Dry Goods

Generally speaking, market domination doesn't last for long: At some point, competition eats away share or growth simply slows. Unless you're a gypsum wallboard manufacturer, that is. Though the wall-board industry does not track usage in new homes, manufacturers estimate that between 85 percent and 95 percent of all new homes constructed in the United States are done with drywall, which has dominated all other interior materials for at least 20 years.

The amount of wallboard is also growing. The North American gypsum industry achieved its highest amount of annual shipments ever in 2004, when manufacturers shipped a total of 34.24 billion square feet of material, says the Washington-based United States Gypsum Association (USGA). This was an 8 percent increase over 2003, when 31.72 billion square feet of board were shipped. “As of Oct. 31, [2005,] board shipments are running about 4.5 percent to 5 percent above the 2004 number, which represents the fifth consecutive year of growth,” says Michael Gardner, executive director of the USGA. “We see no reason [why it] should tail off.”

The strong housing market is driving much of this growth, so, logically speaking, if the housing market slows, wallboard shipments should as well. However, gypsum wallboard is such a force in the home building industry that its growth rate has no effect on the rate of its use among builders. So even if board shipments slow, most builders will still use wallboard.

What accounts for this kind of market domination? No other interior wall material can be adapted to any architectural style, for any application, or in any location. “Wallboard is easy to install, it's versatile, it's lightweight, and it's economical,” says Cory Nevins, product marketing manager for U.S. Gypsum (USG) in Chicago.

But even though business is good, manufacturers are not satisfied. Many are eyeing new, application-specific products to grow even more. One innovation of the last few years is a glass-faced (as opposed to paper-faced) line of gypsum board by Atlanta-based Georgia-Pacific Building Products. The company says the glass-based surface is highly mold-resistant and thus ideal for moisture-prone interior walls in places such as basements and bathrooms. “We believe this glass-mat technology will revolutionize the industry,” says Chris Beyer, the company's director of marketing for gypsum products. Another innovation has come from San Rafael, Calif.–based Supress Products, which has introduced sound-engineered wallboard to control noise in residential single- and multifamily structures.

Meanwhile, residential builders are learning how some commercial products can result in installation efficiencies. For example, more residential builders are adopting large-format drywall sheets in their houses to speed the installation process or to accommodate taller ceilings. Jim Hannan, marketing support specialist at Diboll, Texas–based Temple-Inland, says the company's Stretch54 extra-wide gypsum has been extremely popular with builders lately. With a width of 54 inches, the product results in less taping, floating, and sanding, the company says.

So what's on the horizon for wallboard? Although housing starts are expected to cool slightly this year, the wallboard industry is bullish on growth and expects a “vibrant” market, says Beyer. Demand is outpacing supply, so Georgia-Pacific and other manufacturers have announced plant expansions. Beyer says his company is eyeing more product innovation and increased growth in 10-foot- and 12-foot-long products.

For all of its great attributes, however, wallboard is susceptible to damage. USG, for its part, is looking at solving this problem by re-engineering some of its products to be more durable in high-traffic areas, says Nivens. The company is also promoting its ½-inch sag-resistant products and is developing a gypsum/wood product that would stand up to the rigors of basements, garages, and hallways.

Finally, the wallboard industry is hoping to increase its efforts to promote recycled-content wallboard. “The performance of the product is no different from virgin-content product,” says John Mandel, a USG spokesperson. In fact, USG will soon launch a recycling program to start collecting wallboard waste from job-sites in three key markets. The industry wants to do good while helping houses look good.

For more product information, visit ebuild, Hanley Wood's interactive product catalog, at www.builderonline.com or www.ebuild.com.

HUMIDITY CONTROL: The manufacturer says its Humitek gypsum panel is the first moisture- and mold-resistant wallboard that is installed and finished in a traditional manner without the need for skim coating or other steps that require extra labor. Identified by its light-blue paper face, Humitek is available in ½-inch and 5/8-inch thicknesses and in 8-foot, 10-foot, and 12-foot lengths. USG. 800-874-4968. www.usg.com.

STRETCH OUT: Stretch54 gypsum wallboard is almost 6 inches wider than standard 48½-inch gypsum wallboard panels, which makes it much easier to create 9-foot-high walls. Because the board covers more space, installers can hang walls faster and have fewer seams to tape, float, and finish, the manufacturer says. The board also results in lower costs because of reduced material and labor, the company adds. Temple-Inland. 800-231-6060. www.temple.com.

GREAT WALL: Protecta AR 100 abuse-resistant drywall product features a fiberglass-enhanced, high-density gypsum core and a reinforced, heavy face paper that the manufacturer says guards against impact, indentation, and surface abrasion. Designed for use in high-traffic interior areas, Protecta AR cuts and snaps like standard dry-wall, the company adds. Lafarge North America. 800-237-5505. www.lafargenorthamerica.com.

ARMOR ALL: Unlike traditional wallboard, DensArmor Plus interior panels feature a gypsum core with coated glass-mat facings that provide protection from incidental moisture and resistance to mold growth. The core is also reinforced with inorganic glass fibers that increase the product's strength. It is available in 8-foot and 12-foot lengths. G-P Gypsum Corp. 404-652-4000. www.gpgypsum.com.