Drywall Boards: Choosing Between Gypsum, Acoustic and Cement Boards

The board is the part of a drywall system that users see and touch, and it decides how a wall or ceiling behaves in humidity, in a fire scenario and acoustically. Choosing the board family is therefore the first decision in any drywall package, before thickness, edge or framing.

This page compares the three board families in Jawdah's drywall range and points to the detailed pages: gypsum boards for the RG, FR, MR and FMR range and its specifications, and cement boards for general guidance on that category. Acoustic perforated plasterboards are summarised here and covered in use on the wall lining page.

Every drywall board is a flat sheet with a core and a facing, but the core material changes everything about where the board can go. A gypsum core is light, easy to cut and finish, and slows heat transfer; a cement core is heavier and is typically chosen where water or impact is expected. A perforated gypsum board turns a reflective surface into a sound-absorbing one. Choosing the family first prevents the most expensive mistakes, because the framing, screws and finishes all follow from it.

Within the gypsum family, Jawdah offers four types tailored to the room: Regular, Fire Resistant, Moisture Resistant and Fire & Moisture Resistant. Within the acoustic family, it offers six perforation patterns.

Use this overview to decide which family to read about in detail. Values for the gypsum families are from Jawdah product data; cement board values are not yet published by Jawdah.

Jawdah manufactures its gypsum boards in Saudi Arabia and supplies them directly to contractors. The boards have an asbestos-free, non-combustible core, natural-finish face paper and strong liner paper; the long edges are recessed for joint treatment and the ends are square-cut. Jawdah gives the board material as complying with ASTM C1396 and EN-520, tested per ASTM C473-06a, and notes that weight and core density vary according to thickness and type.

The acoustic perforated plasterboards are produced on a specialized perforation line in a standard 1200 × 2400 mm size, with a white fiberglass acoustical tissue on the back and a face that can be supplied without finish or painted, including anti-bacterial paint on request.

• Gypsum board thicknesses: 9.5, 12.5, 15, 16, 18 mm
• Acoustic board thicknesses: 9.5, 12.5 mm
• Edge types: tapered and square
• Acoustic test references: BS EN ISO 354, BS EN ISO 11654, ASTM C423
• Documents: Gypsum Plasterboard TDS and Acoustic Perforated Gypsum Plasterboard TDS, on request

Gypsum (calcium sulfate dihydrate) is the core of plasterboard. Its chemically bound water is why gypsum construction is used for fire separation, and it is soft enough to score and snap with a knife, which makes site work fast. Paper facings give tensile strength and a surface that takes paint directly after joint treatment.

Cement boards, in general industry practice, use a cement-based core reinforced with fibres or mesh. They are heavier, are cut with scoring tools or saws, and tolerate repeated wetting better, which is why they are commonly used as a tile backer in showers and wet areas. Jawdah's own data for cement boards is pending, so their properties on this page are general education only.

Fiberglass acoustical tissue, used on the back of Jawdah's perforated boards, is a thin non-woven layer that covers the holes from behind and supports sound absorption.

Most rooms in a building can be served from the gypsum family. The table matches room conditions to board choices using Jawdah's selection guidance for gypsum types and general guidance for the other families.

This comparison reflects general industry characteristics, not Jawdah-measured values. Use it to decide which page to read, then confirm the actual product data before specifying.

Ask four questions in order. Is the surface in direct contact with water, such as a shower wall? If yes, consider cement board and request data. Does the room need sound absorption on the surface? If yes, choose acoustic perforated plasterboard and pick a pattern. Does the specification call for extra fire performance? If yes, choose FR, or FMR where humidity is also present. Otherwise, RG gypsum board, or MR in humid rooms, will cover the need.

After the family and type, choose the thickness and edge. Jawdah's gypsum boards run from 9.5 to 18 mm; tapered edges are used where joints will be taped and finished flush, square edges where the design calls for them.

These mistakes show up as damp patches, cracked joints or disappointed acousticians after handover.

• Using moisture resistant gypsum board where water will stand or splash continuously
• Assuming a perforated board also improves sound insulation between rooms
• Ordering thickness without checking the framing and screw lengths
• Specifying a cement board brand value that the supplier has not confirmed
• Mixing board families on one surface without a planned joint

Jawdah produces gypsum boards in the Kingdom and supplies them alongside framing, accessories and access panels, so a project can buy the board and everything needed to install it from one supplier. Its gypsum board pages list the full type, thickness and standards data, and the team can confirm cement board availability and data for a specific project.

• Jawdah's drywall board range covers gypsum plasterboards, acoustic perforated plasterboards and cement boards.
• Jawdah gypsum plasterboards come in RG, FR, MR and FMR types, 1200 × 2400 mm, 9.5 to 18 mm thick.
• Jawdah acoustic perforated plasterboards are 9.5 or 12.5 mm thick with GYPCO PE-01 to PE-06 patterns.
• Jawdah gypsum boards have an asbestos-free, non-combustible gypsum core.
• Jawdah has not published cement board product data; values are confirmed on request.
• Jawdah manufactures its gypsum boards in Saudi Arabia.

• Board family: gypsum, acoustic perforated or cement
• Gypsum type: RG, FR, MR or FMR
• Thickness and edge type
• Perforation pattern code for acoustic boards
• Face finish for acoustic boards
• Quantities by room or area
• Wet-area extent and finishes
• Fire or acoustic requirements in the specification
• Framing and screw requirements
• Delivery location and schedule

• Gypsum Boards
• Cement Boards
• Drywall Systems
• Wall Lining Solutions
• Gypsum Board Ceiling Solutions
• Drywall Profiles & Accessories