What the board is made of
Drywall is a flat panel with a core of gypsum, a soft mineral, sandwiched between two layers of heavy paper. Builders also call it gypsum board, wallboard or sheetrock. The sheets are screwed to wall and ceiling framing, the seams between sheets are covered with tape and joint compound, and the surface is then primed, textured or painted. Nearly every step after the sheets go up is hand work, which is why two houses with the same board can look very different when finished.
That last point matters when you read a quote. The board is the smaller part of the job. The finish, covered in the chapter on levels of finish, decides how the wall looks under a window or a lamp.
Thickness: 1/2 inch and 5/8 inch
Two thicknesses cover most homes. Contractor guides describe 1/2 inch as the usual residential wall board and 5/8 inch as the board often used on ceilings, where a thicker sheet resists sagging between joists, and in commercial work. The sources do not agree on every detail, so treat this as a starting point and ask which thickness each room will get. A repair patch should match the thickness of the wall around it, or the patch will sit proud of the surface or sink below it, and no amount of compound hides that for long.
The four board types you will see
| Type | What it is | Where it is used |
|---|---|---|
| Regular | Standard gypsum board with a paper face. | Dry rooms: bedrooms, living areas, hallways. |
| Type X | Fire-rated, typically 5/8 inch, with glass fibers in the core. Used in assemblies rated for one hour. | Common on the wall shared with an attached garage; code decides. |
| Moisture resistant | Treated core and water-resistant paper face, often called green board. Water resistant, not waterproof. | Bathrooms and laundry rooms, away from direct spray. |
| Mold resistant | Faced with fiberglass mat or another non-paper surface, so mold has less to feed on. | Damp-prone rooms, basements, and rooms with a history of moisture. |
Some guides blur moisture-resistant and mold-resistant board into one category, and brand names vary. The practical rule is to ask the contractor to write the product name and type on the quote, then check the manufacturer's data sheet for the rating you care about.
Words that show up on a drywall quote
- Hang. Fastening sheets to the framing with screws.
- Tape and mud, or finish. Covering seams and fasteners with tape and joint compound, usually in two or three coats with sanding between.
- Level of finish. The industry scale from 0 to 5 that says how many coats and how smooth. See levels of finish.
- Texture. A sprayed or troweled surface pattern applied over the finished joints, such as orange peel or knockdown.
- Skim coat. A thin layer of compound over the whole wall, used to smooth a rough surface or reach Level 5.
- Patch. A repair of a hole or damaged area, covered in cracks and holes.
What a good result looks like
A well-specified quote names the board type and thickness, the level of finish, the texture and the paint sheen, so that two bids can be compared line by line. The finished wall is flat, the seams do not show in side light, and you know which product is behind the paint.
Joint compound in brief
Two kinds of joint compound turn up on jobs. Setting-type compound is a powder mixed with water that hardens by chemical reaction, and it is used where a fast, hard first coat is needed. Ready-mixed compound comes premixed in a bucket, dries by evaporation and sands more easily, which is why it is common for final coats. A contractor can say which goes where and why.
Why this matters in Central Texas
Austin houses live through hot summers and wet springs, and the ground under many of them moves with the seasons. A wall that looks perfect in October can show a hairline seam in August. Knowing what board and finish went on the wall helps you tell a seam that needs a touch-up from a crack that points to something deeper, which the chapter on clay soil and cracks explains. If the board in question got wet, read water and mold before anything is cut out or painted over.
Finally, remember that drywall work above a certain size can need a city permit, and older houses can hide materials that need care. Those two topics are in permits and codes and older homes.
Questions people ask
What thickness of drywall is used on walls and on ceilings?
Guides for builders describe 1/2 inch as the usual choice for residential walls and 5/8 inch as common for ceilings and for commercial work. Sources differ a little, so ask the contractor which thickness goes where in your house and why.
Is green board waterproof?
No. Moisture-resistant board has a treated core and a water-resistant paper face, and it is described as water resistant, not waterproof. In a shower or tub area it is normally paired with a tile backer made for wet walls, and the contractor should name that product on the quote.
What does Type X mean on a quote?
Type X is fire-rated board, usually 5/8 inch thick, with glass fibers in the core. It is used in assemblies built to reach a one-hour rating. It is commonly specified for the wall between a house and an attached garage, and your city's code decides where it is required.
What do hang, tape, mud and texture mean?
Hanging is fastening the sheets to the framing. Taping and mudding is covering the seams and screw heads with paper or mesh tape and joint compound, in several coats. Sanding, priming and texture come last. A quote that lists only some of these steps leaves the rest to be settled later.
Sources: [1] esub.com [2] certainteed.com