum board is measured in metric units. Imported gypsum board often costs four to five times cheaper than local gypsum board. Shipping expenses can often be talked about, even though they are high.
Final Thoughts
For years, people have been arguing about whether sheetrock or drywall is better, but no clear winner has emerged. In the end, it depends on the needs of each project. Sheetrock is cheaper and easier to install, but drywall is more durable and fireproof.
No matter what you choose, I think we can all agree that sheetrock and drywall look the same: they both look like a bunch of white squares stuck together! If your walls look boring or dreary, remember that you can turn them into works of art with a little ingenuity and some paint.
FAQs
Of course! Sheetrock is a type of gypsum board. The names refer to the same basic type of building material, although Sheetrock is made of better quality parts.
All Sheetrock is made of gypsum board. There are additional brands of drywall besides Sheetrock, such as Gold Bond, CertainTeed Regular Gypsum, and Toughrock.
In the name "Sheetrock," the product is described as a wall covering for rooms that comes in sheets and is made of gypsum, which is a mineral or rock. D.L. Hunter came up with the phrase in 1917. As an easier-to-remember alternative to Adamant Panel Board, he suggested the name.
Use drywall or Sheetrock that is 1/2 inch thick for the walls. The standard size for drywall on walls is 4 feet wide and 8 feet long, although it can alternatively be 12 feet long
Contractors and building professionals typically call it Sheetrock. People today often call drywall "sheetrock." It's like saying "google" instead of "search" or "Kleenex" instead of "tissue."
Drywall and gypsum board are the same thing. Gypsum board is only a technical word for a plaster-based wall covering that helps make walls that are light.
