Our History

A Storied History – with a Focus on the Future

The story of Georgia-Pacific Building Products began in 1927 when a small sawmill company operated five locations in the South. Now, more than 90 years later, our tireless commitment to innovation continues to inspire us to create groundbreaking products designed for the highest quality commercial and residential buildings.

1927

Georgia-Pacific is founded

Founded in Augusta, Georgia, as Georgia Hardwood Lumber Company, a hardwood lumber wholesaler.

georgia-pacific history

1956

Changed name to Georgia-Pacific Corporation

1963

Introduced Plywood in the South

Pioneers the use of southern yellow pine in plywood manufacturing, opening the door for plywood to be made in the south for the first time.

georgia-pacific plywood history timeline

1986

DensGlass® Gold Sheathing is Introduced

Designed as a substrate for exterior cladding, we revolutionized the category with DensGlass Gold Sheathing – the first product of its kind with fiberglass mat facings on each side of its water-resistant gypsum core.

Georgia-Pacific DensGlass Moisture-Resistant Gypsum Sheathing Panels

1987

DensDeck® Roof Board is Introduced

Recognizing the roofing industry’s need for a cover board with excellent fire and moisture resistance, we created DensDeck Roof Board. It featured the same fiberglass mat facings and moisture-resistant gypsum core as DensGlass but was formulated especially for roofing applications.

DensDeck Gypsum Stack Rendering space

1988

DensShield® Tile Backer is Introduced

Designed as a substrate for interior floor, wall and countertop tile applications, DensShield Tile Backer is introduced as the first backer board with a built-in moisture barrier. It’s performance in high humidity or wet areas sets it apart from competitive backer boards.

DensShield Tile Backer Board & Moisture Barrier Underlayment

2001

DensDeck Prime® Roof Board is Introduced

We improved on the original with DensDeck Prime Roof board, which featured a primer facing that required less adhesive and fewer fasteners than the original, making it faster to install and saving contractors on material and labor costs.

Densdeck prime roof board gypsum

2002

The Plytanium® Brand of Southern Yellow Pine Plywood is Launched

georgia-pacific gypsum history timeline

2002

Celebration of 75th year in business.

georgia-pacific history timeline

2005

DensArmor Plus® Interior Panel is Introduced

The introduction of DensGlass also led to the creation of DensArmor Plus, an interior gypsum wallboard featuring fiberglass mats on both the front and back designed to replace paper-faced gypsum board in high-humidity areas such as basements and residential bathrooms.

DensArmor Plus Gypsum Panels Introduced

2006

Purchase of Wood Products Mills From International Paper

Purchase includes plywood and lumber.

2010

Purchase of Three Oriented Strand Board (OSB) Facilities from Grant Forest Products

2013

Acquisition of Temple Inland Building Products Assets,

This acquisition brought gypsum, lumber, particleboard and MDF facilities and 1800 employees across eight states.

Georgia-Pacific History Timeline 2013

2015

ToughRock® Fireguard 45® Gypsum Board is Introduced

Designed for superior fire-resistance properties, and to address home buyers’ concerns for fire safety, ToughRock® Fireguard 45® Gypsum Board is introduced as the only available standard 1/2″ interior wallboard with a 45-minute UL classified fire rating.

ToughRock Fireguard 45 Fire-Rated Gypsum Wallboard

2016

Forcefield®Weather Barrier System Is Introduced

Georgia-Pacific Wood introduces a structural engineered wood panel with an integrated weather barrier.

web headers - RES[2]

2016

DensElement® Barrier System with AquaKor™ Technology is Introduced

Designed to advance exterior wall construction, DensElement® Barrier System with AquaKor™ Technology redefined the typical water-resistive and air barrier (WRB-AB) system. The all-in-one sheathing system features a proprietary formulation that integrates the gypsum core and the fiberglass mat to form a hydrophobic, monolithic surface that blocks bulk water but allows vapor to pass through, eliminating the need for an external WRB-AB.

2017

Celebration of 90th year in business

Georgia-Pacific History timeline 2017

2018

DensDeck Prime® Roof Board Innovates with EONIC™ Technology

In keeping with the tradition of market-driven innovation, DensDeck® Prime Roof Board is improved with EONIC™ Technology, a patent-protected enhancement that doubled DensDeck Prime’s resistance to moisture, making it the only roof board with manufacturing specifications that include 5 percent total water absorption resistance by weight and 1 gram surface water absorption performance on both sides of the board.1

1Based on published manufacturing specifications as of December 1, 2017.

Gypsum Roof Board DensDeck Prime

2020

Densdefy™ Products are Introduced

DensDefy Products, including DensDefy® Liquid Flashing and DensDefy® Transition Membrane, are designed to help build a better building envelope and complete the DensElement® Barrier System. DensDefy Liquid Flashing is a detailing compound that protects wall rough openings, penetrations, joints, sheathing fasteners and seams. DensDefy Transition Membrane is designed for use as a rough-opening flashing and transition membrane for connecting dissimilar materials to maintain air- and moisture-barrier continuity.

2021

DensDeck® StormX™ Prime Roof Board is Introduced

Designed to meet intensifying weather conditions and tough new hail standards, DensDeck® StormX™ Prime Roof Board is the only gypsum cover board that is classified for use in approved single-ply assemblies that meet FM’s Very Severe Hail standard. This premium cover board helps protect commercial roofs with enhanced impact and moisture resistance.

2021

Densdefy™ Products add Densdefy™ Liquid Barrier to the Family

Joining the family of DensDefy™ Products, DensDefy™ Liquid Barrier creates a highly durable, fluid-applied water-resistive barrier and air barrier. It works across multiple substrates, helping to protect against water intrusion and mitigating against the risk of unwanted air movement.

2021

FORCEFIELD® Weather Barrier System advances with Roof Application

The integrated WRB sheathing system becomes even more versatile with panels and a range of accessories that make the system ideal for use across walls and sloped roofs on wood-framed projects.