What does sheetrock mean?
Sheetrock is the North American name for plasterboard panels made with a gypsum core sandwiched between sheets of paper. These lightweight panels are attached to wooden or metal framing to create interior walls, ceilings, and sometimes partitions. The material became widely used because it is comparatively inexpensive, quick to install, fire-resistant, and relatively easy to finish with paint. Although the process requires care around joints and fastener locations, sheetrock can transform an exposed structural framework into a smooth, finished interior surface. The word is used especially in the United States and Canada; British and other English-speaking communities more often use “plasterboard” or “drywall.” As a verb, “sheetrock” means to install sheetrock over a wall or ceiling. In construction reports and descriptions of renovation work, the term is therefore both familiar and practical, referring both to the panels themselves and to the finished surfaces and partitions they create.
A manufactured panel made from a gypsum core enclosed in paper, used to form or cover interior walls and ceilings.
"The building contractor installed sheetrock throughout the new wing."
Chiefly North American. The word usually denotes the material collectively, but individual panels may be counted as sheetrocks.
To cover a wall, ceiling, or other surface with sheetrock panels.
"After the pipes were installed, the crew sheetrooked the basement ceiling."
Used chiefly in North American construction and renovation contexts.
Normally used as a mass noun for the material; the plural is used when referring to individual panels.
"The crew carried several sheetrocks into the house."
Sheetrock made it possible to erect smooth interior walls quickly, helping transform unfinished buildings into practical homes and offices.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does sheetrock come from?
“Sheetrock” is a compound of “sheet” and “rock,” a name reflecting the layered construction of the material and probably also the literal appearance of its hard gypsum core. The term is especially associated with North American English in the 20th century. “Plasterboard” is an older and more internationally used designation, while “drywall” became another common name for the same type of construction panel.
How sheetrock is actually used
The term is used chiefly in North America, especially the United States. It is often treated as a mass noun when referring to the material, though it can be pluralized when individual panels are counted. As a verb, it is most common in construction contexts.
Easily confused with sheetrock
Plasterboard is the general international term for board made from plaster or gypsum between paper sheets, whereas sheetrock is the especially common North American name for gypsum wall panels.
Sheetrock is a manufactured gypsum panel, while plaster is a wet material applied in layers to form a hard wall or ceiling surface.