# Handymen-How much does a sheet of half inch thick sheetrock weigh? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [March 28, 2003, 4:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/handymen-how-much-does-a-sheet-of-half-inch-thick-sheetrock-weigh/164811 "2003-03-28T16:39:40Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 17\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Hermann\_Cheruscan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/b782af/32.png) [@Hermann\_Cheruscan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hermann_Cheruscan)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2003, 4:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/handymen-how-much-does-a-sheet-of-half-inch-thick-sheetrock-weigh/164811/1 "2003-03-28T16:39:40Z")
I’m just curious how much a sheet of half inch sheetrock weighs. I picked up 25 of them yesterday and put them in my van. They lowered the back end of my van by about 8 inches. Someone had told me previous that they only weighed about 30 lbs each, but I suspect they are far more than that. Oh, these are four feet by eight feet sheets. ---
**Author:** ![Yossarian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/9de0a6/32.png) [@Yossarian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Yossarian)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2003, 4:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/handymen-how-much-does-a-sheet-of-half-inch-thick-sheetrock-weigh/164811/2 "2003-03-28T16:56:08Z")
Quick Math: Sheetrock = Gypsum Gypsum has a density of 2.32 g/cm[sup]3[/sup]. Dimensions of drywall: 4’ x 8’ x 1/2", or: 121.92 cm x 243.84 cm x 1.27 cm For a volume of 37,755.8 cm[sup]3[/sup] Multiplied by density (2.32 g/cc), gives us a mass of: 87,593.45 g, or ~87.6 kg ---
**Author:** ![Hobie\_the\_One](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e99b99/32.png) [@Hobie\_the\_One](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hobie_the_One)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2003, 4:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/handymen-how-much-does-a-sheet-of-half-inch-thick-sheetrock-weigh/164811/3 "2003-03-28T16:59:17Z")
Just to save you the math ~39.5 lbs. ---
**Author:** ![epeepunk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/f19dbf/32.png) [@epeepunk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/epeepunk)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2003, 5:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/handymen-how-much-does-a-sheet-of-half-inch-thick-sheetrock-weigh/164811/4 "2003-03-28T17:12:19Z")
My “Simplified Engineering for Architects and Builders” says that gypsum drywall, 1/2" thick, is 2.5 lbs / ft2, so a 4 x 8 sheet is 80 lbs. YMMV ---
**Author:** ![epeepunk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/f19dbf/32.png) [@epeepunk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/epeepunk)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2003, 5:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/handymen-how-much-does-a-sheet-of-half-inch-thick-sheetrock-weigh/164811/5 "2003-03-28T17:15:43Z")
My “Simplified Engineering for Architects and Builders” says that gypsum drywall, 1/2" thick, is 2.5 lbs / ft2, so a 4 x 8 sheet is 80 lbs. The US Gypsum manufacturing site says 1.6 lbs/ft2 = 51.2 lbs. YMMV ---
**Author:** ![Yossarian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/9de0a6/32.png) [@Yossarian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Yossarian)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2003, 5:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/handymen-how-much-does-a-sheet-of-half-inch-thick-sheetrock-weigh/164811/6 "2003-03-28T17:23:27Z")
I suddenly realized: drywall isn’t a solid sheet of gypsum, but consists of a gypsum core flanked by pretty thick paper–so consider my calculated value to be a maximum! So much for construction advice from “Ivory Tower Contracting, LLP”. ---
**Author:** ![Finagle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/b19c9b/32.png) [@Finagle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Finagle)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2003, 6:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/handymen-how-much-does-a-sheet-of-half-inch-thick-sheetrock-weigh/164811/7 "2003-03-28T18:08:00Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Pantellerite \* > \*\*Quick Math: > > Sheetrock = Gypsum > 87,593.45 g, or ~87.6 kg \*\* ``` This would be great, because I was singlehandedly wrestling drywall around my house for a few months, and it would be cool if I could lift over 200 pounds by myself. I'm thinking 45 or 50 lbs sounds about right. The sheets are awkward to handle, but they're not massively heavy. ``` Oh what the hell, in the interest of being true to the spirit of the Straight Dope, I just weighed a leftover chunk. To the accuracy of my bathroom scale, 8 square feet weighs 12 pounds. So 1.5 pounds/sq ft. So 48 lbs for a full sheet, more or less. ``` A tip to the reader, though -- never try to carry drywall on a roofrack unless you sandwich it between plywood. It's pretty embarrassing (and dangerous) when it starts peeling off the top of the car, and when you get home, you have a lot of worthless chalk and paper :-) I wouldn't be surprised if the "Engineering for Architects" book adds in a safety factor and possibly includes the drywall mud and fasteners as well, as it sounds like a book used for calculating dead loading. ``` ---
**Author:** ![SmackFu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/53a042/32.png) [@SmackFu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SmackFu)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2003, 6:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/handymen-how-much-does-a-sheet-of-half-inch-thick-sheetrock-weigh/164811/8 "2003-03-28T18:45:38Z")
Just for the record, Hobie did the conversion backwards. Sorry Hobie. ---
**Author:** ![Rocketeer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rocketeer/32/4437_2.png) [@Rocketeer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rocketeer)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2003, 7:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/handymen-how-much-does-a-sheet-of-half-inch-thick-sheetrock-weigh/164811/9 "2003-03-28T19:40:00Z")
It’s tough to imagine another material which combines the twin attributes of high weight and low strength as efficiently as drywall. :rolleyes: ---
**Author:** ![chris\_young](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/74df32/32.png) [@chris\_young](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chris_young)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2003, 3:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/handymen-how-much-does-a-sheet-of-half-inch-thick-sheetrock-weigh/164811/10 "2003-03-30T15:25:36Z")
1/2inch sheetrock weighs 1.7 lb. per sq. ft. source the usg gypsum construction handbook ---
**Author:** ![El\_Kabong](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/el_kabong/32/496_2.png) [@El\_Kabong](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/El_Kabong)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2003, 3:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/handymen-how-much-does-a-sheet-of-half-inch-thick-sheetrock-weigh/164811/11 "2003-03-30T15:42:18Z")
> [@](#): > > It’s tough to imagine another material which combines the twin attributes of high weight and low strength as efficiently as drywall. Particle board! ---
**Author:** ![handy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/b5a626/32.png) [@handy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/handy)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2003, 5:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/handymen-how-much-does-a-sheet-of-half-inch-thick-sheetrock-weigh/164811/12 "2003-03-30T17:05:11Z")
Way more than 30lbs, that’s for sure… around here you can rent a sheetrock installer contraption, that picks it up & puts it up on the ceiling for ya. Hermann Cheruscan, have you thought of calling the store & asking them? Cause there are so many answers here, would like to know the right one. ---
**Author:** ![David\_Simmons](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/9de053/32.png) [@David\_Simmons](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/David_Simmons)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2003, 5:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/handymen-how-much-does-a-sheet-of-half-inch-thick-sheetrock-weigh/164811/13 "2003-03-30T17:20:25Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by handy \* > \*\*Way more than 30lbs, that’s for sure… around here you can rent a sheetrock installer contraption, that picks it up & puts it up on the ceiling for ya. > \*\* It’s called a drywall jack around here. You can also buy a little gadget to use with your electric drill that sets drywall screws just below flush without breaking the paper. Inspectors don’t like broken paper around the screw heads. At least the on-the-ball ones don’t. ---
**Author:** ![Ouizee](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/58956e/32.png) [@Ouizee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ouizee)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2012, 12:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/handymen-how-much-does-a-sheet-of-half-inch-thick-sheetrock-weigh/164811/14 "2012-11-17T00:56:33Z")
Is there a small version of a drywall recycling system to crush small amounts of drywall ---
**Author:** ![Chilliwack](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e79b87/32.png) [@Chilliwack](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chilliwack)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2012, 1:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/handymen-how-much-does-a-sheet-of-half-inch-thick-sheetrock-weigh/164811/15 "2012-11-17T01:08:03Z")
> [@](#): > > Inspectors don’t like broken paper around the screw heads. At least the on-the-ball ones don’t. Inspectors in your municipality inspect drywall installation? ---
**Author:** ![FluffyBob](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/ecb155/32.png) [@FluffyBob](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FluffyBob)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2012, 2:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/handymen-how-much-does-a-sheet-of-half-inch-thick-sheetrock-weigh/164811/16 "2012-11-17T02:24:57Z")
Regular 8x4 1/2" is about 52 lbs, the lightweight stuff is about 45 lbs. That might not seem like a big difference but it is when you are hauling the stuff. Errr…that was a one 3/4 ton van right? I will pick up a few sheets, but I would have 25 sheets delivered every time. There is enough suffering in life. ---
**Author:** ![FluffyBob](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/ecb155/32.png) [@FluffyBob](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FluffyBob)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2012, 2:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/handymen-how-much-does-a-sheet-of-half-inch-thick-sheetrock-weigh/164811/17 "2012-11-17T02:26:40Z")
Dammit. Zombie thread. I do not know about any recycling systems but landfills around here have a special rate for ‘clean’ drywall.