Sheetrock vs Drywall: What’s The Difference?

If you are looking to build an addition to your home or are adding rooms, two things you are likely to hear a lot about are drywall and Sheetrock. Most tutorials will point to one or the other. Still, knowing which one to use and the difference between them can be confusing to many people, especially someone getting started in construction.

Funny enough, the two are actually one in the same — Sheetrock is just a brand name for drywall. Keep reading while we take a look at both in closer detail.

Drywall

A drywall is a large board or panel used in constructing walls in the home. Companies make it from calcium sulfate dihydrate, also known as gypsum, which they extrude between two sheets of backer paper. Additives can help make it more flame-retardant, resistant to mildew, and less likely to absorb water, among other things, making drywall the standard material to use for creating walls in America.

Drywall is a softer material that you can easily cut to size, and it allows all kinds of shapes to accommodate any design. It’s sturdy enough to put up with the abuses of daily living, holds paint well, and keeps its shape when hammering in nails. It also works well as an insulator and does an amazing job keeping the heat in the home.

Sheetrock

The interesting thing about Sheetrock is that it is nothing more than a brand of drywall. The two can be used interchangeably and are, in fact, the same thing.

The United States Gypsum Corporation (USG) makes Sheetrock, and they are the largest distributor of wallboard in the United States. The company was formed in 1901 and has created Sheetrock ever since. USG was profitable every year during the Great Depression, and despite almost going bankrupt in 2001, it returned to profitability in 2013.

Since USG has been the leading distributor of drywall for more than 100 years, it’s no surprise that their brand will become synonymous with drywall. There are other popular and long-standing drywall manufacturers, like Georgia-Pacific, but their distribution is not as widespread as USG, so Sheetrock has become more well-known over time.

Modern USG has a wide range of building materials you can use to build your home, including different types of panels that can add additional features like fire resistance and increased insulation. Different thicknesses and many precut shapes make adding an addition to your home very easy.

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Is There Any Difference?

No, there is no difference between Sheetrock and drywall. Sheetrock would likely be the standard for what drywall should be. If you see in a tutorial that you should use Sheetrock, you can use any type of drywall available to you. Whether the drywall will be as high quality as Sheetrock is a different question.

Like any product, modern drywall companies may have higher or lower standards and produce drywall that’s slightly different than what you are used to, but in most cases, it should be interchangeable.

Other Drywall Companies

Here is a small list of the more than 100 companies that make drywall besides USG and Georgia-Pacific in the United States.

Summary

Sheetrock is the original and most popular drywall brand, and many people mistakenly use the two names interchangeably. A similar thing happens when people use the word “Google” when they mean “search”, or “Kleenex” when they mean “tissue”.

We hope you have enjoyed reading our look at the difference between Sheetrock and drywall and have found it informative. If we have answered any questions, please share this guide on Facebook and Twitter.

See Also:

• What’s the best way to cut drywall? Find out in our guide here
• Reviews of drywall knives: which one do we recommend?
• Types of Drywall: Applications, Uses, & Tools Needed