Drywall and sheetrock are both drywall products that have a variety of uses in construction. Both drywall and sheetrock can be used as a wall covering, but drywall is also used for ceilings and partitions, while sheetrock is typically limited to being used as a wall covering.
What is drywall?
Drywall, or drywall partition, is a building material used to finish interior walls and ceilings. It is also called drywall sheeting or wallboard. There are two common varieties of drywall — gypsum drywall (also known as “sheetrock” in the US) and fiber board drywall (which can be loosely considered equivalent to “hardboard”). Drywall consists of three layers: an interior paper layer which acts as a base for coatings applied later; the middle has a compound made up of sand, lime, glass fibers and cement; and an exterior paper layer which helps provide protection from moisture.
Large sheets of drywall (8’x4′) are hung like tiles on walls and ceilings with drywall screws, drywall nails, drywall stilts or drywall lifts. Drywalls are usually installed with the seams staggered; though it is possible to overlap drywalls if desired, regardless of whether or not they are staggered.
What is sheetrock?
Sheetrock, also known as drywall partition or drywall sheeting is a building material used to finish interior walls and ceilings. Sheetrock consists of three layers: an exterior paper layer which helps provide protection from moisture; the middle has a compound made up of sand, lime, glass fibers and cement; and an interior paper layer which acts as a base for coatings applied later. There are two common varieties – gypsum drywall (also known as “sheetrock” in the US) and fiber board drywall (which can be loosely considered equivalent to “hardboard”).
Sheetrock is also made from gypsum plaster like drywall but unlike drywall is only available in 1/2 inch thicknesses. Sheetrock can be found cut to size for home use at places like Home Depot and Lowe’s; sheetrock comes either pre-mudded (including joint compound) or un-mudded (without joint compound). Unlike drywall which has typically one finished side, sheetrock will have both sides covered with paper making it more durable and fire resistant. Although drywall and sheetrock both serve similar functions, drywall is typically used in ceilings and partitions while sheetrock is limited to being used as a wall covering.
Conclusion:
The drywall and sheetrock are both drywall products that have a variety of uses in construction. However drywall is typically used in ceilings and partitions while sheetrock is limited to being used as a wall covering.
