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What is drywall?

Drywall is a building panel for interior walls and ceilings: a core of gypsum, a soft mineral, set between two layers of paper. Building codes and the industry call it gypsum board, and it is also called wallboard.

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By InstaBids editorial team with AI research agents. Updated

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What is drywall made of?

The core is gypsum, a calcium sulfate mineral, either mined or made as a by-product of cleaning smokestack emissions, and the two faces are paper. The board makers' trade group and the U.S. Geological Survey describe where the gypsum comes from: “To produce gypsum board, crushed natural gypsum or synthetic gypsum is heated or calcined to dehydrate the feedstock.” Source: Gypsum Association, read 2026-10-29. “Natural gypsum is a mineral formed from evaporite deposits laid down millions of years ago when shallow seas dried up.” Source: Gypsum Association, read 2026-10-29. “In 2024, synthetic gypsum was estimated to account for about 34% of the total domestic gypsum supply.” Source: U.S. Geological Survey, read 2026-10-29.

How do the Gypsum Association and USGS describe drywall?

Drywall is the everyday name for gypsum board, the paper-faced panel fastened to wall and ceiling framing and then finished and painted. The Gypsum Association, the trade group of the board makers, describes how a panel is formed, and the U.S. Geological Survey counts how much is sold each year: “Next the calcined gypsum is mixed with water and additives to form a slurry which is fed between continuous layers of recycled paper on a long board machine.” Source: Gypsum Association, read 2026-10-29. “The paper becomes chemically and mechanically bonded to the core.” Source: Gypsum Association, read 2026-10-29. “Total wallboard sales in 2024 were estimated to be 28 billion square feet.” Source: U.S. Geological Survey, read 2026-10-29.

What is Type X drywall?

Type X is a fire-resistant grade of drywall whose gypsum core carries extra additives, defined in the industry standard ASTM C1396; the 5/8-inch Type X panel is tied to a one-hour test wall. The Gypsum Association explains what the standard says: “The standard distinguishes between regular gypsum board and type X, with the latter formulated to provide improved fire resistance through special core additives.” Source: Gypsum Association, read 2026-10-29. “5/8” type X gypsum board is defined in ASTM C1396 as gypsum board that provide at least a one-hour fire-resistance rating when the board is installed parallel to and on both sides of load-bearing 2×4 wood studs spaced 16 inches on center.” Source: Gypsum Association, read 2026-10-29. “In short: all type C boards are type X, but not all type X boards meet the enhanced performance requirements of type C.” Source: Gypsum Association, read 2026-10-29.

Is drywall fireproof?

Gypsum does not burn, and the water held in its crystals is driven off in a fire, which slows heat moving through a wall. Fire ratings, though, belong to a whole tested wall or ceiling, never to a single sheet of drywall: “Gypsum panels contribute to the fire performance of these assemblies because they are noncombustible and contain chemically combined water that is released when exposed to heat.” Source: Gypsum Association, read 2026-10-29. “This distinction is similar to another common misconception in the industry: there is no such thing as “one-hour drywall.”” Source: Gypsum Association, read 2026-10-29. In Washington State, the residential code says: “Floor assemblies that are not required elsewhere in this code to be fire-resistance rated, shall be provided with a 1/2-inch (12.7 mm) gypsum wallboard membrane, 5/8-inch (16 mm) wood structural panel membrane, or equivalent on the underside of the floor framing member.” Source: Washington State Legislature, read 2026-10-29.

Can drywall get wet?

Drywall can survive a short wetting if it dries quickly and keeps its shape, but paper-faced board that stays damp grows mold, and board that swells is cut out. EPA's table for drying water-damaged materials gives this rule for wallboard: “May be dried in place if there is no obvious swelling and the seams are intact.” Source: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, read 2026-10-29. “If not, remove, discard, and replace.” Source: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, read 2026-10-29. The board makers' trade group adds: “Gypsum panels, particularly paper-faced gypsum wallboard, must be kept dry at all times to prevent the growth of mold.” Source: Gypsum Association, read 2026-10-29. “Older practices involving “greenboard” water-resistant gypsum board in tub and shower surrounds are no longer permitted in wet areas under current model building codes.” Source: Gypsum Association, read 2026-10-29.

Does drywall have asbestos?

Some wallboard has contained asbestos. The federal construction asbestos standard, 29 CFR 1926.1101, names asbestos-containing wallboard first in the sentence that follows its definition of Class II asbestos work: “This includes, but is not limited to, the removal of asbestos-containing wallboard, floor tile and sheeting, roofing and siding shingles, and construction mastics.” Source: U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration, read 2026-10-29. EPA adds that a sheet's look will not tell you: “Generally, you can't tell whether a material contains asbestos simply by looking at it, unless it is labeled.” Source: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, read 2026-10-29. “If building materials in your home aren’t damaged and won’t be disturbed, you do not need to have your home tested for asbestos.” Source: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, read 2026-10-29.

Is Chinese drywall still a problem?

Problem drywall is board linked to blackened, corroded copper wiring and air-conditioner coils; CPSC's identification guide looks for drywall installed between 2001 and 2009, and Chinese markings on the back are only one clue. CPSC has closed its investigation: “CPSC has completed its investigation into problem drywall.” Source: U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, read 2026-10-29. “CPSC has received about 4,051 reports from residents in 44 States, the District of Columbia, American Samoa, and Puerto Rico, who believe their health symptoms or the corrosion of certain metal components in their homes are related to problem drywall.” Source: U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, read 2026-10-29. “Consumers largely report that their homes were built in 2006 to 2007, when an unprecedented increase in new construction occurred in part due to the hurricanes of 2004 and 2005.” Source: U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, read 2026-10-29. “Note: Not all drywall from China is problem drywall.” Source: U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, read 2026-10-29.

How thick is drywall?

Gypsum board is made from 1/4 inch up to 1 inch thick, and building codes name 1/2-inch board and 5/8-inch Type X board where a wall or ceiling has to slow a fire. The industry's property table and one state code show the range: “GA-235 lists typical weights by thickness, ranging from 1.2 psf for ¼ inch board up to 4.0 psf for 1 inch board.” Source: Gypsum Association, read 2026-10-29. In Washington State, the residential code says: “Wall assemblies need not extend through attic spaces where the ceiling is protected by not less than 5/8-inch (15.9 mm) Type X gypsum board, an attic draft stop constructed as specified in Section R302.12.1 is provided above and along the wall assembly separating the dwellings and the structural framing supporting the ceiling is protected by not less than 1/2-inch (12.7 mm) gypsum board or equivalent.” Source: Washington State Legislature, read 2026-10-29.

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