Drywall is commonly used in construction projects. This material covers the inner frames of the walls and ceilings in your home, adding a layer of fire resistance to the structure. It’s cheaper than plaster, and has since replaced the latter in home construction. But did you know you could use drywall for other things than its primary purpose?
If your remodeling or construction project gives way to leftover materials, you can repurpose scraps so they don’t go to waste.
Beyond Your Interior Walls
Instead of contributing to the growing trash problem in the US, a big source of which are construction sites, you can find other uses for your leftover drywall. For example, recycling the gypsum (calcium sulfate dehydrate), which is what makes up drywall.
You can get drywall contractors in Salt Lake City to take out any contaminants from the drywall before handing it over to local waste management systems in the city. Contaminants may include nails, paper waste, tape, and screws that might tamper with gypsum. This used, raw material becomes the base for a new batch of drywalls. Though this method is effective in reducing wasted drywall scraps, some are still on the fence about its safety. Gypsum’s ability to resist fire lessens when tampered with, making it a concern for fire hazard.
Gypsum also works well as a garden supplement. It can fatten the soil because in its natural form, gypsum is a soil additive.
You can also use excess drywall for art carving. Dampen the paper covering and peel it off, then carve into the body underneath. Paint and design however you want. This board then acts as your art canvass.
Drywall compound, the wet cement-like substance you smear over walls, works perfectly as a covering for old picture frames. Great for arts and craft design-your-own frames as it masks the old one; allowing you to paint over it.
Excess drywall material works great as home décor, too. A simple shelf can look classic and elegant with an extra layer of drywall called double drywall. Another application would be bull-nose designs, which are inside and outside corners and wall-to-ceiling trim molding.
Other creative uses for your excess drywall include repurposing it into a chess board or a pingpong table. You can also contact a local Habitat for Humanity office to see whether it can take unused drywall.
The Types of Drywall
A basic component of drywall is gypsum; a naturally occurring metallic salt of calcium, wrapped in several layers of recycled paper. Since a huge part of drywall is a naturally occurring material, recycling and repurposing is easy.
Aside from the traditional, regular drywall made out of recycled paper and gypsum, many other types of drywall serve varying purposes.
- Paperless Drywall – Instead of recycled paper, the gypsum powder is sandwiched in fiberglass. This type of drywall is moisture-resistant, and ideal for places in the house high in humidity.
- Blue Board Drywall – Blue board drywall is mold- and water-resistant; and used in veneer plastering; it also reduces noise. This type of drywall is ideal for bathroom and basement walls.
- Green Board Drywall – It has a green covering that helps its moisture resistance. This type of drywall is slightly pricier than other types. Similar to the blue board drywall, it’s frequently used in bathroom, kitchen, and laundry room frames.
- Purple Drywall – Among all the moisture-resistant drywalls, the purple drywall actually fares better than the rest when in direct contact with water. It also has the same moisture-resistant benefits as the rest.
- Cement Board- This water-resistant board acts as a base for ceramic tiles in kitchens and bathrooms.
- Fire Resistant Drywall – All drywalls have fire-resistant compositions because of the gypsum within them. This type, however, differs because of the reinforced noncombustible fiberglass.
- Eco-friendly Drywall – There are two types of eco-friendly drywall: enviroboard and ecorock. Both consists of compressed fiber panels made from waste fibers, like newspapers. Ecorock is resistant to mold and termites due to its composition of slag, kiln dust, and fly ash.
- Soundproof Drywall- This consists of laminated drywalls. Since it’s denser and thicker in material than most drywalls, it is efficient in reducing sound vibration and, thus, noise reduction.
Excess construction materials, like drywall, don’t have to end up on landfills. With a bit of ingenuity and some hard work, leftovers from remodeling or construction work can offer new purpose.
