Drywall

Drywall, although now a common fixture in the American home, is a more recent innovation. Prior to World War II most home were built with lath and plaster as opposed to drywall. Plastering inside the home was an incredibly time consuming process that cold take weeks to months.

With the onset of World War II, the need for buildings that could be quickly constructed and finished was immense. Gypsum, or drywall board, had been available since the early 1900s but it wasn't until the urgency of war that it really caught on.

The immediate use of drywall was meant only has a "quick fix" but, by the time the war ended, the new material had found its place in the American home. The arrival of drywall took place when contemporary styles were becoming the rage, so it also appealed to the stylistic tastes of modern architects.