There are several types of drywall, ranging from standard, inexpensive whiteboard to moisture-resistant green and purple board. While moisture and mold-resistant sheetrock is more expensive, it’s the best type of bathroom drywall.
Types Of Bathroom Drywall
To know which type of drywall to use for your project, you’ll need to understand the types.
1. White Board (Standard Drywall)
White board drywall comes in four-by-eight-foot pieces and is the most common type. It is a popular choice for interiors in living rooms, bedrooms, and kitchens. Whiteboard is white on one side with a cardboard hue on the other.
2. Green Board (Moisture Resistant)
Green board is moisture-resistant but not fully waterproof. It is not the same as cement board which is better for areas with high moisture, like shower surrounds. Green board is suitable for bathroom walls and other high-humidity areas that don’t come in direct contact with water.
3. Blue Board (Moisture Resistant for Veneer Plastering)
Blue board is a plasterboard made for backing for plastering. It is also water resistant, so it works for bathrooms and as a tile base. You can lay the mortar on the board without taping it.
4. Purple Board (Moisture, Mold, and Mildew Resistant)
Purple board drywall is ideal for high-moisture rooms. It’s more expensive but is resistant to moisture, mold, and mildew, making it ideal for bathroom walls.
5. Paperless Drywall (Moisture-Resistant)
Paperless drywall is becoming the new standard. It contains gypsum and fiberglass. While paperless drywall is moisture resistant, it’s not recommended for direct water contact. (Don’t put it in your shower.)
6. Type X Drywall (Fire Resistant)
Type X drywall is fire-resistant. The paper is off-white, or ivory, a color that distinguishes it from other drywalls. It isn’t easy to cut with a drywall knife and requires a saw.
Best Bathroom Drywall
The best type of bathroom drywall depends on where the drywall will go. For shower and bath surrounds, use cement board. Cement board is appropriate for direct contact with water, and you can tile over it. The best bathroom drywall for walls and ceilings includes green and purple board. Both offer moisture resistance and are intended for high-humidity areas.
Pros And Cons Of Drywall
Since there are plenty of other interior wall options, it’s important to make sure that drywall is right for you before you choose it.
Pros
- Easy To Install – If you have basic carpentry skills, you can install drywall. You’ll need to know how to make cuts and be physically able to hold the drywall up while screwing it into the studs.
- Cheap – Drywall is one of the cheapest wall coverings available. You can buy white board for about $.50 an sq ft. To calculate your wall space, try this calculator.
- Stable – Most drywall covers four feet at a time. Since most studs are 16in, this gives a lot of stability when using screws at least every 16in.
- Lots Of Resistant Options – Whether you need fire-resistant drywall behind your oven or water-resistant drywall behind your sink, there is a drywall option for you.
- Easy To Repair – If your drywall gets damaged, you can repair it. Unless the damage is great, a simple drywall repair kit can help. Find the best drywall repair kit at a cheap price.
- Can Be Painted – You can paint and repaint drywall. It can also handle wallpaper, so if you get tired of painted walls or want to cover a bad mud job, you can add wallpaper.
- Can Hold Heavy Loads– You can get drywall anchors to hang about anything you want without the extra support of a stud.
Cons
- Difficult To Finish – Although drywall is easy to install, it is difficult to finish out. It’s hard for beginners to get a good finish when mudding and taping.
- Heavy – Drywall requires a team lift unless you want dented corners from dropping it. Each piece weighs about 50 pounds. To top that off, most drywall comes in two pieces that need cut apart, so that’s over 100 pounds.
- Not Very Durable – although drywall is stable, it does break easily. Even a slammed door can break the drywall, leaving a doorknob-sized hole.
- Not Authentic – Drywall is a great option for most walls, but if you want something that feels handcrafted and authentic, then it isn’t for you.
- Needs Outside Area To Work With – If you’re installing drywall, you will need a good-sized outdoor area. Cutting drywall inside isn’t only messy, but it’s unsafe. The dust particles need air to escape, or else they’ll be trapped indoors.
- Hard To Choose Type – Since there are many different types of drywall at varying prices, you want to make sure you get the most bang for your buck.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)FAQ
What Is Drywall Estimating Rule Of Thumb?
Before you start your drywall project, you will need to estimate how much everything will cost. The most common way is to measure the surface walls, and multiplying height and length and the sum of their areas. After you get that number, divide the area of one sheet of drywall.
The goal when practicing rule of thumb is to lower expenses and waste. You don’t want to buy too much sheetrock.
What Is Gypsum Wallboard?
Gypsum wallboard, otherwise known as gypsumboard, is great for DIY projects. In the world of drywall, 1/2 gypsum wallboard is lighter than standard 1/2 drywall sheetrock.
Gypsum is over 20 percent water and contains glass fibers which help make it fire-resistant. It is the top building material for wall, ceiling, and partition designs in homes and offices.
How Do You Use A Drywall Knife?
Otherwise known as a wide-blade drywall taping knife, this tool is essential for drywall. First, load two inches of compound on the edge of your blade. Start in the corner of a room, forcing the joint compound into the seams between boards and divots.
When filling seams, hold the knife at a 25-degree angle to work the surface and smooth the compound. You’ll want to do this in a single pass.
How Do You Use A Drywall Banjo?
A drywall banjo is good for big projects. A banjo reduces problems with loose bubbling tape. The tool allows you to lay tape and mud at the same time. It works like a scotch tape dispenser. As it travels from the roll to the cutting edge, the tape passes through mud.
What Is The Purpose Of A Drywall Rasp?
A drywall rasp is a handy tool for perfecting drywall cuts. The tool is useful when handling a drywall cut for windows, patches, or other large holes.
What Is Wet Sanding Drywall?
Wet-sanding drywall involves a damp sponge to smooth and trim excess taping compound after it dries. With a sponge, drywall compound will dissolve and become loose. Afterward, it is ready for smoothing. With wet-sanding a thick, stiff sponge is necessary.
What Is A Drywall Router?
A drywall router is a spiral saw. It is one of the best tools for cutting openings in drywall for electrical boxes. You can cut fast and accurate holes without spending time on measuring or marking.
