Disclosed is an improved facer mat for use as a cover sheet for gypsum board. Also disclosed are gypsum boards containing such mat facers on one or both major surfaces of the board (face and back sides when installed), a method of manufacturing such board, and a method of making the mat. The mat can comprise glass, thermoplastic, and/or thermoset fiber. In preferred embodiments, binder is included with the fiber. The mat has outer and inner surfaces. The mat comprises a first region adjacent to the outer surface defined along a horizontal plane of the mat, the first region having a first substantial thickness, and a second region adjacent to the inner surface defined along a horizontal plane of the mat, the second region having a second substantial thickness. The first region has (a) more hydrophilicity than the second region, (b) more wettability than the second region, and/or (c) less density than the second region.