Drywall vs Plaster: How To Tell Key Differences?

In addition, it will bump into the room and crack if the plaster is not in its best shape. If a little pressure can be put on the wall and the wall is given, the plaster is. Perhaps I can tell you for sure if you describe your walls.

You probably have a drywall, instead of plaster, if your house was built after 1960. Plaster has been the only way to finish interior walls in homes and offices for hundreds of years. Experienced craftsmen used wet plaster on a lath — wooden strips which are used as a solid plaster base. Combined with a housing boom and technological progress, factory-fired drywall was used, which reduced the time of labor and the cost of interior walls finishing. While almost every house built in the last 50 years contains a drywall, it is a relatively simple process to determine which walls are in your home.

Steps to identify Drywall and Plaster differences.

Step 1

Push a pin or thumbtack into the wall to test its hardness at a discreet place. It’s softer and will not crack Drywall. It’s a lot harder to plaster. A wall of plaster won’t take the pin and is going to split probably.

Step 2

You can find an area in your home, perhaps an attic or a basement, behind the walls or ceilings. You know that you have a plaster wall when you see the lath and plaster pushing through.

Step 3

Enjoy an electrical cables by removing a switch plate. If the cable is loosened and the lath can be seen, the walls are plastered. When an electric box is attached to the wiring, your walls are most probably drywall.

Additional ways to distinguish drywall and plaster

Usually people think about granite countertops, large square footage or a number of windows in the new room when building a house or renovations. Many times, one of the most integral parts of the house – the interior walls – is given little thought.

Most people don’t think of the walls in their homes unless a problem occurs or they move into a studio. Indoor walls, however, provide privacy and separation. They can also act as sound barriers and insulators, providing even more fire resistance.

The plaster and drywall are two of the most common shapes of the inner wall. Since ancient times, plaster has been used. Lime, sand, animal hair and water were typically made from the earliest plaster. Egyptian graves, like the one of Queen Nefertari, feature plaster walls paintings lining their interiors. Ancient Roman homes are known to have been frescoed. Frescos are works of art made from various wet plaster pigments .

Gypsum-based plasters had a quicker drying time, as an alternative to lime-based plaster. This new form of plaster has become increasingly popular because it can accelerate the process of construction.

Drywall became sustainable and easily available as technology advanced. Drywall became popular in the 1950s as an interior wall. The product now covers most of the inner walls of today’s homes.

We will examine in this article the composition, advantages and disadvantages for internal wall applications of plaster and drywall.

Let’s see plaster first.

Plaster inside

Gypsum plaster is the most common form of inside walls. In general, three-coat plaster walls are created. In order to start with, the framing must be secured for lath. Lath has been historically made from strips of wood, but more recent use has been made of metal or plasterboard. The lath provides a hold on to the gooey plaster.

The plaster compound must be mixed once the lath is in place. Usually the compound is dry and water must be mixed. While this step can sound quite easy, some expertise and experience are necessary to get the right coherence. Then finally the plaster can be mounted on the wall. Apply, scratch and left to dry the first plaster coat. The second coat or brown cover is followed and then a layer of the wall is finished.

As plaster wall is thicker because of its number of coats and lathing than a drywall, a more airtight wall can be formed. This thickness creates also a good sound barrier. The plaster can provide a much more rigid wall if the laying and framing are done well, resulting in less chances of buckling or breaking. As plaster is not solid if it is applied to the wall, curved or irregular surfaces can be the right choice. Lastly, the plaster contains a high level of water which gives fire resistant characteristics to the walls.

Even with these benefits, today’s owners of plaster have been disappointed. Let us look at some options for why this could have occurred. Firstly, the process of plastering is intensive and costs are rising. Plastering in application and drying time is also time-consuming. Furthermore, while plaster is very durable, the building or incorrect installation can crack. Some can be fastened with plaster or a setting, while other cracks need to be restored structurally.

This might be a reason why homeowners and remodelers now choose the drywall more frequently. Let’s look at this material of the inner wall more closely.

Plate of furnace

Although the triggering process of genuine plaster is seldom used in new homes today, furnace plaster is a similar option. It gives the appearance of plaster and many of its positive features, but takes less time. A blue board base or gypsum board with special moisture and adhesive qualities starts with a furnace plaster. Similar to regular plastering are then applied one or two coats of plaster on the top of the blue board.

Drywall inside

The calcined gypsum is mixed with water and sometimes additives to make the core material for basic gypsum drywall. The viscous substance is then squeezed between two different layers of paper and is then dried. One side of the paper is the strong, smooth face, and the rougher texture on the other side or back.

Drywall installation is fairly fast as the plastering process. The panels are designed to fit the wall shapes. The rough frame of the house is secured. The corner bead is attached to the corners when the boards are in place to give them a straight edge. The walls are then taped onto the joints, corners, and places where the walls have been attached with paper or fiberglass mesh tape. Then, add the three typical layers of the joint. The wall is sanded after each layer to make the surface smoother. The wall is ready to be painted once the third layer has dried.

Drywall over plaster has obvious advantages. First, it takes less time and effort for the installation process, which can lead to less cost. Drywall also helps reduce noise and the effect of the water on the boards, together with fire-resistant properties.

While the drywall has many advantages, it is not invincible as an interior wall material. The settlement or homeowner’s accidents may damage Drywall. One common problem with these fasteners is a nail or screw when a bulge is created or visible through the drywall.

Second, if exposed to high levels of humidity over long periods, gypsum drywall is susceptible to water damage. There are specially designed water resistant drywall boards with additives.

Gypsum drywall boards may have problems with mold, as well as water sensitivity. New gypsum drywall boards go paperless to decrease the chance of mold.

Whether you choose the versatility of drywalls or the old-world charm of plaster walls, inside walls shape your home’s appearance, flow and feel. You can decide the best system for your life style by knowing about the advantages and disadvantages of plaster and drywall both.

FAQ for Drywall

How does the drywall and the plaster differ?

Drywall is made from softer, not cracking material called gypsum. The panels are closed into the stubs of wood when a house is finished. Plaster, by contrast, dries much harder and more laborious and costly than drywall.

What’s made of drywall?

Calcium sulfate (gypsum plaster), additives like clay and mica, and cellulose or paper are made from drywall.

Is wall paneling less expensive than drywall?

The costs for wall-mounting vary considerably, but generally it is more costly than dry-mounting. Before making a final choice, look at the exact type of wall paneling that is comparable to drywall cost.

What’s a Drywall Level 5?

Level 5 drywall refers to the drywall treatment in which it is installed, taped, added a first and second coat, slightly sanded, then applied with the skim layer throughout to create a very even surface.