Drywall vs. Plywood: What’s the Difference?

Drywall and plywood are two of the most common creating supplies, and if you like to do many Diy tasks, you’ve most likely labored with each. Nonetheless, several folks are unsure about their differences and do not know when to decide on plywood or drywall for a project. If this appears like your predicament, keep reading as we supply a comprehensive description of each and every materials. We also go over the pros, cons, and makes use of of each to support you be much better informed.

Overview of Drywall

two men installing drywall on the wall
Image Credit: DUO Studio, Shutterstock

What Is It?

Drywall is calcium sulfate dihydrate, which several people call gypsum. It is a sort of plaster that they extrude amongst thick sheets of paper that turn into the front and back again of the drywall. After the plaster hardens, they reduce it into square panels that we nail onto help beams to type the partitions in our homes. Makers can also include substances that make it more resistant to fire, humidity, and mould growth.

What It’s Good For

Drywall is easy to lower, and you can develop walls around complicated objects without special equipment, so it can make up the basis of most partitions in homes across the United States. It has a clean skilled-looking surface and no sharp edges. However, it is not that robust, so you cannot use it for hanging shelves or other heavy objects. To hang an object in a space with drywall, you will need to have to hammer the nails into the very same assistance beams that maintain up the drywall. Another draw back to drywall in contrast to plywood is that it is significantly heavier and can be more difficult to dangle.

Pros
  • Easy to cut
  • Professional appearance
  • No sharp edges
Cons
  • Not strong
  • Heavy

Overview of Plywood

man chooses and buys plywood in a construction supermarket
Image Credit: Sergey Ryzhov, Shutterstock

What Is It?

Plywood is several thin items of wooden glued together. Producers alternate the grain of each piece at a ninety-diploma angle, which helps bolster sheets so they are a lot of times stronger than a normal board of the identical dimensions. Plywood is also significantly more powerful than drywall. A solitary sheet of drywall can be only a couple of levels thick or as many as 21 layers.

What It’s Good For

Plywood is a very good substitute to drywall. Because it is so strong, you can hold cabinets and other objects straight on it. It has several other makes use of, like cupboard developing, shed building, flooring, roofing, and birdhouses. The downside to plywood is that it typically has a tough area, so it isn’t many people’s initial decision for an indoor wall. It can also be inclined to dampness injury, and slicing it is challenging, usually ensuing in jagged and sharp edges.

Pros
  • Strong
  • Variety of uses
Cons
  • Susceptible to moisture damage
  • Rough surface
  • Hard to cut

When to Use

Drywall

Individuals use drywall to generate most of the walls in their homes. It is perfect for practically any place apart from the rest room or the kitchen.

Plywood

Plywood can support you generate very durable inside partitions, and increased-end boards can even have a sleek, expert-searching floor. Even so, most folks use it for the partitions in storage sheds and related buildings. A lot of men and women also use it to generate cabinet doors and assemble home furniture, and you will even uncover makes use of for it in flooring and roofing. Yet another excellent use for plywood is generating walls between two rooms where more toughness is essential.

man replacing drywall ceiling
Image Credit: ALPA PROD, Shutterstock

Which Material Should I Use?

If you are looking to create a wall in your house, your greatest wager will most most likely be drywall. It is simple to lower into condition and effortless to repair if it receives damaged. It has a clean floor that you can paint, and it’s less high-priced than plywood and much far more hearth resistant. Decide on plywood for creating walls in a storage lose, exactly where the additional strength will help it maintain up against the aspects. It is also a excellent selection for kitchen islands, cabinets, and shelving.

When to Use Drywall
  • Interior walls
  • Living room
  • Bedroom
  • Hallway
When to Use Plywood
  • Interior walls
  • Shed walls
  • Cabinets and shelves
  • Flooring and roofing

Conclusion

Whilst plywood is really tough, most people use drywall for interior walls since it is much less pricey, looks greater, and is simple to lower and condition. Drywall is also resistant to fire and can have additives that make it resistant to moisture and mildew. It’s not durable enough to cling shelving, but that is simple to get close to by hammering the hanging nails into the studs. If you want to generate an exterior wall or a wall among two rooms, plywood is the greater selection. It is sturdier than drywall, and you can connect doorknobs, hinges, and cabinets right to it.


Highlighted Impression Credit rating: Potashev Aleksandr, Shutterstock

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