If you are replacing drywall or gypsum board in your mobile home, you want to know what size is typically used.
Since mobile homes are lightweight, it makes sense to use thinner drywall as it tends to weigh less than thicker varieties.
Considering all the framing in your mobile home is covered in drywall board, the weight difference adds up and is significant.
If you are tackling a drywall installation project on your mobile home, use a thin variety to ensure everything matches up on drywall joints and achieves a seamless finish.
Mobile homes use thinner pieces of drywall than standard homes. Most homes use ½” inch drywall, but mobile homes require ⅜” inch drywall or thinner. Some manufacturers use 5/16″ inch drywall, although this is not very common. Mobile homes are designed to be lighter and must use thinner gypsum boards.
Installing mobile home walls with drywall is often a big project.
Ensure you get it right the first time and get the right size wall panel for your drywall installation.
We’ll go over what size drywall is used in mobile homes and other questions you may have.
Table of Contents
What Kind Of Drywall Do You Use For A Mobile Home?
Mobile homes require thinner pieces of drywall for ceiling panels and wall material than standard ¼”-inch-thick drywall.
The manufactured home was designed to hold less weight than the standard home.
It makes sense to have your mobile home weigh less as it may be moved at some point.
It’s essential to keep the weight within what the home was designed for to prevent any issues or damages during transportation.
We know mobile houses require thinner drywall sheets, but what kind of drywall do you use for a mobile home?
Most manufactured homes use vinyl-over-gypsum drywall sheets.
These types of drywall sheets, also called VOG, are coated with vinyl.
This helps the drywall surface to repel water.
Vinyl over gypsum wall panels tends to be a cheaper drywall option than other varieties and is much easier to install.
This makes them a great option for use in a mobile home.
Related: Does drywall mud stick to vinyl wallpaper?
What Is The Best Kind Of Drywall To Use In A Mobile Home?
Vinyl-over-gypsum is the best kind of drywall to use in a mobile home.
The installation process for it is significantly less expensive than other varieties.
The lower cost is due to the ease of installation.
You pay significantly less in both materials and labor.
The VOG panels come pre-wrapped with seam covers called batten covers.
They don’t require painting, texturing, or seam filling for proper installation.
This makes them an excellent option for mobile homes.
Another major benefit of VOG panels is the coating.
It makes it much easier to clean and also repels water.
Vinyl-over-gypsum boards look better for longer periods than standard drywall in mobile homes.
Some types of drywall will crack and sag as the home settles.
The vinyl material prevents this from happening.
Most commonly, the boards come in ⅜” inch and ½” inches.
It is essential to note some of the drawbacks of VOG walls.
They are tricky to paint as the vinyl coating prevents the paint from sticking to them.
One way around this is by using a quality primer to coat the vinyl coating and then using the paint color of your choice.
Another drawback may come further down the line when repairs are needed.
Some varieties of VOG panels get discontinued.
This means you won’t be able to find new vinyl over gypsum panels to replace damaged areas.
One way to avoid this is by buying extra VOG boards and keeping them in case of repairs.
Is Regular Drywall Too Heavy For A Mobile Home?
Standard drywall used in homes comes in ½” inch drywall sheets thickness.
These boards weigh about 60 lbs for 8′ x 4′ ft sheets.
This is much too heavy for a mobile home.
This is especially true for ceiling panels.
Using lightweight ceiling material is very important in manufactured homes.
The drywall ceiling should be lightweight to prevent sagging and cracking in the home settings.
Installing regular drywall to wall studs is also not a good idea in a mobile home.
The excess weight of the half-inch drywall panels is more prone to cracks in walls and sagging in a mobile home.
The home itself was also not designed to carry so much weight.
Using a ⅜” inch or ¼”-inch-thick drywall is a much better option as they weigh less.
There is also a specialty lightweight sheetrock.
Using sheetrock in mobiles is a good option so long as it is a lightweight variety.
Using standard, heavy 4-by-8 panels for your drywall ceiling quickly accumulate weight and may cause damage and waste time and money spent on the project.
What Else Do I Need To Install Drywall In A Mobile Home?
There are a few other things you’ll need to install drywall in a mobile home.
This depends greatly on the type of drywall you decide to install.
Vinyl-Over-Gypsum Or VOG Panels
Vinyl-over-gypsum is significantly less labor-intensive than standard drywall.
You don’t need mud, tape, sandpaper, or paint.
The main materials needed for VOG panels are adhesive and clip fasteners rather than a layer of drywall jointing and screws.
Construction Adhesive
Attaching the VOG panels to wall studs requires construction adhesive.
As with other varieties of drywall, it is crucial to start with the ceiling.
This ensures all drywall joints meat up to avoid a bad drywall finish.
Clip Fasteners
Clip fasteners are used to secure the VOG panels in place.
Typically, the vinyl over gypsum boards will come with the fastener and installer, making the process easy and intuitive.
Batten Seam Covers
The batten strips are used to hide the seams in the VOG boards.
They often have the same vinyl covering as the boards.
This allows for a visually appealing finish.
Tape And Texture Walls
Tape and texture walls are standard drywall.
This is a great option for those who like to paint and customize their home.
Since it is difficult to paint VOG, we recommend traditional tape and texture walls for those who like to paint and make their spaces their own.
For this type, you’ll need more materials and basic tools, including:
- Drywall Jointing compound or “drywall mud”
- Sandpaper
- Mesh Drywall tape
- Mobile Home Drywall Adhesive
- Drywall screws
- Paint
You’ll need to spend more money and time on the project to get the colors and finish you want with tape and texture walls.
If you like the look and feel of standard drywall, this is worth the trouble.
If you’re looking for a simple and cost-effective option, we recommend vinyl-over-gypsum for your mobile home.