Drywall thickness by location — ½″ on walls, ⅝″ on ceilings

Hang ½″ board on the walls and ⅝″ on the ceiling — the thicker ceiling board resists sagging between 24″ o.c. joists and adds fire rating (IRC R702). Thickness also sets weight: ¼″≈38, ⅜″≈44, ½″≈54, ⅝″≈70 lb per 4×8 sheet.

A section comparing where each drywall thickness goes. Standard ½-inch board (about 54 pounds per 4×8 sheet) hangs on the wall studs. Ceilings use ⅝-inch board (about 70 pounds per sheet) because the extra thickness resists sagging between joists spaced 24 inches on center and adds fire resistance, which IRC R702 calls for. Thinner ¼-inch board (38 lb) is for curved surfaces and overlay, and ⅜-inch (44 lb) for overlaying existing walls. Thicker board weighs more, which drives the total material weight the calculator reports. — Source: IRC R702.3.5 (ceiling membrane); thicknesses & weights per the calculator’s THICKNESS_SPECS

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A section comparing where each drywall thickness goes. Standard ½-inch board (about 54 pounds per 4×8 sheet) hangs on the wall studs. Ceilings use ⅝-inch board (about 70 pounds per sheet) because the extra thickness resists sagging between joists spaced 24 inches on center and adds fire resistance, which IRC R702 calls for. Thinner ¼-inch board (38 lb) is for curved surfaces and overlay, and ⅜-inch (44 lb) for overlaying existing walls. Thicker board weighs more, which drives the total material weight the calculator reports.

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    <img src="https://remodelcalculators.com/api/figure-embed/drywall-thickness-by-location" alt="A section comparing where each drywall thickness goes. Standard ½-inch board (about 54 pounds per 4×8 sheet) hangs on the wall studs. Ceilings use ⅝-inch board (about 70 pounds per sheet) because the extra thickness resists sagging between joists spaced 24 inches on center and adds fire resistance, which IRC R702 calls for. Thinner ¼-inch board (38 lb) is for curved surfaces and overlay, and ⅜-inch (44 lb) for overlaying existing walls. Thicker board weighs more, which drives the total material weight the calculator reports." width="800" height="480" style="width:100%;height:auto;border:0" loading="lazy">
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    Diagram: <a href="https://remodelcalculators.com/construction-diagrams/drywall-thickness-by-location" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Drywall thickness by location — ½″ on walls, ⅝″ on ceilings</a> — courtesy of <a href="https://remodelcalculators.com" target="_blank" rel="noopener">RemodelCalculators.com</a>
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