You should absolutely choose high-quality finishes if you’re building or remodeling your home.
And while most homeowners give careful consideration to the material of the flooring, cabinets, and countertops, walls are frequently disregarded.
The two most common wall materials are plaster and drywall. What you should know about each is listed below.
PROS AND CONS OF PLASTER WALLS
These walls have long been the norm, despite the fact that plaster has lost favor over the previous century.
Strong and long-lasting plaster can give your house a traditional or artisanal appearance.
Plaster used to be made of sand, animal hair, and lime, but nowadays it is made of gypsum. Gypsum, which serves as the primary ingredient in drywall, is a mineral that naturally resists fire.
Gypsum plaster is a sturdy, fire-resistant building material, but it requires much more effort to install and maintain than drywall.
The wall must first have metal or wood lath strips applied by the installers. After mixing the plaster on-site, three coats of plaster are placed, with a gap of time between each coat to allow for drying.
The typical DIYer won’t be able to finish this process because it takes a lot of time.
While there are many excellent reasons to choose plaster walls, there is also a long list of drawbacks.
ADVANTAGES OF PLASTER WALLS: Soundproofing thick and effective in energy sound in terms of structure and resistant to buckling excellent for arcs and curves improved insulation a lot more durable than drywall CONS OF PLASTER WALLS: They are more costly. difficult to DIY and requires a trained artisan to install both labor- and time-intensive The thickness of the walls may block wifi and cell phone signals. Possibility of cracking DRYWALL IS HARD TO HANG THINGS ON: PROS AND CONS
Even though drywall was created in the early 1900s, it wasn’t until the 1950s that it started to be used often in home construction.
The gypsum center of drywall is naturally fire-resistant. A sheet of paper is attached to the gypsum on both sides.
The paper for standard drywall is often white or gray. However, there is drywall that is resistant to mold and mildew and is green and purple.
Although plaster is more durable, drywall offers a lot of additional advantages.
To start with, drywall is significantly less expensive. Additionally, installing it is simple and doesn’t take a lot of expertise.
Additionally, drywall can be treated by manufacturers with various additives to increase its fire resistance, mold resistance, and waterproofness, making it appropriate for a variety of uses.
Benefits of Drywall: Economical Compared to plaster, quick and simple to install Water-repellent or mold-resistant It can be trimmed to any size. Simple to hang items from Simple to fix DRYWALL’S DEFICIENCIES: Not as durable as plaster It is readily broken. soundproofing isn’t very good. WHICH IS BETTER, DRYWALL OR PLASTER? As you can see, both drywall and plaster have advantages and disadvantages. While plaster will provide you thicker, stronger walls, its installation is time-consuming, costly, and demands trained craftspeople.
However, it’s still a great option for giving your house an artisanal look.
Even while installing drywall is far from simple, there is less of a learning curve. It is merely screwed to the wall studs. You won’t have to spend hundreds of dollars on repairs or replacements if drywall is damaged because it is also quite affordable.
Plaster installation costs more money than drywall installation does. But it’s not because of how much the supplies cost.
Plaster is cheaper if you solely consider material expenses. However, labor expenses are much greater because plastering walls requires a particular skill.
According to According to Home Advisor , the typical price of plastering walls is between $2 and $10 per square foot, but the typical price of installing drywall is between $1 and $3 per square foot.
LAST THOUGHTS If you’re still debating between plaster and drywall for your interior walls, both are excellent choices. If you want a sturdy, soundproof wall with artisanal or classic finishes, plaster is fantastic.
Contrarily, drywall has a more contemporary appearance. Additionally, you can install it as a quick and affordable home repair job. Additionally, drywall is simply repairable if it is damaged.