Type X Fire-Rated Drywall, Installed to Spec
Ontario Building Code requires 5/8-inch Type X fire-rated drywall in specific locations. The most common ones in residential work are house-to-garage walls and ceilings, furnace rooms, multi-unit party walls, basement-stair separations where a finished basement is below a living floor, and any commercial assembly involving corridors or shaft walls.
Type X looks like standard drywall but contains glass fibers and other additives that hold the panel together during fire exposure. When properly installed in a code-compliant assembly (right panel, right framing, right screw spacing, firestop at penetrations) a 1-hour rated wall will hold back fire for at least 60 minutes. A 2-hour wall, for 120 minutes.
Common Fire-Rated Drywall Costs in Toronto (2026)
- Single-layer Type X installation (per square foot, installed and finished): $3 to $6
- Multi-layer Type X assembly (2-hour rating): $6 to $11 per square foot
- Garage-to-house wall fire separation (typical): $1,500 to $3,500 per garage
- Basement-stair fire separation: $800 to $1,800 typical
- Commercial demising wall (Type X, single-layer): $4 to $8 per square foot
- Shaft-wall system (elevator/mechanical chases): Quoted per project from drawings
- Firestop documentation and ULC-listed assembly reference: Included with every fire-rated quote
Most legal-suite basement Type X requirements in Peel Region run $2,000 to $4,500 all-in.
Where Type X Is Required in GTA Residential Work
Attached-garage walls and ceilings. Every garage that shares a wall with a living space needs Type X on the living-space side. The ceiling between an attached garage and a room above also needs Type X. This is one of our highest-volume fire-rated jobs because it shows up on virtually every Toronto-area attached-garage home.
Furnace rooms in newer construction with separate mechanical rooms.
Basement-stair separations where the basement is finished and living above is occupied. This is the catch most basement-finishing homeowners don’t know about until inspection.
Party walls between dwelling units for any duplex, triplex, semi-detached, or townhouse construction.
Multi-unit demising walls required across condo and apartment construction, typically as part of a 1-hour or 2-hour rated assembly.
Commercial Type X Work
For commercial scope we install Type X for:
- Demising walls between commercial suites in office and retail fit-outs
- Corridor walls in commercial buildings (typically 1-hour rated)
- Shaft walls around elevator and mechanical chases
- Multi-layer assemblies for 2-hour ratings in larger commercial buildings
We coordinate with firestop subcontractors on penetration sealing at electrical, plumbing, and HVAC chases, and we document the work for the building official’s inspection.
What Inspection-Ready Means
Every fire-rated assembly we install comes with:
- Reference to the specific ULC-listed assembly we used (assembly number, source document)
- Panel layout matching the spec (panel orientation, joint location)
- Screw spacing per spec (typically 8” on edges, 12” in field, but varies by assembly)
- Firestop documentation at all penetrations
- Photo record for the project file
This documentation is what builders and developers need to satisfy the inspection, and it’s what protects the homeowner long-term in any insurance claim involving fire.
Where We Install Fire-Rated Drywall
Across the Greater Toronto Area for residential and commercial scope. High-volume areas include Brampton basement legal suites, Mississauga and Vaughan attached-garage code work, and downtown Toronto commercial fit-outs.
What Is Fire-Resistant Drywall?
Fire-resistant drywall refers to 5/8-inch Type X or Type C gypsum panels that are manufactured with glass fibre reinforcement and a denser core formulation to slow the spread of fire through a wall or ceiling assembly. Ontario Building Code Part 9 (residential) and Part 3 (commercial) specify where fire-rated assemblies are required: garage-to-house walls, furnace room enclosures, party walls in semi-detached and townhouse construction, stairwell separations, and commercial corridor walls. The fire rating is not just the panel but the entire assembly: the panel type, fastener pattern, framing gauge, and whether joint compound covers all screws. ULC-listed assembly documentation is required for commercial projects and many residential permit inspections.
What Does Fire-Resistant Drywall Installation Include?
- 5/8-inch Type X or Type C gypsum panel specification per OBC or ULC assembly requirements
- Framing inspection and blocking installation before hang begins
- Panel hang with correct fastener spacing and pattern per ASTM C840 and assembly spec
- All screw dimples and joints covered with compound to maintain fire-rating integrity
- Inside and outside corner bead installed and mudded to complete the assembly
- Inspection-ready documentation package and coordination with building official
How Much Does Fire-Resistant Drywall Cost in Toronto?
Fire-resistant drywall installation in Toronto runs $3 to $6 per square foot installed and finished for single-layer Type X assemblies. A garage-to-house fire separation (typically 200 to 400 sq ft) runs $1,500 to $3,500 all-in. Multi-layer 2-hour commercial assemblies run $6 to $11 per square foot. Full permit coordination is included in commercial projects. Free on-site estimate with code requirement review.
Who Needs Fire-Resistant Drywall Installation?
Homeowners adding a garage-to-house fire separation to meet Ontario Building Code requirements. Landlords finishing a basement secondary suite where OBC requires a fire-rated ceiling separation. Builders installing party walls in multi-unit residential projects. Commercial contractors fitting out spaces where Type X is specified by the engineer of record.
