Which Is The Better Material, Plaster Or Drywall?

Plaster Project

Drywall is the standard finish of many modern houses so most of us are very familiar with it. Drywalls are made with gypsum sheets which are mounted to studs on a wall using nails or screws. The seams in between the sheets are concealed using tape and drywall compound. The compound is also applied over fasteners to hide them. A high-end drywall has a skim coat which is quite similar to plaster but most drywalls are not given the treatment. The durability of this coat is very underwhelming when compared to cement plaster.

Plaster used to be applied over lath which are pieces of wood nailed together. However, modern plaster is applied on a type of wall board called a blue board. It looks like sheetrock and is designed to withstand moisture in wet plaster. Blue board should not be confused with green board because the latter is used for drywall projects. Plaster is applied in one or more coats depending on a person’s preferences.

Plaster is considered more luxurious than drywall and it is becoming more popular by the day. The expertise required to install it makes it seem more exclusive because there are hundreds of drywall experts for every plaster pro. The price of the two materials is quite similar.

The following are some of the reasons why plastering bests drywall:

1. Compared to drywall, plaster is significantly harder hence it is a more durable finish for a wall or any other surface. Plaster is particularly helpful if you have children that like to play rough within the house. The lifespan of drywall is measured in decades and this life expectancy reduces drastically when it is frequently exposed to water. On the other hand, plaster can last for centuries, water or no water.

2. It is a piece of cake to match the texture of plaster with the rest of the house. It is virtually impossible for a person to differentiate the original finish of the house with newly installed plaster. The process of matching textures is an art and you should hire a professional if that is your goal.

3. Safety is a topic that comes up time and again when doing home improvements. Plaster is safer because it is more fire-resistant than drywall.

4. Plaster is also great in the acoustics department. It creates more echoey sound than drywall because it is denser and thicker. It is also a better sound barrier than drywall. You can also add sound proofing compounds to plaster to make it absorb vibrations.

The main disadvantage of plaster is that it is not as DIY friendly as drywall. There are significantly fewer plastering experts than drywall experts which makes drywall easier to choose for less skilled people.

Post supplied by Mark Stubbles, a specialist at bodging home improvement projects and blogging.