Only the wood studs are structural, the gypsum boards (also known as drywall) exist only to divide the interior of a building up. They are screwed into the wood studs and hang off them. The joints are taped, mudded (not actual mud), and then the surface is sanded and painted. Another way to do it is to plaster the entire wall, it depends on what kind of wall product is being used. The walls on the outside of a house is some kind of wood product like Orientef Strand Board (OSB), that’s covered in a vapor barrier, and then a siding material covers that. If you see any modern brick buildings in the US there’s a very good chance that the brick is only a veneer and not structural.
The advantage of drywall is cost and installation. Drywall is a cheaper material, and it’s quick to install. The void between studs are used for insulation on exterior walls, so no need to find or build in space for insulation as the construction method naturally leaves voids.
Wood as a construction material is way cheaper, and likely has lower labor costs as well. Additionally, wooden buildings can be transported. I’m not entirely sure if this is how it’s done in some suburbs, or I’m just imagining it, but I believe some places/new developments have houses pre-fabricated, then shipped out to locations, which explains where houses in some areas look so identical. I might be wrong on that part, but I have seen houses on giant trucks before so I know they are mobile.
As far as say, India or the Middle East is concerned, availability of materials might be one factor.
Latest Answers