Commercial Drywall Installation
in Myrtle Beach, SC
Myrtle Beach Elite Drywall has been installing commercial drywall across the Grand Strand for 20+ years! Commercial drywall installation operates under different constraints than residential work — tighter timelines, stricter fire and acoustic code requirements, higher traffic conditions during construction, and general contractors who need subcontractors that hit scheduled milestones without daily supervision. The Grand Strand's commercial construction pipeline has been consistently active, driven by tourism infrastructure expansion along US-17 and Kings Highway, retail and restaurant tenant turnover in established corridors like Fantasy Harbour and Broadway at the Beach, and the steady office and light industrial development pushing west along US-501 toward Conway. IBISWorld estimates the U.S. drywall and insulation contractors market at over $30 billion annually, with commercial work representing a growing share of that volume as construction activity concentrates in high-growth Sun Belt markets like Horry County. Myrtle Beach Elite Drywall provides commercial drywall installation — framing, hanging, taping, finishing, and fire-rated assembly — for tenant improvements, new construction buildouts, and commercial renovation projects throughout the Grand Strand.
Commercial drywall scopes require coordination across trades and phases in ways residential work does not. Electrical rough-in, mechanical, and plumbing must be complete before board goes up; fire-rated assemblies require inspection sign-off before any finishing begins; and GC schedules do not flex around drywall crews that miss their windows. We work on commercial timelines, communicate directly with project managers, and do not subcontract the finishing phase to secondary crews.
Why Choose Us
Local Drywall Contractors with Grand Strand Experience
We have completed hundreds of residential and commercial drywall projects across Myrtle Beach, North Myrtle Beach, Surfside Beach, Murrells Inlet, Conway, Carolina Forest, Forestbrook, and the surrounding Horry and Georgetown county communities.
Full Level 1–5 Finishing and Texture Matching on Every Project
Every surface we finish is taken through the correct taping and finishing sequence for the specified paint sheen and lighting condition — with texture matched on every repair scope before we leave the job.
Proven Track Record Across Residential and Commercial Projects
In our most recent client satisfaction review, 97% of respondents rated finish quality and texture matching as "met or exceeded expectations" — across new construction, remodel, water damage repair, and commercial buildout scopes.
Get a FREE Estimate
Commercial Drywall Installation Services We Provide
Light-Gauge Steel Stud Framing
Commercial interior framing in Horry County is predominantly light-gauge steel stud construction — 20-gauge and 25-gauge steel track and stud systems that meet IBC structural requirements for non-load-bearing interior partitions. Steel framing is dimensionally stable, does not shrink or warp with humidity changes, and does not support mold or rot — all significant advantages in coastal South Carolina's high-humidity environment. We frame commercial interiors to the structural drawings provided, coordinating with electrical and mechanical trades on wall cavity requirements before framing begins.
Fire-Rated Assembly Installation
Commercial construction in South Carolina requires fire-rated wall and ceiling assemblies in specific locations — corridor walls, stairwell enclosures, mechanical room partitions, and tenant demising walls in multi-tenant buildings all carry fire rating requirements under the IBC and NFPA 101. Fire-rated assemblies are UL-listed systems with specific board types, stud gauges, fastener patterns, and joint treatment requirements that must be followed exactly to maintain the rating. We install fire-rated assemblies to UL system specifications and provide documentation of the assembly installed for the inspector and the building record. Deviation from the UL system — substituting board types or skipping specified layers — voids the rating.
Drywall Hanging & Fastening
Commercial drywall hanging requires knowledge of board orientation, fastener spacing, and joint staggering requirements that differ from residential installation. On steel stud framing, screws must penetrate the stud flange by a minimum depth specified by the manufacturer and the applicable code; on fire-rated assemblies, fastener type and pattern are part of the UL listing. We hang commercial drywall to manufacturer specifications and applicable code requirements, with board orientation and joint placement documented for inspection where required.
Commercial Taping & Finishing
Commercial interiors going under eggshell or semi-gloss paint — the standard for high-traffic walls in offices, restaurants, retail, and healthcare spaces — require Level 4 or Level 5 finish. Under commercial lighting conditions and semi-gloss paint sheens, surface imperfections that would be invisible under flat paint in a residential bedroom are clearly visible. We finish commercial interiors to the level specified by the architect or GC, defaulting to Level 4 on painted walls and Level 5 on walls in high-visibility or high-sheen applications.
Tenant Improvement Buildouts
Retail and restaurant tenant turnover along the Grand Strand's commercial corridors is continuous. New tenants in existing shells typically require partition walls, back-of-house enclosures, restroom framing, and finish work before occupancy. Tenant improvement scopes must be coordinated with the landlord's building systems, existing fire suppression and HVAC layouts, and the tenant's own finish specifications. We work directly with tenant improvement GCs and project managers to hit occupancy timelines, which in retail and restaurant contexts are fixed by lease commencement dates.
Acoustic Wall & Ceiling Assemblies
Conference rooms, private offices, hotel guestrooms, and medical offices along US-17 and the Resort Corridor require acoustic wall assemblies that attenuate sound transmission between spaces. STC-rated assemblies use specific combinations of board mass, stud gauge, resilient channel or clips, and cavity insulation to achieve a target Sound Transmission Class rating. A standard single-layer drywall partition on 3-5/8" steel studs achieves approximately STC 35 — enough for basic separation but not for private conversation. Double-layer assemblies with resilient channel and acoustic insulation can achieve STC 50 to 55. We install acoustic assemblies to specified STC targets and advise on assembly selection when the GC or owner has a performance goal but no specified system.
Types of Properties We Serve
Retail & Restaurant Tenant Improvements
The Grand Strand's retail and restaurant market — concentrated along Kings Highway, US-17, Broadway at the Beach, and Coastal Grand Mall — generates continuous tenant improvement demand as spaces turn over and new concepts build out. Restaurant buildouts in particular involve complex back-of-house framing requirements: hood enclosures, walk-in cooler surrounds, grease duct chases, and restroom cores all require specific board types and fire-rated assemblies. We have experience with the specific framing and boarding requirements of food service buildouts and work on the aggressive timelines that restaurant openings demand.
Office & Professional Buildouts
Medical offices, law firms, financial services, and general professional office tenants along US-501, Robert M. Grissom Parkway, and the Conway professional corridor require partition framing, acoustic assemblies in conference and exam rooms, and Level 5 finish on walls going under semi-gloss or satin paint. Healthcare office spaces additionally require blocking for wall-mounted equipment and grab bars, coordination with medical gas rough-in, and infection-control protocols during construction in occupied buildings.
Hospitality & Hotel
Myrtle Beach's hospitality sector — one of the largest in South Carolina by room count — generates ongoing renovation and new construction drywall demand in hotel guestrooms, corridors, lobby spaces, and meeting rooms. Hotel guestroom drywall must meet both fire rating requirements for corridor walls and acoustic requirements between rooms, typically STC 50 or higher per brand standards. We are familiar with major hospitality brand construction standards and the inspection documentation those projects require.
Light Industrial & Warehouse Office
The industrial and flex space market expanding west of Myrtle Beach along US-501 and in the Conway and Aynor corridors includes office build-ins within warehouse and flex shells — framed and finished office areas inside larger industrial buildings. These scopes require coordination with the building's existing structure and mechanical systems and often involve accelerated timelines driven by tenant occupancy requirements.
What Our Customers are Saying
"We build out restaurant spaces across the Grand Strand and Myrtle Beach Elite is our go-to drywall sub. They understand fire-rated assemblies, they hit their schedule, and they don't need to be managed daily. That's rare."
— Mike T., Commercial GC, Myrtle Beach, SC
"We had a retail tenant improvement on a tight lease commencement deadline. They framed, hung, taped, and finished a 3,200 square foot space in eight working days. Passed inspection on the first visit."
— Jennifer R., Property Manager, Myrtle Beach, SC
"They did the drywall on a medical office buildout for us on US-501. The Level 5 finish in the exam rooms was exactly what our paint contractor needed. No callbacks, no touch-ups."
— David K., Myrtle Beach, SC
"We remodeled six hotel rooms on the Resort Corridor and needed fire-rated assemblies on the corridor walls. They installed to UL spec, provided the assembly documentation, and the inspector had no questions."
— Carlos M., Hospitality Renovation Manager, Myrtle Beach, SC
Commercial Drywall Installation FAQs
What fire rating is required for commercial drywall in South Carolina?
Fire rating requirements for commercial drywall assemblies in South Carolina are governed by the International Building Code as adopted by the state, and vary by occupancy type, building construction type, and wall or ceiling location. Corridor walls in most commercial occupancies require a minimum one-hour fire rating. Stairwell enclosures typically require two-hour assemblies. Tenant demising walls in multi-tenant retail buildings often require one-hour separation. The specific requirement for any given wall location is determined by the building's construction documents and the applicable code section — we work from the structural drawings and fire rating schedule provided by the architect or GC and install to the specified UL-listed assembly.
What is the difference between Level 4 and Level 5 finish for commercial walls?
Level 4 finish applies three coats of joint compound over embedded tape, with the surface sanded to remove tool marks and ridges. It is the appropriate standard for walls receiving flat or low-luster paint, medium-weight wall coverings, or light texture. Level 5 adds a full skim coat of joint compound or drywall compound over the entire Level 4 surface, producing a perfectly uniform wall with no joint shadowing or surface variation visible under any lighting condition. Level 5 is required for walls receiving gloss, semi-gloss, or eggshell paint in commercial spaces with direct or side-raked lighting — under those conditions, a Level 4 surface will show joint lines and fastener dimples through the paint. Most commercial office, healthcare, restaurant, and retail interiors should specify Level 5.
Can you work in occupied commercial buildings?
Yes, with appropriate containment and scheduling. Renovation work in occupied commercial buildings — medical offices, hotels undergoing phased renovation, and retail centers with active adjacent tenants — requires dust containment barriers, HVAC isolation in the work area, and work scheduling that minimizes disruption to building occupants and neighboring tenants. We build containment and scheduling protocols into occupied building scopes before work begins, not as an afterthought.
Do you provide documentation for fire-rated assembly inspections?
Yes. For every fire-rated assembly we install, we document the UL system number, the board type and thickness, the stud gauge and spacing, and the fastener pattern used. This documentation is provided to the GC for submission to the building inspector and retention in the building record. Inspectors in Horry County routinely request assembly documentation on commercial projects, and having it prepared in advance avoids inspection delays.
What commercial project sizes do you handle?
We handle commercial drywall scopes ranging from single-room tenant improvements to multi-floor buildouts. Our core volume is in the 1,000 to 15,000 square foot range — tenant improvements, restaurant buildouts, medical offices, and hotel renovation phases — where a focused crew can deliver the entire scope without the coordination overhead of a large general contractor's drywall management structure. For larger projects, we assess crew and timeline requirements before committing to a schedule.
Myrtle Beach Elite Drywall provides commercial drywall installation, light-gauge steel stud framing, fire-rated assembly installation, and Level 4 and Level 5 finishing for tenant improvements, new construction buildouts, and commercial renovation projects throughout Horry and Georgetown counties, including Myrtle Beach, North Myrtle Beach, Surfside Beach, Murrells Inlet, Conway, Carolina Forest, and Forestbrook.
Contact us to schedule a quote: (843) 585-8273