Cement Board Vs Drywall Weight

Essentially drywall is gypsum pressed between two sheets of paper.

Cement board vs drywall weight.

Such materials include drywall also known as sheetrock and durock also known as cement board. Wet or dry such backer board provides a stable base for tiling. Drywall panels fit between wall studs spaced 16 inches or 24 inches apart. It is 13 pounds lighter than other varieties for the same size and thickness.

It s typically available in 1 2 in. Durock durock is manufactured in sheets with a thickness of anywhere from 1 4 to 5 8 inch a width of 32 36 or 38 inches and a length between 4 and 10 feet. Cement board is the most durable trouble free tile backer for tub surrounds showers floors and all other wet areas. It was developed to replace lath and plaster construction.

According to material safety data sheets from usg standard drywall weighs approximately 38lb ft 3. It gets its name from the telltale color of the paper facing on the front and back. Thick 3 x 5 ft. Greenboards or blueboards on the other hand are types of drywall.

The smaller dimensions of cement board make the installation of it on large walls more difficult but cement board panels fit vertically in 3 foot wide showers or horizontally behind a standard. Its made from cement and sand and is reinforced by fiberglass mats on both sides so it s impervious to water. Veneer stone cannot be applied directly to drywall or other materials that will draw in moisture from the mortar. Cement board does a better job of resisting potential moisture in the area and is why most contractors prefer it over drywall.

Cement board is perfect for tile covered wet applications like showers and tub surrounds. Cement boards are made up of cement and glass fibers. Not only that drywall is not a strong enough material to support veneer stone s considerable weight. It is meant to provide a much sturdier and stronger base where the stone and tile can be installed.

One solution is to nail cement backer board cbus over the drywall tape the seams and then grout over the cement backer board. Green board drywall is water resistant not waterproof. If weight is still a concern consider ultra light half inch drywall. Cement board meanwhile comes in panels that are similar to that of drywall but that is where the similarities will end.

This is the most common choice for interior walls because they are easy to carry and hang. The core of the green board drywall is a thicker and more resilient version of the drywall s gypsum core which allows it to withstand indirect moisture applications such as the humidity in a bathroom or near a laundry room. The thickest of all the types of drywall 5 8 inch drywall is often fire resistant drywall. Cement based backer boards durock wonderboard and hardibacker are all mineral based or cementitious materials.

Lightweight drywall weighs about 28 30 lb ft 3 these three companies publish the following approximate weights for their products.