FireLITE® Type X Lightweight Drywall
When every hour counts, FireLITE® Type X Lightweight Drywall is designed to help achieve one goal: do the job faster without sacrificing safety or quality. With its advanced lightweight formulation and proven fire-rated performance, FireLITE is redefining what it means to build for efficiency—and for life.
It’s not just about installing faster. It’s about getting off the site quicker, and onto whatever matters most.
Light Panels. Fast Installs. Strong Results.
Drywall installation may be routine, but it’s also one of the most labor-intensive stages of any build. FireLITE Type X Lightweight Drywall was engineered to make that job easier—and measurably faster.
At more than 10% lighter than standard 5/8″ Type X panels, FireLITE significantly reduces fatigue and strain for installers. Over the span of a large commercial project, that lighter weight translates into real productivity gains. In one week, a crew handling FireLITE instead of standard boards can reduce the total weight they lift by the equivalent of a small family car. That means fewer breaks, faster installs, and more energy to keep momentum steady through every phase of construction.
Despite being lighter, FireLITE doesn’t compromise on strength or durability. Its specially engineered, non-combustible gypsum core provides the same dependable rigidity, edge hardness and long-term stability as traditional panels, ensuring reliable performance from layout to finishing.
Engineered for Fire-Rated Confidence
Safety remains non-negotiable on any project. FireLITE Type X Lightweight Drywall was built to meet that demand head-on. Each panel features a Type X fire-resistant gypsum core, meeting ASTM C1396, Standard Specification for Gypsum Board, as a Type X gypsum panel.FireLITE is also rigorously tested in UL and ULC fire-rated assemblies to deliver fire protection for up to four hours.
That means architects and contractors can confidently specify FireLITE in designs requiring extended fire ratings—from multifamily housing corridors to health-care facilities, educational environments or commercial office builds. Whether attached to wood or steel framing, FireLITE ensures compliance with modern fire safety codes while offering ease of handling and installation.
FireLITE’s fire-resistant, non-combustible core slows the spread of heat and fire, helping to meet code required fire-resistance ratings. It’s protection you can trust, built right into every panel.
Precision-Made for a Perfect Finish
In the finishing phase, details matter, and inconsistent panels can cost time and quality. FireLITE Type X Lightweight Drywall is manufactured for precision, ensuring every board arrives flat, straight, and true.
The tapered long edges make joint taping and finishing straightforward, creating smooth seams that disappear under compound. There’s no warping, bowing or wavy edges to fight against—just a consistently even surface ready for paint, texture or finishing systems.
Contractors also benefit from FireLITE’s high edge hardness and strong, uniform core, which resists crumbling and surface damage during handling or fastening. The result? Cleaner installations, fewer repairs and less waste.
For architects and specifiers, that level of consistency means confidence in both performance and aesthetics. FireLITE delivers the kind of flat, smooth walls and ceilings that meet commercial standards, every time.
Built with Sustainability in Mind
Today’s construction standards demand more than performance; They demand responsibility. FireLITE Type X Lightweight Drywall was designed to meet both.
Each panel is made with 100% recycled face and back paper, reducing waste and conserving resources. The panels are also GREENGUARD Gold Certified, ensuring low VOC emissions for healthier indoor air quality—a vital factor in achieving WELL Building Standard, LEED or other green certifications.
FireLITE also carries a Health Product Declaration (HPD), disclosed to 100ppm, providing material transparency that supports environmentally conscious design and construction practices.
The result: a drywall solution that contributes to sustainability goals while maintaining the performance standards that CertainTeed is known for. FireLITE proves that you don’t have to compromise to meet modern building demands.
Designed to Keep Up with Modern Codes
Building codes are evolving faster than ever, raising the bar for safety, efficiency, and environmental performance. FireLITE Type X Lightweight Drywall helps architects and contractors meet—and exceed—those requirements.
Its tested fire resistance and documented sustainability credentials make FireLITE ideal for use in spaces requiring up to four-hour fire ratings, while supporting indoor air quality and material transparency goals. Since FireLITE meets ASTM C1396, it aligns with the International Building Code (IBC) and International Residential Code, giving design teams peace of mind that their assemblies are both compliant and future-ready.
As codes continue to advance, CertainTeed continues to lead—investing in materials that help the construction industry build smarter, faster, and safer. FireLITE embodies that evolution.
Ease of Use, Variety of Options
FireLITE Type X Lightweight Drywall is available in a range of lengths and widths, offering flexibility to suit different design and framing configurations. Panels can be installed on 16″ or 24″ on-center wood or steel studs, allowing teams to standardize layouts and optimize material use across project types.
Whether used in new construction or renovation, FireLITE integrates easily with existing systems. From start to finish, it’s a product built for simplicity, consistency and speed—so architects can specify with confidence, and contractors can install with ease.
The Science Behind the Strength
FireLITE Type X Lightweight Drywall is backed by the CertainTeed legacy of building science and system integration. Every panel is the product of continuous innovation, combining rigorous research, advanced material formulations and industry-leading quality control.
That scientific rigor ensures each sheet meets the same performance standards and integrates seamlessly with CertainTeed’s wider portfolio of wall, ceiling and insulation systems. For architects and contractors, that means you’re not just getting drywall—you’re getting a complete system solution designed to optimize performance and installation efficiency across the entire building envelope.
It’s that blend of innovation and integration that sets CertainTeed apart and makes FireLITE a smarter choice for every project.
What Time Means to Builders
Every contractor knows that time is the one resource you can’t buy back. Every extra hour on-site means an hour away from what really matters: your next project, your next client, or your family.
FireLITE Type X Lightweight Drywall gives some of that time back. Its lighter weight reduces handling effort. Its precision manufacturing eliminates rework. Its proven fire performance ensures first-time code compliance. Those efficiencies add up—project after project—helping crews finish faster and move forward with confidence.
That’s the power behind FireLITE: Install faster so you can get off the site quicker, and onto whatever matters most. Because in construction, as in life, the most valuable thing you can build is time.
Why Architects and Contractors Choose FireLITE Type X Lightweight Drywall
- Over 10% lighter than standard 5/8″ Type X drywall
- UL/ULC fire-rated assemblies supporting up to four-hour ratings
- GREENGUARD Gold Certified for low emissions
- Health Product Declaration (HPD) for transparency
- 100% recycled face and back paper for sustainability
- Easy to finish joints with tapered edges
- Consistent surface quality with no warping or crumbling
- Compatible with wood or steel framing
- Available in 48″- or 54″-wide panels and multiple lengths for design flexibility
FireLITE is the drywall that saves time, safeguards buildings and simplifies installation. Each panel carries the CertainTeed commitment to quality and innovation from blueprint to buildout.
Built for Builders. Backed by Science.
FireLITE Type X Lightweight Drywall isn’t just another product in the stack. It’s a solution engineered for modern building demands—lighter, safer and smarter from every angle.
By reducing weight and installation time while maintaining top-tier fire resistance, FireLITE helps architects design better buildings and helps contractors deliver them faster.
Because in the end, the best construction materials do more than perform well—they give builders time to focus on what truly matters.
FireLITE. Time to be there.
