How Did Gypsum Board Develop Over the Years?

Author: Gypsum Board

 

With gypsum board revolutionizing building industry in the past few years, most of us just don’t know how it all started. Let’s take you on a timeline tour to find out how it all began for gypsum board.

 

Ancient civilizations: Several ancient civilizations like the Greek and the Egyptian left us evidence that gypsum existed so long ago. Europe: The material started to get under the spotlight in Europe after a huge mine of gypsum was discovered near Paris, France. U.S.A: After Europe’s rediscovery of the material, it got known in the United States where it was first used on buildings’ facades. Why was gypsum board frowned upon? Drywall offered a cheap alternative to plaster, as the latter was the main material for construction back then. The cost-effectiveness of gypsum board didn’t help at all! People considered drywall as the ‘material of the poor’ and refrained from owning houses constructed using it. Also, gypsum board didn’t possess any of the aesthetic features it has at present, so that was one more downside to it.

World War I: It wasn’t till World War I that the demand on these boards tremendously increased. Governments needed to secure soldiers against barrack fires that led to many losses. When the military looked for a cheap, fire-resistant material to solve the problem, they landed on gypsum board. World War II: During World War II, armies needed to restrict wood use, and plaster wasn’t economical to build with either. So, they switched to gypsum board in extensions of war factories, hospitals, and offices. As the United States got involved in World War II, much of the manpower was drafted to war. Therefore, it was necessary to compensate for that shortage of construction workers in an efficient way, and the answer to that was ‘drywall’. Additionally, during the war period, drywall construction was regarded as patriotic, as buildings were constructed over very short periods of time. This way people got to concentrate more on war efforts.

Post-war era: After the war, starting from the 1950s, the production of gypsum board has immensely increased.  Devastated countries needed to build entire cities from scratch and they couldn’t find an easier, more economic material than gypsum board. In the course of time: Gradually, the use of drywall in construction almost took over, replacing plaster and concrete. At present: Drywall innovations continue to surprise us with new ideas and products like moisture-resistant gypsum board that is great for kitchens and bathrooms. Some kinds of drywall can resist mold which is perfect for highly-humid areas, while other types have an extra strength to tolerate heavy use in offices and public buildings. Futuristic overview: Nobody knows what the future holds. However, with all the research for new methods and techniques in gypsum board manufacturing and installation, the sky is the limit.