what is the actual thickness of half inch drywall

For thickness 1/2″ (12mm) is generally sufficient but 5/8″ (15mm) is better. Can you use 1/2 inch drywall

ceiling? 1/2-inch: Half-inch drywall panels are the standard thickness for interior walls, as well as ceilings. When installed on ceilings, 5/8-inch-thick panels are more resistant to sagging than 1/2-inch panels.

Full Answer

What is the thickness of 1/2 inch drywall?

Thickness: Usually 1/2" or 5/8"; Sometimes 1/4". 1/4": Not a common thickness, quarter-inch drywall is used as a skimming (or double-wall) material for placing over an existing surface. 1/2": Half-inch drywall panels are the standard thickness for interior walls. 5/8": Use for ceilings.

How wide is a standard drywall panel?

Standard drywall width is usually 4'. Practically every drywall panel that you find in a home improvement store will be 4 feet wide.

How big is a 4x8 sheet of drywall?

4-foot x 8-foot: The most common size of drywall is 4 feet wide, 8 feet long. Since 1/2-inch thick sheets of 4- x 8-foot drywall tip the scales at 57 pounds, this tends to be the biggest sheet that most DIYers can carry and lift into place. This size allows for either vertical or horizontal installation.

Why do you need to double drywall thickness?

In ordinary residential construction, doubling up drywall thickness can reduce sound transmission and make for sturdier walls. Thicker drywall may be required by code for any wall or ceiling covered with a texture or skim coat where studs or joists are spaced 24 inches on-center rather than 16 inches.

What is a 4 1/2 foot drywall panel?

When wall panels come in lengths and widths other than these multiples of 4 feet, they are usually not drywall panels but are instead cement board or a drywall alternative, such as DRIcor Smartwall. While not common on the consumer market, 4-1/2-foot-wide drywall sheets can be special-ordered.

How did drywall change the building industry?

Drywall changed the building industry when it came on the scene about a century ago. While it took a few decades for drywall to fully take root in home construction, this pre-sized wallboard eventually meant no more nailing of hundreds of lath boards and troweling of wet plaster.

What size sheet is 2' by 2'?

The 2-foot by 2-foot square of drywall is not a stock sheet size. However, cut-down pieces of drywall are often available at most home centers and especially at smaller local hardware stores. These small sheets can be useful for patching jobs or wall-boarding small nooks and alcoves.

How long is a drywall sheet?

The length and width of drywall sheets are usually in multiples of 4 feet—most commonly, 4-foot by 8-foot, 4-foot by 12-foot, or 4-foot by 16-foot sheets. Building codes have no specific requirements for the width and length of drywall sheets. These are determined by the needs of the architect, builder, and client.

What is fire resistant drywall?

This thicker drywall is often called fire-resistant drywall. Common walls between residential living spaces and attached garages, for example, require a fire-resistant construction, as do furnace rooms. This fire resistance can also be achieved by installing multiple layers of thinner drywall panels. Read More.

What is layered drywall?

Layered Drywall. Some applications call for or allow multiple layers of drywall. In townhouses, for example, the shared walls between units may require double layers of 1/2-inch wallboard to create a very fire-resistant and sound-resistant wall.

How thick is drywall?

Drywall comes in 3/8″, 1/2″ and 5/8″ thicknesses or in metric 6, 9.5, or 12.7mm. Standard US drywall is 1/2″ (12.7mm) thick, while the other two are called “non-standard.” Building codes also have some requirements when it comes to standard thickness. The building code dictates the thickness of each application.

How long is a good length of drywall?

For long and tall drywall, you can find drywall in lengths of 12 or 16 feet. So, if you have long and tall walls, go for this size of drywall. If you also want an unbroken line from floor to ceiling and prefer a smooth surface when working with a long and high wall, this is the best solution.

What is cement board drywall?

Cement board drywall is durable drywall that’s designed to be installed on plywood or studs. It is available in 1/2-inch and 5/8-inch thicknesses. The cement board is made by sandwiching a cement core between two layers of fiberglass mat. You can use this type of drywall behind ceramic tile and marble for high moisture areas. It’s the hardest material to cut.

Why is it important to be careful when choosing drywall?

As you can see, it’s very important to be careful when choosing drywall because choosing the wrong size and thickness can break your project. You don’t want to spend a lot of money and time on your home improvement project only to end up with losses.

Does drywall prevent mold?

Both mold and moisture-resistant drywall panels are paperless panels with a special coating that blocks moisture and helps prevent mold growth. So, if you’re wondering how to get rid of mold from your home, installing this drywall will be your first solution. This combination is an excellent choice for bathrooms, kitchens, and laundry rooms. As it reduces mold, it extends the appearance and lifespan of surfaces.

Can you use thin drywall sheets on curved walls?

This is not very common, and it’s used as a skimming material for placing over an existing surface. You can also use these thin drywall sheets to install drywall on the slightly curved surface. If the drywall is not meeting the curve, you need to add a layer of mesh tape and compound before applying another thin sheet.

Do you hang drywall horizontally?

Fire codes require seams to fall on the length of the framing, especially on commercial jobs, so ensure you hang your drywall horizontally. If your walls are 9 feet higher or shorter, hanging your drywall horizontally will leave you with more benefits.

What is the measurement of 1/2" drywall?

The ceiling drywall measures 7/16", however a quick search on this measurement seems to state that 1/2" drywall's actual measurement is 7/16".

Is 3/8 a basement ceiling?

It could be 3/8 being a basement ceiling where they might have wanted to cut the cost. If you have the two different areas where the wall measures 1/2 then this is less.

How thick is drywall panel?

Panels are available in four drywall thicknesses—5/8-in., 1/2-in., 3/8-in., and 1/4-in. (above are all 5/8-in.). Each drywall thickness has specific applications and framing requirement. The 3/8-in. and 1/4-in. panels are only available in shorter lengths. Regular 1/2-in. drywall thickness was the most commonly used drywall in new residential construction and remodeling, but lightweight drywall is rapidly replacing this heavier drywall thickness.

Why Use 54-in. Drywall?

Again, the less seams/joints the better. When hanging drywall on walls that intersect 8-ft. (or lower) ceilings, two 4-ft.-wide panels of drywall hung horizontally results in just one seam running the length of the wall. But more and more homes are being constructed with 9-ft. ceiling heights, which means that 4-ft.-wide drywall creates two horizontal seams on each wall.

Why Use Lightweight Drywall?

Hanging drywall is hard work, in large part because it is heavy! A sheet of regular 1/2-in. drywall thickness weights about 60 pounds. The new lightweight drywall weighs about 41 pounds. A drywall hanger can hang an average of 60 4×8 sheets a day. If the hanger is installing regular drywall, that adds up to about nine tons a week. Installing lightweight drywall will reduce that amount down to six tons. That’s still a lot, but having to lift three tons less every week will increase production and decrease the risk of injury.

How long is a 5/8 panel?

Most 5/8-in. and 1/2-in. panels are available up to 16 feet long. Longer lengths help eliminate or reduce the number of butted seams, or butt joints. A butted seam is created when the ends of the panels are butted together.

What is a 4x8 panel?

There are also “special use” panels, including moisture/mold-resistant, fire-resistant, and impact or abuse-resistant.

How long are light weight panels?

Lightweight panels are available in standard lengths, including 8-ft., 10-ft., 12-ft., 14-ft. and 16-ft. panels, and come in both in 48-in. and 54-in. widths.

Is lightweight drywall harder than older drywall?

And a drywall rep recently told me that because the lightweight drywall has less mass, it’s not as good of a product for sound control as the old version. Not sure what the difference in the STC rating is exactly, but it is something to think about.

How thick is drywall?

How thick is drywall? Drywall thickness depends on the application. Most interior walls are made of drywall approximately ½ inch thick. This ensures adequate insulation and decent resistance to fire damage, although for another application drywall that is significantly thicker or thinner may be more conducive.

What Are the Standard Thicknesses of Drywall?

Remember that drywall is a fairly rigid material and therefore custom shapes, thicknesses, and compositions are available for less conventional construction purposes.

What Is Drywall?

Most of us have drywall in our homes unless you happen to be privileged enough to have a home constructed from pure brick and mortar (in which case hats off to you). If you happen to form part of the 98% of the US population that is not this fortunate, you are well acquainted with the thin pieces of board that divide our homes into their separate living quarters. If you have ever wondered what these boards are made of, today is your lucky day!

What is a drywall size chart?

Drywall size chart images are a dime a dozen, and they can be used to determine both size and width of drywall with the help of visual aid. These charts can be found on various websites, although it is strongly recommended that you view your drywall in person before making a purchase to avoid purchasing the incorrect board.

How much gypsum do you think was used in the process of meeting their ridiculously large customer bases needs?

They know this too, considering they make 4 billion dollars in sales each year.

What is a type X drywall?

Type X drywall is required by several building codes in the construction of both residential properties, office buildings, and even schools! Besides its ability to stop a fire in its tracks for roughly an hour (if installed on both sides of a wooden beam wall) this whopping 5/8- inch-thick drywall has the added advantage of being able to block out a sound almost completely.

When did sheetrock walling catch on?

Surprisingly sheetrock walling did not catch on until about 20 years later at the end of the second world war, this led to the baby boom and people were looking for cheap and effective ways to insulate their newly bought homes while making them aesthetically pleasing.