Drywall Stage: Where the ADU Starts to Feel Like a Home

We’ve reached drywall stage on our current ADU build here in San Diego — one of my favorite turning points in the process. Up to this point, everything’s been framing, mechanicals, insulation… all the stuff that makes the structure work. But once the drywall goes up, it suddenly feels like a real space.

Drywall itself has an interesting backstory. It was first introduced in 1916 by the U.S. Gypsum Company as “Sackett Board,” but for decades, builders and plasterers resisted it — it was seen as a cheap shortcut compared to traditional lath and plaster. That all changed after World War II, when the need for quick, affordable housing pushed drywall into mainstream use. It allowed homes to be finished in days instead of weeks, and today it’s the standard for almost every residential and commercial interior.

For me, understanding that history adds a little appreciation for the stage we’re in now. It’s easy to see drywall as just another layer, but it represents one of the biggest shifts in modern construction — making it faster, more efficient, and more accessible for everyone.

We’ll keep pushing toward finish work next, but for now, it’s nice to take a step back and recognize how each piece of the process connects to the bigger picture of building.

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Built by Brinker Building — small shop, big deliverables.