can this be the wall instead of dry wall

Its way too thin to use wo sheet rock behind it. We used it on a ceiling w no dry wall but honestly I wouldn't even recommend that in a house w kids. On a wall the smallest bump would cause it to crack or break. This stuff is *really* thin. If you buy a better quality v groove you can use it wo sheet rock, but not this stuff.

Please refer to the instructions on the back of the label for more in depth details. You can apply a vapor barrier and furring strips to the wall before applying the planking.