The History and Impact of Drywall: How an Invisible Technology Transformed Home Construction

No person should get excited about a blank wall. But your wall at home is a reminder that most advancements are almost entirely invisible.

To render dirt into a plausible building material, you need another Minecraft staple: wood. If you take a bunch of sticks, weave them into a tapestry, then slather wet dirt (also known by its technical name mud) and let it dry, you get wattle-n-daub.

Drywall is a miracle of modern construction. It is cheap, fire-resistant, and easy to install. It is also, for the most part, invisible.

The story of drywall is the story of how we went from wattle-and-daub to smooth, white walls in just a few centuries.

Most advancements are almost entirely invisible, and drywall is a perfect example of this principle.