What is a Chinese drywall?
Not all drywalls from China are bad, but because all known bad drywall come from China, they are commonly known as Chinese drywall. There are two known manufacturers of contaminated Chinese drywall: Knauf Plasterboard Tianjian and L&W Supply Corp. Contaminants in the drywall include several sulfide and disulfide compounds, not just strontium sulfide or hydrogen sulfide as many places report. These contaminants came from the raw materials used and/or the manufacturing process. Contaminated Chinese drywall off-gases these compounds into the air and is sensitive to heat, humidity, and the amount of defective drywall in the building. As few as three sheets of drywall can be enough to require remediation. Results include a foul sulfur smell, black corrosion of copper and other metals, and nosebleeds and respiratory problems. If you see the markings in either of the drywall images to the right, you have Chinese drywall and likely need to replace it.
