Product Review

Lightweight Drywall: More from Less

By Evan DickNew lightweight drywall products have become widely available in the U.S. and Canada in the last year as major drywall manufacturers have entered the market. These products weigh 1.2–1.4 pounds per inch for 1⁄2" panels—a 25%–30% weight reduction from standard drywall.

The weight reduction is a significant advance for drywall installers, allowing for easier installation and less fatigue. Manufacturers have also been hinting that the product, which typically sells at a 5%–10% retail premium, is greener due to reduced transportation energy. According to the U.S. Geological Survey, the average American home contains eight tons of drywall. Assuming for the sake of illustration that the drywall for an average home travels 500 miles by truck, a 30% reduction in drywall weight—2.4 tons— would avoid the release of 424 pounds of carbon per home—the equivalent of burning 21 gallons of gasoline. That could start to add up if more of the 15 million tons of drywall produced and shipped every year in the U.S. switches to lightweight.

Published August 30, 2011

Dick, E. (2011, August 30). Lightweight Drywall: More from Less. Retrieved from https://www.buildinggreen.com/product-review/lightweight-drywall-more-less