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Sackett Board before purchase by USG - at InspectApedia.com Sackett Board Plasterboard History
History, properties, identification of Sackett Board plaster base

Here we describe Sackett board and give the history and properties of this, the first widely-used plasterboard - the precursor of modern drywall or "sheetrock".

In this article series we describe and discuss the identification and history of older interior building surface materials such plaster, plaster board, split wood lath, accordion lath, sawn lath, and expanded metal lath, Beaverboard, and Drywall - materials that were used to form the (usually) non-structural surface of building interior ceilings and walls.

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History of Sackett Board, multi-layered plaster & paper board - the first "drywall"

Sackett Board (C) InspectApedia.com HaniacekInvented in 1888 and Patented as early as 1894, Augustine Sackett's paper-coated plasterboard provided a fast, economical means of covering interior walls and began a slow shift away from reliance on wood lath for plastering systems.

Sackett's earliest patent, a process for coating multiple layers of paper in rolls using tar (and straw in some forms), was granted much earlier, in 1880. That work led to Sackett Board, the multi-layered paper and plaster board shown and discussed here. Plaster was a desirable substitute for tar and straw as it improved the board's fire-resistance, even describing it as "fireproof".

BY 1909 each Sackett Board was stamped onto each gypsum board panel as "Sackett Board".

According to US Gypsum, Sackett formed a partnership with U.S. Gypsum and later contributed a folded paper edge on these gypsum board panels - a significant step that reduced damage to the boards in shipping and handling.

Kane Friedman, (later as F.L. Kane) along with Blumenfeld and Strimban are also credited with development of plaster board as we cite below, though their patents were considerably later, granted after 1900.

The Friedman (no relation to InspectApedia.com editor Daniel Friedman) patent describes plaster board construction in the early 1900s as being made up of from eight to ten layers of paper and plaster, much like the plasterboard shown in our photo provided by InspectApedi.com reader Haniacek.

Friedman et al. patented a similar multi-layered plaster board to which a flexible metallic layer was added to permit bending to form plasterboard around a curved radius.

In at least some instances layers of paper and plaster were bonded using coal tar pitch, and included thin sheet metal reinforcement.

These plaster boards were not intended to provide a finished surface.

Boards-of this character should not be used to make a finished wall, a dressing or surface of ordinary plaster being relied upon for the finished surface. - Friedman 1908

[Click to enlarge any image]

Augustine Sackett at InspectApedia.comSackett Board, first produced by Alexander Sackett, who formed the Sackett Plaster Board Co. became so widely-used that the term "sackett board" became rather generic, as we read in construction articles and in later patents by various inventors.

As first produced, Sackett Board was made in 32" x 36" sheets, later in larger panels.

Soon thereafter Sackett Board was marketed by US Gypsum following USG's purchase of the Sackett Plaster Board Company in 1909.

The sale of USG's Sackett Board marked USG's entry into the gypsum board or plasterboard market.

The Geneva Illinois home where this multi-layered paper and gypsum plaster board was installed is itself dated by the owner as 1907 or 1910.

[Click to enlarge any image]

We solicit photos of similar material from our readers - you can post photos and comments at the end of this page or you can use the page top or bottom CONTACT link to send us email directly.

1888: In the U.K. the first plasterboard production facility opened in 1888. In London, Gyproc Products Ltd., produced a plaster-board that included rust-resistant metal reinforcement for use as ready-made partitions.

1890-1894: In 1890 Sackett Board was invented by Augustine Sackett (his photo is provided later, below).

Other sources give 1891 but they are incorrect insofar as Sackett's U.S. Patent for his Inside Wall Covering describing this multi-layered builders paper and gypsum plaster board was filed May 23, 1890 and granted by the U.S. Patent Office No. 520,123 on May 22, 1894.

Below, courtesy of InspectApedia reader LukeDuke we have a still earlier Sackett Board trademrk stamp from a home built in 1912 in Connecticut, citing Sackett's May 22, 1984 Patent.

Sacket board trademark stamp for May 22 1894 in a Connecticut Home (C) InspectApedia.com LukeDuke

The Sackett Wall Board company was first located in the Whitehall Building, 13-21 Battery Place, New York, NY.

To produce Sackett Board, Sackett joined forces with the Grand Rapids Plaster Company in Grand Rapids Michigan.

Sackett board trademark stamp on plasterboard, showing dates in 1892, 1912 and 1916? (C) InspectApedia.com  Fink

Above: courtesy of InspectApedia.com reader J.F. we see a Sackett trademark stamp on the back surface of Sackett Board plasterboard bearing three trademark registration dates beginning May 22 1894, continuing through 1912 and 1918. This Sackett board was probably manufactured after the example provided by LukeDuke, above.

Sackett Board, first produced in 32 x 36" rectangles, was described as a multi-layered "wool-felt" paper and gypsum wallboard product for interior walls and ceilings.

Sackett Board was installed as a "ready-to-finish" surface to be intended to be finished with a layer of gypsum-based plaster.

Sackett Board before purchase by USG - at InspectApedia.com

Below: a multi-layered gypsum or plaster board product photo provided by reader Rob who asked if this was an asbestos product.

We discuss the photo below in a Q&A found in ASBESTOS IDENTIFICATION IN BUILDINGS FAQs.

Multi-layer rock lath gypsum board (C) InspectApedia.com Rob

1902: Pyrobar and Adamant Board: In the U.S., US Gypsum was formed in 1902 by the merger of 30 independent gypsum and plaster companies.

The company's first product, Pyrobar, a gypsum-based fireproof tile, was produced in 1903.

Early versions of plasterboard produced by USG (ca 1909) were referrred to as Adamant board. But as you will read

at DRYWALL & GYPSUM BOARD COMPOSITION & HISTORY, Adamant plaster for walls and ceilings was cited at least as early as 1898.

We still find, on occasion, an Adamant identification stamp on the back of very old gypsum-board. The term "adamant plaster" is still used in current texts and refers to a cementious plaster still used to form wallboard as well as decorative plaster elements, and tiles. (Kaphle 2018)

1909 Sackett Board: US Gypsum purchased the Sackett Plaster Board Company, (appearing as the Sackett Wall Board Co. in some advertisements) marking their entry into the gypsum board marketplace, marketing wall and ceiling panels ready to be finished with plaster.

From 1909, USG continued to market Sackett Board advertising Sackett Plaster Board as a substitute for wood lath. Early advertisements for United States Gypsum Co.'s Sackett Plaster Board cited US Gypsum, the Grand Rapids Plaster Co., and the Sackett Plaster Board Company (then owned by USG).

Sackett Board when owned by US Gypsum - early advertisement (C) InspectApedia.com

A useful distinction between true Sackett Board and later gypsum board, plasterboard or Sheetrock® products is that Sackett Board and other plasterboard products of its era were usually comprised of multiple layers of paper and gypsum or plaster while later Sheetorck® and modern drywall products are usually manufactured as a single laye of plaster or gpsum covered (usually) on its front and rear face and on at least its two long edges by paper.

1916: By 1916 USG had simplified their Sackett Board product to use a thicker gypsum-based plaster with single coatings of paper on the board exterior face and back (later also on edges), a predecessor to modern drywall.

That would place the multi-layered plaster board in the home above home as before1916.

1917 Sheetrock®: Some sources date the first use of the term "Sheetrock" to U.S. Gypsum's product announced the following year, 1917.

Summarizing to this year, Sackett Board was produced from early in the 20th century as a plaster board or gypsum board that could be nailed to ceiling joists or wall studs as either a plaster base or later as a finished surface. US Gypsum's own history (cited below) reports that Adamant Psnel Board was re-named as a registered Sheetrock® brand sometimebefore 1920 and has remaind a US Gypsum trademark since that time.

That's why in our articles we refer to "drywall", "gypsum board" or "plasterboard" and we try to reserve use of the term "sheetrock" for a US Gypsum product Sheetrock® despite the widespread and more-generic use of that word.

1927: CertainTeed Products Co. introduced their own drywall product line, differeing from USG by leaving the gypsum interior exposed at the board edges.

1928: Howard O. Sackett, of Schenectady, NY, continued the Sackett name in drywall by patenting a plasterboard fastening device. We provide this patent in the Sackett Board research history given below.
Excerpt:

It is the purpose of the invention to obviate employment of fastening elements upon the outer surfaces of the Wall board, which frequently tend ito tear and demolish the surfaces of the boards thereby overcoming the usual necessity of plastering or coating the same precedent to painting.

Research on the History of Sackett Board & Drywall

Kane Lath Attaching Device US Patent 997559 at InspectApedia.com[Click to enlarge any image]

Sackett Board patent illustration - the invention of gypsum board or drywall - at InspectApedia.com

Sackett Board advertisement before USG ownership - at InspectApedia.com

Sackett board fastener patented by Howard O. Sackett in 1928 - cited & discussed at InspectApedia.com ... Sackett board trademark stamp on plasterboard, showing dates in 1892, 1912 and 1916? (C) InspectApedia.com  Fink

Above: Howard Sackett's 1928 plasterboard or "Sakett Board" fastener patent, and a photograph of plasterboard in a U.S. home, courtesy of reader J.F.

 




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Reader Comments, Questions & Answers About The Article Above

Below you will find questions and answers previously posted on this page at its page bottom reader comment box.

Reader Q&A - also see RECOMMENDED ARTICLES & FAQs

On 2021-08-02 by inspectapedia.com.moderator (mod) - Sackett Board identification stamp - 1952 renovation of 1885 home

Sackett board identification stamp (C) InspectApedia.com Russell CB@Russell CB,

Thank you that's an excellent photo and will be helpful to other readers. We will be sure to keep it with your article.

Your Sackett board is an example of the first, or earliest examples of Sackett board, showing Sackett's first-known trademark stamp and citing only the May 22 1894 patent.

If your home was in fact constructed before Sackett's patent was granted, that might argue that this Sackett board was installed some years after the home's original construction.

That would be consistent with the nail marks in the xposed side of the wall stud in your photo. The number and close-spacing of those nail marks suggest that wood lath for a plaster wall was previously installed on that surface.

If you find another instance of that stamp that is not partly covered by framing, post a photo of that as well so that we can look up the exact patent number. That will add some useful historical detail.

On 2021-08-02 by Russell CB

I just found an example of Sackett plasterboard in my 1885 home as I modernize a bathroom that my father added in 1952.
It reads

“Trade Mark Registered, Sackett, Patented May 22, 1894, Other Patents Pending”

On 2021-02-17 by (mod) - samples of Sackett’s Board in museums?

Gerardo

Thank you that's an interesting question about whether or not museums have Sackett board on display.

There may be a drywall and gypsum board Museum somewhere but not that I have located. However it's very likely that there is some Sackett board remaining installed in some older homes in North America. It's occasionally discovered during building repairs, Renovations, and additions.

On 2021-02-17 by Gerardo

Are there any actual samples of Sackett’s Board in museums? Or have they been lost to history?


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