What drywall thickness should I use?

1/2-inch drywall is the most versatile board and the most common thickness for the 16-inch on-center interior walls in most homes. It offers a good balance between strength and weight. 5/8-inch drywall is a heavier product that resists sagging in ceilings and in 24-inch on-center interior walls.
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How thick should my drywall be?

The most common thickness of drywall used in residential interior construction is 1/2 inch. This material is recommended for walls with studs placed 16 inches on center. If the wall studs are placed 24 inches on center, a 5/8-inch drywall is recommended.
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What is the most commonly used drywall thickness?

Most drywall measures 1/2-inch thick. It's the most common choice for interior walls because they are easy to carry and hang. If weight is a concern, consider ultra-light half-inch drywall. It's 13 pounds lighter than other varieties for the same size and thickness.
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Can you use 3/8 drywall ceiling?

Moreover, for soundproofing, fire resistance, and moisture resistance, the building drywall thickness code recommends the use of heavy and thicker ceiling drywall. In this case, it will be ½ inch and 3/8 inch, which may also feature two ceiling drywall layers.
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Should you stagger ceiling drywall?

It's not necessary to stagger seams on ceiling drywall. However, because these joints are relatively difficult to finish – and tend to be noticeable in the finished product – it's a good idea to stagger the drywall panels to make the joints less visible.
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What is drywall and why are there different thicknesses?



Do you hang drywall ceiling before walls?

When hanging drywall, always hang the ceiling first. This is the hardest drywall to hang, so get a partner and go slow. Large cracks due to misaligned sheets are hard to repair because the extra mud required to fill them will constantly fall out and drop to the floor (or worse, down the back of your neck!).
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When should you use 5/8 drywall?

5/8-Inch-Thick Drywall

These panels are commonly used for ceilings or for walls that require a prescribed fire-resistant rating.
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Can you use 1/2 inch drywall ceiling?

Use 1/2-inch thick green board on ceilings with joists spaced 12 inches apart or fewer and 5/8-inch drywall on ceilings with joists up to 16 inches apart. Use a waterproof wall material over green board in moisture-prone areas.
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Is sheetrock better than drywall?

Sheetrock. Sheetrock is a brand of drywall that is a registered trademark of the U.S. Gypsum Company. With the exception of a couple of chemicals that allow the Sheetrock formula to be patented, there is practically no difference between Sheetrock and other drywall.
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Should I hang drywall vertically or horizontally?

On commercial jobs, fire codes often require seams to fall on the entire length of the framing, so the drywall must be hung vertically. However, on residential jobs, the drywall on the walls is typically hung horizontally. For walls 9 feet high or shorter, hanging the drywall horizontally has a number of benefits.
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Is lightweight drywall as good as regular drywall?

Although both standard drywall and lightweight drywall are good for any room in your house (except the bathroom) the lightweight option is more user-friendly. Since it is lighter, carrying it around and hanging it isn't incredibly difficult.
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What is blue drywall used for?

Blue Board Drywall

Blue board is used for veneer plastering, and the surface paper has special absorption qualities. It has a high water and mold resistance and there are fewer steps involved in veneer plastering. Blue board drywall is not made for mud, tape, or paint.
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Where can I use 1/4 inch drywall?

Quarter-inch drywall is often used to cover damaged plaster walls and also for curved areas because it bends easier than thicker drywall. Then the 1/4-inch-thick drywall can be double layered to get to the conventional 1/2 inch thickness to match the rest of the wall.
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What size screws 1/2 inch drywall?

When working with 1/2-inch drywall panels, use 1-1/4 or 1-3/8-inch nails or screws. When working with 5/8-inch drywall panels, use 1-3/8-inch or 1-5/8-inch screws. To properly secure drywall, the right number of drywall fasteners should be used.
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How many screws go into a sheet of drywall?

How Many Screws Per Sheet of Drywall. Use about 32 drywall screws per sheet of 4-foot by 8-foot drywall installed horizontally on a wall. This total is comprised of four screws on the five middle studs and six screws on each of the two sides.
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How far can you SPAN 1 2 drywall?

What is the maximum joist spacing for ceiling drywall? Does it matter if the panels are oriented parallel or perpendicular to the joists? 1/2- or 5/8-inch drywall is 24 inches on-center. Ceiling drywall should always be installed perpendicular to the joists, even when they are 16 inches on-center.
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How far apart are studs?

The general spacing for wall studs is 16 inches on center, but they can be 24 inches.
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How long should drywall screws be for ceiling?

Less common — 1-5/8”: To prevent sags, thicker drywall measuring 5/8” is used on ceilings. To secure that added weight, use #6 screws measuring 1-5/8” to allow 1-inch penetration into the wood.
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Do you need 5/8 drywall in garage?

The takeaway from IRC Code for Drywall in a Garage is that for an attached garage, play safe and use 5⁄8 -inch Type X gypsum board. For a detached garage, use drywall or an alternative to drywall, as a detached garage is not covered by any code for drywall in a garage.
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Which drywall is best for soundproofing?

There are various drywall types, but the Type X drywall is the most commonly used for soundproofing. It is a fire-resistant board, and a board of 5/8″ thickness can resist fire for an hour, which concurrently makes it the best drywall to reduce noise.
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Should drywall touch the floor?

Drywall should NOT touch the floor. Allow for floor and wall expansion without cracking the drywall by keeping a 1/2-inch (1.27-cm) space between them. This space also aids in preventing moisture from seeping if the floor floods.
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Should drywall be staggered?

Drywall butt joints should always be staggered. This makes it easier for taping and finishing and increases the overall strength of the entire wall.
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Does drywall have to end on stud?

Problem. All edges of all sheets of drywall must land on a solid surface such as a stud. A hanging drywall edge may work in the short-term, but in the long-term it can result in cracks and other serious wall issues.
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