Drywall Installers and Finishers

Well before the invention of writing, people used trowel-like tools to plaster wet clay over the walls of crude shelters in an attempt to keep out the wind and the rain. When the Great Pyramid of Cheops was built nearly 4,500 years ago, the Egyptians used a gypsum plaster to decorate the surfaces of its interior passages and rooms. But gypsum plaster is difficult to work with, because it may harden before it can be properly applied. It was not until around 1900 that additives began to be used to control the setting time of gypsum, thus opening the door for modern plastering techniques and products.

Drywall panels consist of a thin layer of gypsum plaster between two sheets of heavy paper. Different thicknesses and kinds of covering on the drywall offer different levels of moisture resistance, fire resistance, and other characteristics. Today, drywall construction is used in most new and renovated buildings because drywall can be installed cheaply and quickly. The panels are easier to work with than traditional plaster, which must be applied wet and allowed to dry before work can proceed. The widespread use of drywall has created a need for workers who are skilled in its installation.