Guide drywall identification
Here we illustrate identifying stamps, labeling, paper imprints, and other details that can help identify specific drywall or gypsum board products.
These markings can help forming an estimate of building age and also help identify drywall products that might contain asbestos.
This article series discusses the identification and history of both modern and older interior building surface materials such plaster and lath, Beaverboard, and Drywall - materials that were used to form the (usually) non-structural surface of building interior ceilings and walls. Our page top photo shows hand-split wooden lath backing for a plaster interior wall.
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- Daniel Friedman, Publisher/Editor/Author - See WHO ARE WE?
Index to individual drywall (gypsum board) manufacturers' identification stamps, end tapes, and other markings that identify brands of drywall or gypsum board, listed alphabetically by manufacturer.
[Click to enlarge any image]
Note: a check at opencorporates.com in June 2023 found 88,206 companies who registered corporate names using the word "Drywall".
Here we list ONLY companies who actually produced drywall or gypsum board or "sheetrock" (a brand of drywall).
Please use the page top or bottom CONTACT link to send us photos of drywall end tapes or identifying stamps from other drywall companies not found in this list.
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The Republic Housing Corporation was the parent company of Republic Gypsum incorporated in Delaware. Republic Gypsum Company continued operations to 2003, and some corporations may still be in business. Republic Gypsum did business using the name and brand American Gypsum.
AMERICAN GYPSUM COMPANY (trading name, 2001-06-06 - )
American Gypsum also did business in various states with incorporations under various names including:
AG Dallas LLC, 701 Brazos Ste 1050, Austin, TX, 78701-3232) incorporated in Texas in 2004 - to present
American Gypsum Company
American Gypsum & Wood Products
American Gypsum and Building Supply Inc.
American Gypsum Cement Products
American Gypsum & Steel Products LLC (Arkansas) - 2000 to present
- see also REPUBLIC GYPSUM COMPANY Drywall
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Thanks to reader Nick for these photos giving some hints at identifying Bestwall gypsum board (2020/01)
2020/01/16 Nick said:
Recently began to take down some old gypsum and I noticed that it said "Certain-Teed Beaver Gypsum Fireproof. Does anyone know anything about this?
We describe Bestwall in both its original composition (wood product and gypsum dating before 1920) - not an asbestos-containing product
and in later production by Certainteed as a fireproof gypsum board that contained asbestos.
See details at BESTWALL DRYWALL ASBESTOS
It would be helpful if you could post a photo of the stamp as well as of the material itself.
Your gypsum board may be quite old - dating probably from the 1950s. Certainteed purchased Beaver Products in 1928.
Certainteed's Bestwall Gypsum board contained asbestos through 1976 or possibly 1977 depending on when the product installed in that year may actually have been manufactured. You should also consider that joint compound used with the product may also have contained asbestos.
Here are some photos.
Reader Follow-up:
The text I can read is "“Certain-Teed Beaver Gypsum Fireproof”
Below, US Patent Numbers give an age range, the assignee (U.S. Gypsum) for this gypsum board, and can be searched for the use of "asbestos" (it does not appear). These patents are listed with more detail
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BPB is described as the world's largest manufacturer of plasterboard and of gypsum plasters with operations in more than fifty countrys around the world.
The following succinct recap of the history of BPC is courtesy of businesshistory.com - retrieved 2023/11/27
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Canadian drywall products are described in this article series. Some but not all of these Canadian drywall products included use of asbestos.
See details about asbestos in Canadian gypsum board or drywall products
at CANADIAN DRYWALL ASBESTOS - where we further identify Canadian drywall manufacturers such as CGC, Domtar Gyproc, GLC, GLA, & TruRoc
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Above: Celotex® Fiberglass-reinforced drywall identification labels & UPC
Our photos show modern as well as antique identification stamps or labels that may be found drywall products used for interior walls and ceilings.
[Click to enlarge any image]
Also see
Contact Celotex:
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Current CertainTeed drywall includes a date stamp that can be decoded to also show the manufacturing plant.
Above: courtesy of CertainTeed Corp., retrieved 2021/08/26, adapted with minor edits from original source:
Other Certainteed drywall manufacture date stamps may be explicit and may appear on the back of the drywall as this example:
CERTAINTEED 15/09/22 V 22.22
Made in CAN ASTM C1396 CDN/USA A82.27
Above, fiberglass-reinforced drywall, probably a CertainTeed® product, as the patent number assigned this product design to that company. This product used fiberglass as a reinforcement and it probably does not contain asbestos.
Details about this particular drywall, described in
the CROCE DRYWALL PATENT No. 2,681,863 [PDF] (1951), are given
at ASBESTOS in DRYWALL [web article].
Below is a photo of Certain-teed Products Corporation's Beaver Gypsum Lath, "Fire-Proof" "rock lath" courtesy of InspectApedia.com reader Z Headman & Zach, posted originally as a comment at the bottom of this page.
More photos of CertainTeed gypsum board and Certain-Teed or Beaver drywall identification stamps and photos are at
CERTAINTEED DRYWALL ASBESTOS [web article].
Both regular and Type X gypsum board are covered under the ASTM C 1396, gypsum board standard specification.
Regular drywall has naturally occurring fire resistance due to the presence of gypsum in the core but is not fire rated. Type X drywall has special core additives that allow it to be used in fire rated designs and usually comes in 5/8” thickness.
Type X drywall products will have a UL/ULC Marking printed on the back of each board identifying it as a fire-resistance rated board. - Certainteed, retrieved 2021/07/17 original source: https://www.certainteed.com/drywall/what-difference-between-regular-and-type-x-gypsum-board/
and
Fire rated gypsum drywall is more fire resistant because it contains glass fiber reinforcement and other additives within its specially formulated gypsum core to help it hold up longer to a fire exposure.
Fire rated drywall is referred to as “Type X” and must be third-party certified by an independent testing and listing agency such as UL (Underwriters Laboratories Inc.) and ULC (Underwriters’ Laboratories of Canada) to meet the fire performance requirements prescribed in the ASTM C1396 (CAN/CSA-A82.27) Standard Specification for Gypsum Board. - 2021/07/17 Certainteed, https://www.certainteed.com/drywall/what-fire-rated-gypsum/
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2020/01/03 Tyler Garneau said:
Domtar 92050600:0246 Rippon
Wall board type 9
Issue number c-3189
Wondering the age and if contains Asbestos
As this is Domtar Fireguard it may contain asbestos.
See details at
1949 home. Concerned this drywall and/or mud May have asbestos.
Previous owners said they did 3 renovations on the basement- in the mid 80s then mid 90s, then mid 2000s. Can the age of this drywall be identified by the printing on it?
On 2018-09-05 by (mod) - identify this Gyproc made in Canada
Thank you for an interesting and useful question, Ivan.
Indeed some Gyproc, particularly Ignifuge Fire Resistant Gyproc may contain asbestos. But yours may be an entirely different product.
It might be that the production number, partly visible in the right end of your photo as it appears, is a production run number that in turn might be able to be decoded to a date, but I have not yet found an age decoder for Gyproc stamps and I'm doubtful.
When faced with the "how old is it" question for building materials, and when there is not a clear date stamp or code, I look for external clues of the age of the material, in this case the age of your Gyproc including
Age of the building - that sets a floor under the probable age of its materials of construction
Age of surrounding materials, particularly those that are likely to have been put in place at the same time
Dates of renovation work, modifications, repairs: in your case mid 80s then mid 90s, then mid 2000s.
Location of the building: country and city, since when addressing your asbestos question we know, for many countries, about when asbestos use in drywall and drywall mud (joint compound) ceased.
In your photo the fabric-covered electrical wire is likely from original construction. The wooden stud looks newer than 1949 as it is so light in color, but I see what looks like paint or something in the lower right corner of the photo that may be older material.
If the Gyproc in your photo was part of the basement renovation work then you have an "oldest" date of 1985. For North America that's likely to be post-asbestos.
See these two articles
IGNIFUGE GYPSUM BOARD ASBESTOS?
On 2018-09-05 by Ivan Garcia
Wow-
Thanks for the prompt and thorough reply. Great info.
Country is Canada- province Manitoba, city Winnipeg.
I will get a better shot of the number stamped at the right end of the photo. Thank you for looking into an age decoder for Gyproc Stamps.
Regards,
Ivan
On 2018-09-11 by Ivan Garcia - Production Code No. L 0103638 10 on Canadian-made Gyproc with Blue Domtar logo
Here is a picture of the production code number. Do you think a decoder could be found for it?
Regards.
Ps, I found that on some of these sheets, there is a blue Domtar logo on the edge.
Thanks again.
Ivan
Do you think there's a chance that decoder could be out there?
I haven't been able to find one.
On 2018-09-24 by (mod) - trying to decode the stamps on Canadian Gyproc or Blue Domtar Logo Gypsum Board
IMO it seems likely that the company would have known what their number-stamps meant; but if a company is no longer around it can be difficult to find that documentation unless you find it in a legal proceeding, litigation, or on occasion, a patent disclosure.
The above Q&A were posted originally at ASBESTOS in DRYWALL
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[Click to enlarge any image]
Above: Factory Mutual Audit Inspection Stamp on 1/2" gypsum wallboard that is 1-hour factory rated.
Below: FM Gypsum brand wallboard, type FSW giving fire ratings.
Contact FM Approvals: Website: https://www.fmapprovals.com, Worldwide office locations website: https://www.fmapprovals.com/office-locator
Website Excerpt:
FM Approvals continues to test and certify key products related to property loss prevention.
Our dedication to innovation over the years has resulted in numerous technical advancements, including low smoke generation wall panels, clean room materials, suppression mode sprinkler protection and water mist systems.
Above and below, from a 1950's or 1960's home renovated in the 1990's in the U.S. we have reader-contributed photos of drywall stamps including the text
Factory Mutual Research Corporation Audit Inspection Program along with GB-3 that the reader thought might refer to Gold Bod - 3 Drywall.
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(Jan 4, 2021) Jamie V said:
Can anyone tell me if this wallboard contains asbestos before I start tearing it apart more?
Genstar Gypsum Ltd. Edmonton Alberta Genstar- AB6T6
Thanks
Jamie
Thank you for the question and photo of Genstar Gypsum Ltd. drywall. .
Genstar produced, among other products, a Type X Gypsum Board that was referred-to in
this CANADIAN STANDARDS DIRECTOR'S INTERPRETATION for TYPE X GYPSUM BOARD 1991 [PDF]
as having a "Fire Performance Rating". Type X wallboard was described in Canadian Standard CSA A82.27-M1977, "Gypsum Board Products". This document includes among its listed products, Genstar Gypsum Limited - Type TRF-3 wallboard.
Nothing in the document we cite here refers explicitly to the use of asbestos in the wallboard's composition, nor was asbestos explicitly excluded.
Watch out: However Genstar is indeed included among companies listed in litigation concerning asbestos in drywall products and drywall mud along with a number of asbestos suppliers.
See ABENDROTH V. HAMILTON MATERIALS, INC., A CALIFORNIA CORPORATION, RESPONDENT [PDF]
Except:
The trial court granted summary judgment in favor of defendant, concluding that there was no genuine issue of material fact as to whether plaintiff was exposed to any asbestos-containing product manufactured by defendant. ...
The subject of the motion for summary judgment in this case was whether plaintiff was ever exposed to an asbestos-containing product that was manufactured by defendant....At issue here is whether any of the “mud” used by plaintiff and manufactured by defendant contained asbestos.
During the relevant time period, defendant manufactured both taping compounds and finishing compounds, which were designed to be used in conjunction with each other. Defendant admits that many of its taping compounds during the relevant time period contained asbestos.
Although all of defendant's taping compounds contained asbestos between 1959 and 1974, its “topping compound,” also known as “finishing compound,” did not. Defendant's finishing compound was its best-selling product.
Watch out: Therefore, until we find other composition data for Genstar gypsum board, It would be reasonable to treat Genstar Gypsum drywall as well as drywall compound used in wall assemblies using this product as presumed to contain asbestos, or if you face a significant demolition cost, to have a sample tested for asbestos.
Genstar Gypsum Limited was a Canadian company operating at least in the 1970s if not earlier, and reported as having incorporated in Canada 1978-03-01, and sold by holding company Imasco to Domtar, Inc., for $241 million, as reported in the LA Times on 14 October 1986. The company was dissolved in 1991 as I report below.
In 1982 this REPORT on GEOPHYSICS, STRIPPING and GEOLOGICAL EVALUIOTN of MINERAL PROPERTY at LUSSIER RIVER B.C., FORT STEELE MINING DIVISION [PDF], prepared for Genstar Gypsum Limited by Reimchen Surficial Geology Ltd. describes the subject property: we note that the word "asbestos" was not found in this report.
In 1985 the company was still operating in Canada and was described as
Genstar Corporation (its Armacis Island gypsum plant), New Westminster, BC - Manufactures and sells gypsum wallboard and related products. [Receiving an investment from Westroc Industries Limited, Mississauga, ON, CDA (UK)] - source: https://www.ic.gc.ca/eic/site/ica-lic.nsf/eng/lk-38509.html
Here is the text from the 1986 LA Times news report on Genstar Gypsum's sale:
The Montreal-based tobacco and retailing company said it had agreed to sell the unit for $241 million in cash to Domtar Inc., a diversified company also based in Montreal. Genstar Gypsum, based in Irving, Tex., is a subsidiary of Genstar Corp., which was bought by Imasco earlier this year for $1.9 billion.
Imasco, [...] has been selling Genstar’s assets except for Canada Trust co Mortgage Corp., a financial services business.- retrieved 2021/01/10 original source: https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1986-10-14-fi-3278-story.html
Interestingly, the next year, on 25 February 1987, Genstar Gypsum Products Company was among other defendants (Domtar and Flintkote) named in an anti-trust suit against acquisition filed by the United States Anti Trust Division in Washington, D.C. At that time Genstar was described as a U.S. company:
Genstar Gypsum Products Company transacts business, maintains offices, and is found within the Northern District of California. - source: UNITED STATES OF AMERICA V. DOMTAR ET ALS, FLINTKOTE, AND GENSTAR GYPSUM [PDF] retrieved 2021/02/10 original source: https://www.justice.gov/atr/case-document/file/984636/download
Here is a record of the company's dissolution:
GENSTAR GYPSUM LIMITED is a company from VANCOUVER BC Canada. The company has corporate status: Dissolved by the corporation (s. 210)on 1991-05-03.
This business was incorporated 42 years ago on 31st March 1978.
It was dissolved on 3rd May 1991 after trading for 13 years. - source: Companies of Canada, retrieved 2021/02/10 original source: https://www.companiesofcanada.com/company/028816-1/genstar-gypsum-limited
Last-known addresses:
Genstar Gypsum Limited, 1220 weber centre 5555 ca
Edmonton
Alberta
T6H4J9 Canada and Genstar Gypsum Limited, 1040 W. Georgia St., 19th Floor, Vancouver BC, V6C 4H3, Canada, dissolved in May 1991.
Don't confuse the Genstar Gypsum company with the similarly-named Genstar Development Company is a real estate development company with projects in Calgary, Edmonton, and Winnipeg, but the brand is more than 50 years old. Regarding Genstar Development and its subsidiary BACM Industries and others operated as land developers in western Canada and that this Genstar was responsible for a housing crisis in Vancouver B.C. (Gutstein 1975)
You will also want to review
ASBESTOS in CANADIAN DOMTAR GYPROC DRYWALL?
and
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Below: a stamp identifying Ignifuge Gyprock® fire protective gypsum board, a Canadian product.
Details about Ignifuge-stamped gypsum board are
at IGNIFUGE GYPSUM BOARD ASBESTOS?
and
GYPROC DOMTAR CANADIAN GYPSUM BOARD
Contact: Saint Gobain Gyproc Corporation, Saint-Gobain, Website: http://www.saint-gobain-gyproc.com/ Saint-Gobain S.A. is a French multinational corporation located in Courbevoie, France.
Below, a UL classified Gypsum Board Fire Resistance Stamp indicating Type C 5/8" fire-rated gypsum board approved in both the U.S. and Canada. This example indicates that the word Ignifuge will not appear on all fire-retardant treated or fire-rated gypsum board products.
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Below: National Gypsum drywall stamp on a U.S. home built in Ann Arbor MI in 1958. The image was contributed by an anonymous reader.
We think this drywall was installed in an Ann Arbor Michigan home built in 1958 during basement renovation, possibly in the 1970's. Readers recognizing this stamp are invited to CONTACT us to offer more information.
According to our reader, the gypsum board shown above was tested and found to contain NO asbestos. [Private email 2018/03/29]
National Gypsum produced and sold a number of asbestos-containing drywall / gypsum board products until the early 1970's, may under the Gold Bond name, also Insul-Best panels.
Details are at
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Above and again below, photos of The Peerless Board, manufactured by M.A. Reeb, Buffalo, New York, found in a 1914 South Orange New Jersey home. Photo courtesy of architect Kinda Sechzer, Kander Sechzer Architectural Partnership LLC, Email: KSAParch@gmail.com
The appearance of what looks like a gypsum core, paper-covered interior wallboard in a 1914 home is that modern paper-covered single thickness gypsum core "drywall" is that U.S. Gypsum first produced plasterboard in large sheets, often 1/4" thick just about the same time. Some sources we found dated USG's product to 1913 but we think that's a bit early , as you'll read
at US GYPSUM DRYWALL IDENTIFICATION STAMPS where USG places their first production year at 1916.
Prior to that time an interior wallboard alternative was Sackett Board that was a multiple layered paper and gypsum product that we describe separately at
SACKETT BOARD invented in 1888, patented by 1894, and sold first in 3 foot x 32-inch rectangles, probably to match the 16-inch standard spacing for studs and ceiling joists.
It appears that M.A. Reeb was an early producer of gypsum board in upstate New York, as you'll find in the research details below.
If you have opportunity to photograph an cross section or "end view" or "edge view" of any of this drywall it would be very helpful in understanding its general composition in comparison with earlier versions (Sackett board) and later versions (by USG).
Menno Alexander Reeb, spelled also as Meno Reeb, and usually found in doucuments as M.A. Reeb, was a contractor listed among Buffalo New York businessmen, members of the Manufacturer's Club of Buffalo and sponsors of the 1908 Buffalo NY Industrial Exhibition (December 1908).
Reeb, at least as reported in 1910, was also manager of the Niagara Gypsum Company.
What's interesting and significant about that date is that if Reeb was the manufacturer of Peerless Board - as the stamping suggests, then
The second data we found in researching the history of MA Reeb Peerless Board drywall was the interesting note that on 5 May 1916, the name of the steamboat Kensington was changed to The M.A. Reeb to honor a local contractor by that name but more searches find a Reeb presence in earlier Buffalo documents and industrial shows as well.
Reeb is presently a brand owned by Specialty Building Pproducts, as we cite below. That company traces their business history to 1912 in Brooklyn New York. That Reeb companyh currently produces doors and millwork.
The fact that a search for M.A. Reeb also finds the Newland Leighton article cited below may confirm that he was indeed an early producer of gypsum panels.
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Shown above is the remains of an end tape on Republic Gypsum Drywall company wallboard provided courtesy of an InspectApedia.com reader ( Worried co).
The Republic Housing Corporation was the parent company of Republic Gypsum incorporated in Delaware. Republic Gypsum Company continued operations to 2003, and some corporations may still be in business. Republic Gypsum did business using the name and brand American Gypsum.
Republic Gypsum Company LP had separate corporate registrations in other U.S. states beginning at least as early as 1985 (Tennessee) and continuing through as late as 2003 (Tennessee) with operations in Alabama, Colorado, Georgia, Missouri, Ohio, Oklahoma, Tennessee.
Above: the logo for Republic Housing Corporation suggests a Lone Star State incorporation or business home in Texas.
According to opencorporates.com, an open database of corporation names and operating dates, the last incarnation of Republic Gypsum Co. LP. was incorporated in 2001 and dissolved in 2002, and used these alternative names:
REPUBLIC GYPSUM COMPANY LP (trading name, 2001-01-11 - 2002-01-23)
AMERICAN GYPSUM COMPANY (trading name, 2001-06-06 - )
See also AMERICAN GYPSUM DRYWALL Co.
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Below are two drywall stamps, one of which includes US Gypsum's SHEETROCK ® Brand, found in a Los Angeles California home built in 1972 - adapted from photos from reader ML.
This 5/8" drywall is stamped "SHEEETROCK FIRECODE Type "X" and includes additional UL Stamps (in the rectangle) coded R-1319 SS 5/8" 48" Wide Fire Resistance classification. Also marked Issue No. AS-794 .
Below: an Underwriters Laboratories wallboard fire-rating stamp
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According to US Gypsum, Augustine Sackett formed a partnership with U.S. Gypsum
See Sackett's earlier gypsum board product described
at SACKETT BOARD.
USG later contributed a folded paper edge on these gypsum board panels - a significant step that reduced damage to the boards in shipping and handling and still later tapered or "inset" thinner edges along the long side of drywall panels - a step that made taping and finishing butt joints of drywall far faster and easier.
A 12" or 18" joint compound blade spans the "indented" area to make finishing a level, smooth drywall joint much faster than "back in the day."
USG's drywall was sold stamped or branded as Adamant Panel Board. The name change to "Sheetrock" was, according to USG, suggested by USG sales rep DL Hunter.
In our experience [DF] in construction in the U.S. dating from the 1960s, it was common to accidentally damage the ends of gypsum board that lacked this paper fold. The result was increased labor and material costs at drywall jobs as we had to cut off significantly-damaged drywall ends or spend more time with tape and joint compound to un-do the mess.
U.S. Gypsum began producing produced plasterboard in large sheets, often 1/4" thick in 1916.
Before that year USG had produced smaller gypsumboard tiles used as a fire-resistant covering and marketed under the name Pyrobar.
Some older USG drywall includes a black (or black-ish) inked stamp on the back side of the drywall like that shown above while other US Gypsum drywall is stamped in text giving an explicit date in a format like that shown below.
USG 240 USA 12/17/15
where the manufacture date in this example would be 17 December 2015
Note that for at least some manufacturers, a date stamp is included on the drywall end-tape either as an explicit date such as mm/yy or as an encoded date like those discussed on this page.
Below: a modern example of identifying printing on the end-tapes of United States Gypsym Co. Sheetrock®
In 2009 USG introduced the company's ECOBLUEPRINT™ program under the aegis of which a number of "environmentally-friendly" products are produced. Below is the back-side of the end tap of drywall labeled as ECOBLUEPRINT™.
We infer that drywall bearing this stamp would have been produced in or after 2009. This particular drywall may have been produced 8/4/2010.
The UPC code given for this particular drywall, UPC 081099027833 will describe one of these two USG products:
Ecoblueprint is a LEED program that includes certain USG drywall products - U.S. Gypsum who have an "Ecoblueprint" program, though the products listed by USG at the page below are all acoustical panels not gypsum board.
ALL of the USG products listed on that page are acoustical tile panels of various sorts - leaving us unclear on just why you find the ECOBLUEPRINT label on the identification strip of a section of drywall, presumably also made by USG.
Excerpt explaining USG's Ecoblueprint program:
Sustainability is an important business priority improving USG’s strength and efficiency, and meeting customer’s needs. USG believes in being transparent about product raw ingredients and environmental impacts so that you can choose to build with us. With the EcoBlueprint™ portfolio, it is easier to find and specify sustainable products and maximize LEED v4/v4.1 credits. - retrieved 2022/04/24 original source: www.usg.com/content/usgcom/en/sustainability/ecoblueprint.html
See also this USG CORPORATE SUSTAINABILITY REPORT [PDF] (2011) in which we find the 2009 date for the company's first ECOBLUEPRINT products.
The company's drywall in that series includes these labeled (with an "Eco...." brand name):
Sheetrock® Brand EcoSmart Panels Firecode 30®
Sheetrock® Brand EcoSmart Panels Firecode® X
Sheetrock® Brand EcoSmart Panels Mold Tough® Firecode® X
Older USG drywall panels may use the manufacture date encoded as you'll see below. Others such as this US Gypsum Sheetrock label posted by InspectApedia reader Capriceclassic give clear identification of the product and list patent numbers useful in researching the properties of this"USG Fireproof Sheetrock".
See details at US GYPSUM SHEETROCK ASBESTOS
Below: a United States Gypsum drywall stamp from an older home.
Also see additional drywall identifying number stamps found
at DRYWALL GYPSUM BOARD USED FOR EXTERIOR WALL SHEATHING.
See details also
at
Where there indoor environmental concerns or corrosion damage to electrical wiring, copper pipes, air conditioning equipment, etc. be sure to
Above: A drywall fire rating stamp, courtesy of IAP reader NAR 7 Aug 2020
Drywall with a stamp indicating R 3660 means that the drywall meets ASTM C1396 Standard Specification for Gypsum Board
Abstract: Abstract
This specification covers gypsum boards which include the following: gypsum wallboard for use on walls, ceilings, or partitions and that affords a surface suitable to receive decoration; pre decorated gypsum board for use as the finished surfacing for walls, ceilings, or partitions; gypsum backing board, coreboard, and shaftliner board for use as a base in multilayer systems or as a gypsum stud or core in semisolid or solid gypsum board partitions, or in shaft wall assemblies;
water-resistant gypsum backing board to be used as a base for the application of ceramic or plastic tile on walls or ceilings; exterior gypsum soffit board for exterior soffits and carport ceilings that are completely protected from contact with liquid water; gypsum sheathing board for use as sheathing on buildings; gypsum base for veneer plaster; gypsum lath for use as a base for gypsum plaster application; and gypsum ceiling board for interior ceilings and walls.
Gypsum board shall consist of a noncombustible core, essentially gypsum, surfaced with paper bonded to the core.
The specimens shall comply with the following required physical properties: core, end, and edge hardness; straightness of the edges and ends; length; tapered edge depth; flexural strength; humidified deflection; nail pull resistance; permeance; water resistance; and surface water absorption.
Current types of fire-resistant drywall, also referred to as Fire Board, X Board or Type X drywall, use glass fibers and are 5/8-inch thick.
On 2022-03-01 by Inspectapedia Com Moderator (mod) - Patent Numbers give Floor under US Gypsum Drywall age
@Seth,
The patent numbers put a floor under the US Gypsum age.
US Patent 3,431,143 is
US Patent 3,380,042
is
If no patent numbers are found for years after those that you found, while the drywall could be newer, even from the '80's, it's reasonable to guess that your drywall age as late 1960's to the 1970s. My reasoning is that if it were newer we'd see more-recent patent numbers.
It would be helpful to have a sanity check on that guess: tell us the country and city of location of the building and the building's age or year of construction.
On 2022-03-01 by Seth - United States Gypsum patent numbers found
@Inspectapedia Com Moderator,
Production date is really all I need. The manufacturer was United States Gypsum. US patents 3,380,042 and 3,431,143. I just need to figure out production date to prove the approximate time the drywall was installed.
On 2022-02-28 by Inspectapedia Com Moderator (mod)
@Seth,
My best guess is we're seeing production date and time stamps on your drywall. The numeric string probably encodes a production date and a manufacturing plant ID but not the actual manufacturer.
Look for printed information on a paper tape found on the ends of the drywall.
On 2022-02-28 by Seth
Trying to figure out meaning of stamps on the back of some drywall from my house. We found out a previous owner was aware of water and termite damage, but chose to cover it up and hide it instead of making proper repairs and likely did not disclose the issue when selling.
However, we aren't sure which previous owner it was. Hoping that a production date from some of the newer drywall will point us in the right direction.
What we think it newer drywall seems to have two types of stamp on each board. I will attach a picture of it. One stamp seems to be a production date code (maybe) and is just a string of characters (specifically 08174505 A7, but the last 7 is slightly faded).
The other stamp is what confuses me. It is two circular dials side by side, each with an arrow triangle pointing at a number like a clock. Not sure what it means and can't find any references to it online.
The first dial has 2 thru 24 (in sets of two) with the arrow seemingly pointing at 20, while the second dial has 0 through 55 (in sets of five) with the arrow seemingly pointing at 45.
Just not sure what to make of it. I'm attaching a picture of this newer looking drywall.
Some seemingly older sections of drywall merely have the stamp "0818482448" and then after a six to ten inch gap there is an "M"
Thanks for any help!
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We estimate that from 1950 to 1965 gypsum board was used as exterior wall sheathing on a variety of buildings, especially low-cost structures and in panelized construction as we explain along with our photographs shown below.
We also find gypsum board sheathing used on some roofs, believe it or not.
In some applications a water repellent paper was used to improve the product's durability, as we show in this wall cavity side photograph of identifying marks on gypsum board sheathing.
Details: as water-resistant gypsum panels were widely used for exterior wall and roof sheathing we discuss this material separately
at GYPROC SHEATHING, GYPSUM BOARD
Also see DRYWALL MOLD RESISTANT for an interior drywall reported to resist mold growth.
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Western Gypsum Products Co. was founded in Winnipeg, Manitoba, in 1929. Western Gypsum produced Gypsum products from 1929 to 1963. The Western Gypsum brand is currently owned by US Gypsum who operate multiple gypsum product plants in the U.S. and Canada.
Notice that this 1960s Western Gypsum Products Logo is identical to the logo of the successor company Westroc described
at WESTROC DRYWALL / GYPSUM BOARD
and currently the WPC brand is owned by US Gypsum.
The Western Gypsum Products company headquarters was at 503 McArthur Bldg., Winnipeg, Manitoba, and the company's underground gypsum mine was at Amaranth with production facilities in Mayook, Winnipeg, and in Calgary Alberta (at least in 1949).
Westroc Industries Limited, the successor to Western Gypsum Products Limited, produced gypsum at the Silver Plains underground mine from 1964 to 1975, resulting from Western Gypsum Products Ltd. exporatory drilling that had been conducted there in the early 1960s. Production ceased at the Silver Plains gypsum mine after the mine flooded in 1975.
In the U.S. in 1948 Western Gypsum Products Ltd. began operating a gypsum processing plant in Sigurd, Utah where the company used gypsum from local gypsum mines in Sevier County where gypsum had been mined since 1908.
More details about the history of Western Gypsum Ltd. and the Western Gypsum Ltd. Gypsum Insulation shown above (courtesy of reader Cody) are
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The photos of Canadian Westroc drywall end tape text and markings and of the drywall back surface stamp shown here were provided courtesy of an InspectApedia.com reader (January, 2024).
Shown here, Canadian Westroc Industries Ltd. Drywall - Gypsum Board Identification - end tapes & identification stamps, (C) InspectApedia.com J.K.
[Click to enlarge any image]
Above: the apparent date stamp of 1983 suggests that this Canadian Westroc drywall was manufactured before Canadian firms stopped using asbestos, so this product as well as drywall joint compound used in its installation both might contain asbestos. Lab test results are still needed.
Note that for drywall products dated 1990 or later you would not expect the product to contain asbestos.
See more detail at ASBESTOS in CANADIAN DRYWALL
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If using the 2017-and-later drywall date stamp decoder found
at DRYWALL TYPE IDENTIFICATION STAMPS
does not give sensible results then here are more drywall ID stamp decoding tools:
For contemporary guides to currently-sold gypsum board types and identification codes see
GYPSUM PANEL PRODUCTS TYPES, USES, SIZES, AND STANDARDS [PDF] (2022) US Gypsum Association, 6525 Belcrest Road, Ste 480 Hyattsville, MD 20782 USA, Tel: 301-277-8686 Web: www.gypsum.org - retrieved 2022/09/13, original source: https://www.gypsum.org/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/223-04.pdf
For the older standard see
GYPSUM PANEL PRODUCTS TYPES, USES, SIZES, AND STANDARDS [PDF] (2017) USGA, Op. Cit., - retrieved 2022/09/13,original source https://www.americangypsum.com/sites/default/files/2022-01/ga-223_gypsum_panel_products_types_uses_sizes_and_standards.pdf
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Below you will find questions and answers previously posted on this page at its page bottom reader comment box.
@Elijah,
Those look like generic drywall stamps that's simply identify the type and the standard with which it complied. I don't see any indication that addresses in asbestos question in that data.
If you can see the end tapes on the edges of the drywall that often can identify the manufacturer and may also contain patent numbers that help determine its age.
Knowing the country and city of building location and in the building age help guests at the drywall age which can tell you whether it was manufactured before or after asbestos was discontinued in that use in your country..
More details that will help you answer this question are at
ASBESTOS in DRYWALL
On 2023-10-30 by Elijah
Hello - I was wondering if anyone could please let me know if this has asbestos as well?
@Ian,
Yes if you see shiny fibers it's likely to be fiberglass; it's much more difficult to "see" individual asbestos fibers without a microscope.
Bottom line: even if the manufacturer is confident that they never used asbestos in their drywall, unless you can determine the installation date and thus the probable date of manufacture of the joint compound, the drywall producer can't assure you that the installer did not use asbestos-containing joint compound.
However, as I've said several times, if the material is undamaged and left alone there's not likely to be a measurable asbestos dust hazard.
Worth a read:
HAZARD vs RISK - what's the difference ?
https://inspectapedia.com/hazmat/Hazard-vs-Risk.php
On 2023-10-10 by Ian
@InspectApedia DF,
Thanks for all the info. Still curious as I dig into these boards. I see on the Gold Bond one that there are clearly white fibers sticking out of the end. Makes me think the board is likely to be more modern with some type of fiberglass reinforcement.
You can sort of see the fibers in the attached picture. It probably doesn’t give a definitive answer but I thought it might be helpful to others researching this topic to know if that is likely.
Also interesting. I called USG to see if they could identify the Sheetrock branded board. According to the then they never used asbestos in the Sheetrock boards. Maybe only in the joint compound?
Any way, thanks again. I’ll circle back if I find out anything definite.
@Ian,
The Canadian drywall patent number you cite is for
Nowick, Chester R., and DeFranza, Alfred, U.S.A., METHOD of DRYING GYPSUM WALLBOARD and APPARATUS THEREFOR, Canadian Patent No. 1095233, Issued 810210, granted to National Gypsum Company, U.S.A.
note the issue date is 1981, the patent was filed almost a decade earlier.
copy also here at
https://inspectapedia.com/interiors/Canadian-Drywall-Patent-1095233.pdf
Cited in our article ASBESTOS in CANADIAN DRYWALL
though to be clear, this particular Canadian patent discusses methods for drying drywall board or gypsum board and isn't concerned with asbestos nor the composition of the drywall itself.
In a 1903 St. Paul MN home (just down the road from our own Minnesota editorial offices) all sorts of interior-use materials may have contained asbestos.
For drywall, if it's intact and undisturbed there's no meaningful asbestos hazard.
For drywall that must be or has been demolished creating a dusty mess, one would treat the material as presumed to contain asbestos (or have samples tested).
For drywall testing in such a case you'd need to be sure to test not just the board material itself but also joint compound used at drywall joints and at screws or nails - as the greater asbestos content was usually in the joint compound.
On 2023-10-08 by Ian
@InspectApedia DF,
I’m guessing the USG is pretty much impossible to tell just based on the barcode alone.
For the Golf Bond I thought I had found patents dating from the 90s but I guess that isn’t correct on a second look.
The lowest number I see is a U.S. patent: 3870538
The highest is a Canadian patent: 1095233
The house is in St. Paul, MN. It was build in 1903 so there is a wide range of possible materials in the building. I don’t know about renovation history. It seems like there was work done in the early to mid 90s but I don’t really have a guess at to when the drywall would have been put up.
I guess I will have to have it tested for asbestos. I already pulled some of it off from around windows a couple years back. Sort of regretting that decision. I didn’t think drywall would have asbestos in it until I started doing research.
Also, on the Gold Bond there are some more patents numbers after that Canadian patent but I can’t make them out.
On 2023-10-08 by InspectApedia DF (mod) - modern Gold-Bond product bar code.
@Ian,
That's a modern Gold-Bond product bar code. The *earliest* that that type of bar code was used in North America was 1974.
As you've found patent numbers, do post a list of all of them.
Continuing: I can't read most of the patent numbers in your photo but if you can spot the oldest (lowest number) such as
Nichols, Jr Peter L. "Polyurethane propellant." U.S. Patent 3,870,578, issued March 11, 1975.
and the highest number - that can give us the probable age range for your drywall.
such as
White, George H., and Donald J. Petersen. "Hard-edge wallboard." U.S. Patent 4,279,673, issued July 21, 1981.
If that's the highest patent number on your drywall then we'd know that it was made some time after 1981 and probably before Gold-Bond began putting subsequent patent numbers on the product.
Again: what is the information about the surrounding building? Location, age, remodeling history?
@Ian,
From just that Factory Mutual Research Corporation Audit stamp for Gypsum Wallboard I can't know with confidence the drywall's age.
ASTM E119 is a drywall standard that dates all the way back to 1917
It's possible that FMRC have changed the appearance of their certification stamps over the years, so that company might be able to look at a stamp and tell us the years during which that exact stamp layout and text were used.
Factory Mutual, now FMglobal offers a contact page mglobal.com/report-contact-page/general-contact-form but no simple email or telephone number for curious consumers.
As we often remind readers in questions like this one, it is very helpful when guessing at the age of a building component, to include contextual data: what do we know about the building, its country, city of location and the building age and remodeling history.
Often then we can compare what we know about a building with information at
DRYWALL & GYPSUM BOARD COMPOSITION & HISTORY https://inspectapedia.com/interiors/Drywall-Composition-History.php
Also finding patent numbers on drywall stamps or on end tapes on the drywall can tell us the bounds of years during which that drywall could have been manufactured.
On 2023-10-07 by Ian
Is it possible to identify the year this USG board was manufactured from the barcode here?
I believe this is gold bond. Any way to tell the age?
For the gold bond one I found some patent numbers. The ones from Canada were issued in the mid 90’s so I would think that would confirm it was made well after asbestos would be common in drywall.
Any second opinions on that? Still not sure about the USG board.
You can see this kind of blue and red end paper on the USG that goes with the barcode I posted earlier. I’m assuming this would mean it is more modern. Anyone have any additional details?
@Teddy,
Saint Gobain has a drywall manufacturing plant in Palatka, Florida, since 2001, producing under the sub-brand CertainTeed LLC (a subsidiary drywall brand) so most likely your CertainTeed drywall was made in the Palatka drywall plant on 04 April 2002.
Thank you for the photo and helpful drywall identification question.
The image below is from a news release by Saint-Gobain about upgrading their Palatka Florida gypsum plant in April 2022.
Below is an excerpt from the news release, giving more details about the manufacture of your drywall.
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August 23, 2022 | Palatka, FL United States
SAINT-GOBAIN TO UPGRADE TECHNOLOGY AT ITS PALATKA, FLORIDA GYPSUM PLANT, INCREASING RECYCLED CONTENT OF WALLBOARD AND REDUCING CARBON EMISSIONS
Saint-Gobain, through its building products subsidiary CertainTeed LLC, will install recycling technology at its gypsum plant in Palatka, Florida, increasing the recycled content in its wallboard products manufactured in Palatka by 18,000 tons/year while also reducing the site’s carbon dioxide emissions by 2,260 tons/year.
The project represents a $1.1 Million investment from CertainTeed and comes as Saint-Gobain continues to roll out its new global Grow and Impact strategy, which includes reducing waste and increasing recycling efforts at its manufacturing sites.
Gypsum wallboard is made from a gypsum slurry that is poured and dries between two sheets of paper. Some scrap materials, consisting of gypsum and paper, are normally created every time a production line is started up or shut down, or when production equipment is changed to manufacture different sizes of wallboard.
The new recycling technology in Palatka will work by grinding the waste gypsum and waste paper down into fine particles, allowing the plant to capture and internally recycle the materials, which are sorted and then reintroduced to the production process at the plant.
Today, each wallboard produced at CertainTeed’s Palatka facility includes recycled content. The upgraded technology, which the company plans to take online later this year, will increase the amount of recycled material in wallboard manufactured in Palatka.
The new equipment is powered by electricity and replaces older equipment currently powered by diesel, lowering the plant’s Scope 1 Emissions from its operations. Additionally, by consuming more recycled gypsum, the plant is less reliant on feedstock that is shipped to Palatka from external sources, allowing the site to also reduce Scope 3 Emissions associated with transporting the feedstock.
The investment in Palatka follows similar investments that will increase the recycled content of wallboard made at CertainTeed’s gypsum plants in Silver Grove, Kentucky and Nashville, Arkansas.
---
Read the entire news release at
SAINT-GOBAIN UPGRADES PALATKA FL GYPSUM PLANT [PDF] Saint-Gobain, retrieved 2023/10/03, original source: .saint-gobain-northamerica [dot] com/company/newsroom/news-releases/saint-gobain-upgrade-technology-its-palatka-florida-gypsum-plant
copy here at
inspectapedia.com/interiors/Saint-Gobain-Palatka-FL-Gypsum-Plant-2022.pdf
On 2023-10-03 by Teddy
Greetings, wondering if you could help me identify some drywall I keep finding in the house I just purchased. Was built in 2002, in SW Florida. Markings are simple, they say: "Palatka, FL" with a date mark of "040402".
Would be nice to know if this drywall was made in the USA or not. The only drywall plant in Palatka FL in 2002 was a giant factory that was owned by LaFarge at the time. In 2023 the building is still there and is now owned by Saint Gobain I believe.
Still has green and white LaFarge colors on the building. Would be nice to know who actually manufactured it. Thank you
@Kevin,
None of us likes throwing other people's money at risk, but in my OPINION if nobody can document that age of the drywall in a nursing home where one would expect extra caution about potential health hazards, nor even the age of the building, it may be appropriate to have a sample tested for asbestos before making a dusty mess, or treat the drywall as if it contained asbestos, using appropriate dust control, etc.
On 2023-08-20 by Kevin
@InspectApedia Publisher, it is United States. Wayne county, NY. Town is Newark. It is a nursing home. However I am unaware of the building age. Tried looking up R1319 and found it on a UL website, but no information about date or additives.
On 2023-08-20 by InspectApedia Publisher
@Kevin,
You can read about the stamp found on your drywall, including the classification F-1319, at
https://inspectapedia.com/hazmat/US-Gypsum-Sheetrock-Asbestos.php US GYPSUM SHEETROCK ASBESTOS
Start by telling us the country and city of location of your building and the building's age.
On 2023-08-19 by Kevin
I was told this was newer drywall where I work, and to take it out. So I started cutting and tearing it off the metal studs. Then I noticed this stamp. Which to me, looks very old. Can anyone tell me if this contained asbestos or even what year it was from?
On 2022-05-04 by Inspectapedia Com Moderator
@Laura,
Our original discussion and more
details are
at ASBESTOS HAZARDS in CANADIAN TruRoc DRYWALL - RESEARCH
Where we will add your photo (do post a sharper image if you can - thanks in advance) and question, as that will be helpful to other readers and may invite further comment on the history of TruRoc Canadian drywall.
On 2022-05-04 by Laura
Have drywall house built in 1970. Drywall stamped Truroc and then a postal code I am assuming…
On 2022-03-01 by Inspectapedia Com Moderator
Seth
Thank you for the discussion - now copied to
https://inspectapedia.com/interiors/Drywall-Manufacturer-Identification-Stamps.php#USG
US GYPSUM DRYWALL STAMPS - on this page
It would be helpful to have a sanity check on the age guess: tell us the country and city of location of the building and the building's age or year of construction.
On 2022-03-01 by Inspectapedia Com Moderator
@Seth,
The patent numbers put a floor under the US Gypsum age.
US Patent 3,431,143 is
Johnson, Gordon C., and Samuel Sterman. "Process for sizing paper with epoxy silicone and resulting products." U.S. Patent 3,431,143, issued March 4, 1969.
US Patent 3,380,042
is
Townsend, Marjorie R., and Paul M. Feinberg. "Digital telemetry system." U.S. Patent 3,380,042, issued April 23, 1968.
If no patent numbers are found for years after those it's reasonable to place your drywall age as late 1960's to the 1970s.
It would be helpful to have a sanity check on that guess: tell us the country and city of location of the building and the building's age or year of construction.
On 2022-03-01 by Seth
@Inspectapedia Com Moderator,
Production date is really all I need. The manufacturer was United States Gypsum. US patents 3,380,042 and 3,431,143. I just need to figure out production date to prove the approximate time the drywall was installed.
On 2022-02-28 by Inspectapedia Com Moderator - how to figure out meaning of stamps on the back of some drywall
@Seth,
My best guess is we're seeing production date and time stamps on your drywall. The numeric string probably encodes a production date and a manufacturing plant ID but not the actual manufacturer.
Look for printed information on a paper tape found on the ends of the drywall.
On 2022-02-28 by Seth
Trying to figure out meaning of stamps on the back of some drywall from my house. We found out a previous owner was aware of water and termite damage, but chose to cover it up and hide it instead of making proper repairs and likely did not disclose the issue when selling.
However, we aren't sure which previous owner it was. Hoping that a production date from some of the newer drywall will point us in the right direction.
What we think it newer drywall seems to have two types of stamp on each board. I will attach a picture of it. One stamp seems to be a production date code (maybe) and is just a string of characters (specifically 08174505 A7, but the last 7 is slightly faded).
The other stamp is what confuses me. It is two circular dials side by side, each with an arrow triangle pointing at a number like a clock.
Not sure what it means and can't find any references to it online. The first dial has 2 thru 24 (in sets of two) with the arrow seemingly pointing at 20, while the second dial has 0 through 55 (in sets of five) with the arrow seemingly pointing at 45. Just not sure what to make of it. I'm attaching a picture of this newer looking drywall.
Some seemingly older sections of drywall merely have the stamp "0818482448" and then after a six to ten inch gap there is an "M"
Thanks for any help!
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