How Drywall Portland Oregon Began And How It Has Been Utilized

When contractors want to erect solid good looking walls in a fast amount of time they will usually use a product called drywall Portland Oregon. This has improved construction times immeasurably over the old method of using plaster and lathing work. Drywall is basically plaster made from gypsum sandwiched between sheets of paper. Gypsum has been used for many things over the years since the times of the Ancient Greeks. The mineral is a naturally occurring substance that is found in many parts of the world.

The Ancient Greeks started utilizing this product to fill gaps in the stones used to build the pyramids. They were able to make a wet plaster mixture that would seal the pyramids and help protect them against the environment. Four thousand years later, when scientists wanted to repair areas that were deteriorating, they eventually resorted to using the ancient methods to make the repairs.

Many years after the Ancient Egyptians faded from the scene there were large deposits of gypsum found in the hills surrounding Montmarte. Artisans of the era when Paris became a focal point of modern society used the mineral to create beautiful outer layers on buildings that people still appreciate today. Eventually the mixture became known as the Plaster of Paris and was used for a multitude of things including making casts on the legs and arms of people who broke them.

Two men, Fred Kane and Augustine Sackett, decided to develop a product that could come in sheets and contractors could nail or screw into the studs of a wall. They used sheets made out of wool and poured the plaster all around them. This created the first modern type of drywall that was the forerunner of the drywall used today.

About thirty years there were several improvements made to the material that Kane and Sackett first made. An important step was the elimination of the four layers of wool in the production of drywall. The wool was replaced by two sheets of paper that formed the outer layers of thick sheets. Secondly, there was the introduction of air bubbles into the plaster mixture. This gave the drywall extra strength and endurance.

Before the making of the new sheets of material that could be applied to the wall studs, one had to do things very slowly that required hard work. A common method of producing smooth surfaces was to have a skilled tradesman come in and perform the work. They would have the experience and ability to evenly spread the plaster mixture over the wood strips affixed to the studs in the walls. This new method of building walls circumvented this process and was performed much faster.

This material has continued to evolve in the last seventy years. New additives to the mixture have allowed it to be used in more applications. Moist areas in rooms would often make the plaster deteriorate, but now additives have made them much more resistant to water damage. Many types also utilize recycled materials that help the environment stay healthy.

There has been a long history of using gypsum to build and maintain structures. From the time of the Greeks to now this mineral based product has served many purposes. The drywall Portland Oregon used today is an extension of its historical roots.