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Drywall vs. Plywood Compare Drywall vs. Plywood 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 Drywall Natural 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 Plywood Natural Try it on a partA panel to run stress or thermal on, free in your browser Open in LessCAD Open in LessCAD Mechanical Yield strength not given (tensile used) not given (tensile used) Ultimate tensile strength 1–2 MPa source ambient range reported in review (Australian studies) 41.4 MPa source modulus of rupture (no direct tensile value) Compressive strength 2.4 MPa source typical, 70 F / 50% RH not sourced Flexural strength not sourced 41.4 MPa source static bending MOR (Douglas-fir); range 33.72-42.61 across species Elongation at break not sourced not sourced Young's modulus (stiffness) 1–2 GPa source ambient range reported in review (Australian studies) 7.45 GPa source static bending MOE of the panel (Douglas-fir); range 6.96-8.55 across species Density not sourced not sourced Strength to weight not sourced not sourced Stiffness to weight not sourced not sourced Poisson's ratio not sourced not sourced Shear modulus not sourced not sourced Bulk modulus not sourced not sourced Speed of sound not sourced not sourced Thermal Thermal conductivity not sourced 0.12 W/m·K source APA-recommended design value (Douglas-fir plywood), as reported by FPL/ORNL Thermal expansion 16.7 µm/m·K source typical, unrestrained, 3.3-32 C 3.1–4.5 µm/m·K source base material: solid wood parallel to grain, ovendry, range across species 100 mm part over a 50 °C swing 83.5 µm growth 19 µm growth 4.39x less Specific heat 1,090 J/kg·K source typical (from ASHRAE Handbook of Fundamentals, per GA) 1,700 J/kg·K source base material: solid wood (all species), 12% MC, 27 C Heats up and cools (diffusivity) not sourced not sourced Thermal shock resistance not sourced not sourced Max service temperature 52 °C source manufacturer sustained-exposure limit not sourced Values for 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 Douglas-fir plywood sheathing (construction plywood per PS 1), static bending properties from USDA FPL Wood Handbook FPL-GTR-282 Ch. 12 Table 12-2 (Biblis 2000)
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 Drywall stronger than Plywood? Plywood is stronger: its tensile strength is 41.4 MPa against 1.5 MPa for Drywall (27.6x).
Which is stiffer, Drywall or Plywood? Plywood is stiffer: Young's modulus 7.45 GPa against 1.5 GPa for Drywall, so the same part in Plywood deflects less under the same load.
Which expands less with temperature? Plywood expands less: 3.8 µm/m·K against 16.7 µm/m·K for Drywall.
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 Aluminum 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 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 Aluminum 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 Strength against density