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Aluminum vs. Drywall Compare Aluminum vs. Drywall strength, stiffness, weight and thermal properties.
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Plastic PLA Plastic PETG Plastic ABS Plastic TPU Plastic Nylon Plastic ABS (bulk/injection) Plastic Polycarbonate Plastic POM/Acetal Plastic Nylon PA6 Plastic Nylon PA66 Plastic PEEK Plastic PTFE Plastic UHMWPE Plastic HDPE Plastic Polypropylene Plastic PMMA Rubber Wood Aluminum Aluminum 6061-T6 Aluminum 7075-T6 Aluminum 2024-T351 Aluminum 5052-H32 Aluminum 7050-T7451 Steel Steel AISI 1018 Steel AISI 1045 Steel AISI 4340 Steel A992 Iron Titanium Titanium Ti-6Al-4V Stainless 304 Stainless 316 Stainless 303 Stainless 17-4PH Brass C360 Brass C260 Copper C110 Glass Nickel Inconel 718 Magnesium AZ31B-H24 Zinc Zamak 3 FDM ASA FDM Polycarbonate FDM PAHT-CF FDM HIPS SLA Resin Standard SLA Resin Tough 2000 SLA Resin Elastic 50A SLS PA12 Nylon DMLS AlSi10Mg Aluminum DMLS Ti-6Al-4V ELI Titanium DMLS 316L Stainless Steel DMLS 17-4PH Stainless Steel Concrete Brick Plywood Drywall Aluminum Wrought Plastic PLA Plastic PETG Plastic ABS Plastic TPU Plastic Nylon Plastic ABS (bulk/injection) Plastic Polycarbonate Plastic POM/Acetal Plastic Nylon PA6 Plastic Nylon PA66 Plastic PEEK Plastic PTFE Plastic UHMWPE Plastic HDPE Plastic Polypropylene Plastic PMMA Rubber Wood Aluminum Aluminum 6061-T6 Aluminum 7075-T6 Aluminum 2024-T351 Aluminum 5052-H32 Aluminum 7050-T7451 Steel Steel AISI 1018 Steel AISI 1045 Steel AISI 4340 Steel A992 Iron Titanium Titanium Ti-6Al-4V Stainless 304 Stainless 316 Stainless 303 Stainless 17-4PH Brass C360 Brass C260 Copper C110 Glass Nickel Inconel 718 Magnesium AZ31B-H24 Zinc Zamak 3 FDM ASA FDM Polycarbonate FDM PAHT-CF FDM HIPS SLA Resin Standard SLA Resin Tough 2000 SLA Resin Elastic 50A SLS PA12 Nylon DMLS AlSi10Mg Aluminum DMLS Ti-6Al-4V ELI Titanium DMLS 316L Stainless Steel DMLS 17-4PH Stainless Steel Concrete Brick Plywood Drywall Drywall Natural Try it on a partA sample part to run stress or thermal on, free in your browser Open in LessCAD Open in LessCAD Mechanical Yield strength 276 MPa source typical, 0.2% offset, .500 in dia specimen not given (tensile used) Ultimate tensile strength 310 MPa source typical 1–2 MPa source ambient range reported in review (Australian studies) Compressive strength not sourced 2.4 MPa source typical, 70 F / 50% RH Elongation at break 17 % source typical, in 4D, 0.500 in dia specimen not sourced Young's modulus (stiffness) 68.3 GPa source typical 1–2 GPa source ambient range reported in review (Australian studies) Density 2,700 kg/m³ source nominal not sourced Strength to weight 102 kN·m/kg not sourced Stiffness to weight 25.3 MN·m/kg not sourced Poisson's ratio 0.33 source typical (handbook physical constant) not sourced Shear modulus 25.7 GPa not sourced Bulk modulus 67 GPa not sourced Speed of sound 5,030 m/s not sourced Thermal Thermal conductivity 167 W/m·K source typical, 20 °C not sourced Thermal expansion 23.6 µm/m·K source typical, mean 20-100 °C 16.7 µm/m·K source typical, unrestrained, 3.3-32 C 100 mm part over a 50 °C swing 118 µm growth 83.5 µm growth 41% less Specific heat 896 J/kg·K source typical, at 100 °C 1,090 J/kg·K source typical (from ASHRAE Handbook of Fundamentals, per GA) Heats up and cools (diffusivity) 69 mm²/s not sourced Thermal shock resistance 19,159 W/m not sourced Melting point 582–652 °C source solidus-liquidus not sourced Max service temperature not sourced 52 °C source manufacturer sustained-exposure limit Values for 6061-T6/T651, Kaiser Aluminum typical properties (sheet, coil & plate datasheet); Poisson from MIL-HDBK-5J 1/2 in. (12.7 mm) regular gypsum board (ASTM C1396), Gypsum Association GA-235-2019 typical/minimum properties; tensile and E from USDA FPL-co-authored review; service limit from USG Sheetrock 1/2 in. submittal
Every value links to the document that states it. "Not sourced" means no citable source states it (or only a specification minimum); figures computed from it are left out too.
Questions Is Aluminum stronger than Drywall? Aluminum is stronger: its yield strength is 276 MPa against tensile strength 1.5 MPa for Drywall (184x).
Which is stiffer, Aluminum or Drywall? Aluminum is stiffer: Young's modulus 68.3 GPa against 1.5 GPa for Drywall, so the same part in Aluminum deflects less under the same load.
Which expands less with temperature? Drywall expands less: 16.7 µm/m·K against 23.6 µm/m·K for Aluminum.
Among 59 materials 1k 10k 0.1 1 10 100 Density (kg/m³) Young's modulus (GPa) Plastic PLA Plastic PETG Plastic ABS Plastic TPU Plastic Nylon Steel Iron Titanium Steel AISI 1018 Stainless 304 Stainless 316 Aluminum 6061-T6 Aluminum 7075-T6 Brass C360 Copper C110 Glass Steel AISI 1045 Steel AISI 4340 Steel A992 Stainless 303 Stainless 17-4PH Aluminum 2024-T351 Aluminum 5052-H32 Aluminum 7050-T7451 Titanium Ti-6Al-4V Brass C260 Nickel Inconel 718 Magnesium AZ31B-H24 Zinc Zamak 3 Plastic ABS (bulk/injection) Plastic Polycarbonate Plastic POM/Acetal Plastic Nylon PA6 Plastic Nylon PA66 Plastic PEEK Plastic UHMWPE Plastic HDPE Plastic Polypropylene Plastic PMMA FDM ASA FDM Polycarbonate FDM PAHT-CF FDM HIPS SLA Resin Tough 2000 SLS PA12 Nylon DMLS AlSi10Mg Aluminum DMLS Ti-6Al-4V ELI Titanium DMLS 316L Stainless Steel DMLS 17-4PH Stainless Steel Aluminum Stiffness against density 1k 10k 10 100 1k Density (kg/m³) Yield strength (MPa) Plastic PLA Plastic PETG Plastic ABS Plastic TPU Plastic Nylon Rubber Steel Iron Titanium Steel AISI 1018 Stainless 304 Stainless 316 Aluminum 6061-T6 Aluminum 7075-T6 Brass C360 Copper C110 Glass Steel AISI 1045 Steel AISI 4340 Steel A992 Stainless 303 Stainless 17-4PH Aluminum 2024-T351 Aluminum 5052-H32 Aluminum 7050-T7451 Titanium Ti-6Al-4V Brass C260 Nickel Inconel 718 Magnesium AZ31B-H24 Zinc Zamak 3 Plastic ABS (bulk/injection) Plastic Polycarbonate Plastic POM/Acetal Plastic Nylon PA6 Plastic Nylon PA66 Plastic PEEK Plastic PTFE Plastic UHMWPE Plastic HDPE Plastic Polypropylene Plastic PMMA FDM ASA FDM Polycarbonate FDM PAHT-CF FDM HIPS SLA Resin Tough 2000 SLA Resin Elastic 50A SLS PA12 Nylon DMLS AlSi10Mg Aluminum DMLS Ti-6Al-4V ELI Titanium DMLS 316L Stainless Steel DMLS 17-4PH Stainless Steel Brick Aluminum Strength against density