Plaster vs. Drywall: Which Is Better?

The most common choices for an interior wall treatment are plaster and drywall. They have different characteristics that make them stand out and may be found in both homes and businesses.

There are several things to think about when deciding on a final finish for an interior construction or remodelling project. We'll break down the main distinctions between plaster and drywall, as well as the benefits and drawbacks of both, to help you make an informed decision.

What Is Plaster?

Plaster has been used by construction workers to coat walls and ceilings since the time of the ancient Egyptians.

Plasters made of clay and lime were used to coat the outsides of ancient monuments and temples for protection.

Portland cement plaster was used to clad late nineteenth-century homes by skilled labourers.

Plasterboard and wet plaster are the two primary varieties of contemporary plaster.

Plaster of Paris, often called wet plaster, is made by mixing powdered clay, sand, cement, lime, or gypsum with water. If you combine this plaster powder with water, you can get a slurry or thick paste that can be applied to walls using a trowel. It's easy to get the two mixed up because they both utilise cement and sand, but the end result of plastering a wall is a smooth finish that hides defects, while stucco is an ornamental plaster that gives a building a more natural look.

What Is Drywall?

Drywall, also known as sheetrock, wall board, cement board or gypsum board, can be purchased as either individual drywall panels or as a joint compound. Drapery panels are made of gypsum (calcium sulphate dihydrate) and have paper facings on both sides.

The board's shape is preserved, allowing drywall screws or other fasteners to be used during installation.

Wall studs and fibreglas insulation are generally concealed behind ordinary drywall panels in newly constructed homes.

Some manufacturers use additives to create drywall that is more functional or conforms to stricter construction requirements. For instance, in comparison to gypsum plaster blueboard, greenboard offers superior mould and water resistance as a drywall choice.

The latter is made up of varying paper thicknesses to imitate the look and feel of plaster. The drywall used in basements and workplaces is available with soundproofing features.

Differences Between Plaster and Drywall

Understanding the differences between drywall and plaster will help you decide which to use in your next DIY home improvement project.

• When compared to plaster, the cost of installing drywall is far lower. Drywall and plaster have similar pricing for materials, but drywall installation takes a lot less time and skill. In order to fulfil increased housing demand and reduce labour costs in the decades following World War II, builders mostly abandoned plasterwork in favour of drywall. Formerly, covering a full wall required the laborious and time-consuming procedure of lath and plaster.
• Plaster outperforms drywall in terms of energy efficiency. Because plaster walls are thicker than regular drywall, they are better at insulating and controlling the temperature inside a home. The inside walls of a home can be made more soundproof or fireproof by increasing their thickness to this extent.
• Superior plaster walls outlast and outhard drywall. As a thumbtack will go through drywall far more easily than through plaster, you can use one to figure out what kind of wall covering you're dealing with in an older home. Plaster may increase a building's stability and safety thanks to its higher tensile strength and longer lasting finish. It is possible to repair damaged walls by applying a veneer of plaster or skimming on additional coats of plaster prior to painting.

Material Makeup

Let's start with a comparison of the materials that go into making plaster and drywall. Drywall, as any builder will tell you, is simply gypsum sheets fastened to the studs in a wall or ceiling using screws or nails.

Once the sheets are in place, the joints are finished using drywall compound and tape. After that, the compound is slathered on the screws. A high-end drywall finish will result in a skin coat that looks and feels like plaster, but you shouldn't hold it to the same standards.

How plaster is applied is really different. This is typically installed over a blue board, a form of wallboard. At first glance, this may look like sheetrock, but its formulation is optimised to make a strong bond with wet plaster. This results in a complete coating of the wall, sometimes in numerous layers.

Quality

Plaster is the go-to material in this region for many reasons. First of all, plaster has a longer lifespan than drywall, even the highest quality drywall finishes. Plaster is also superior to drywall in terms of heat retention, noise reduction, and fire resistance. Plaster also has the advantage over other materials in that it is resistant to mould growth. When compared, mould and mildew can develop if water leaks behind your drywall. When it comes to aesthetics, plaster also triumphs.

Time

In this respect, drywall is superior.

Hanging drywall sheets and covering them with compound is about all there is to it. When compared to the labor-intensive artisanal method of applying plaster by hand, this is far simpler to accomplish.

Hence, if you're in a rush to finish the building, drywall can be the best choice for most of the rooms. Plastering one or two high-traffic areas first could be a good place to start.

Durability

Drywall and plaster, to keep their properties, require care. Overall, drywall requires far less maintenance. Get a skilled worker to work on it for less money and less time because it's easier to assemble. You can even perform some of the work yourself if that's your style.

Due to its density and hardness, plaster is the superior material for long-lasting coatings. Once the layers have dried, the resulting mass is quite strong, and a wall made of plaster can typically endure for decades before it needs to be replaced.

Plaster walls, on the other hand, might be more challenging to hang artwork on due to their solidity. If you wish to hang artwork on a plaster wall, you should use adhesive or screws instead of nails.

Since the space behind drywall sheets is open, it is substantially lighter than plaster. This makes them more likely to develop mould and increase the frequency with which they need maintenance. If you plan on utilising nails or pins to decorate your walls, though, drywall may be your best bet. Nails may be easily driven or hammered into drywall with minimal damage.

Give your home or business a stunning new look with our professional plastering services.

Cost

Naturally, we can't discount the expense.

Plaster is often viewed as the premium material, which means it offers a number of advantages beyond those we've already covered, but at a greater cost.

Material and labour costs both have a role in this. Plastering a wall takes more time and effort, making it more expensive than just lifting drywall sheets and screwing them into place. It's therefore important to determine which parts of a large home or business need the most attention to detail in terms of finishing.

One such point of agreement is veneer plaster. If you want a plaster finish but don't want to spend as much on labour, this is a great compromise. Nonetheless, drywall can still provide a satisfactory aesthetic result, particularly at the higher finish levels.

Drywall is an inexpensive choice if you're on a tight budget. Drywall installation can cost anywhere from $1 to $3 per sq foot, so do-it-yourselfers can save money by possibly not having to hire an expert.

Plaster is more expensive than drywall because it must be installed by a plasterer, who has a greater range of expertise and training, and because of the longer installation time required. Hiring a professional to install it can add $2 to $10 per sq foot to the cost, and that's before you even factor in the time investment.

Soundproofing

Sound transmission through plaster walls is greatly reduced in comparison to that through drywall. Plaster is highly solid and has no gaps or crevices, thus it is not conducive to the passage of sound.

Because of its soundproofing properties, it is a wonderful choice for apartment buildings, and it can also increase the seclusion of individual rooms in single-family homes.

Nevertheless, dry wall panels are rather thin and have no insulation behind them, so sound easily travels through them. If you want to soundproof a room without using plaster, you can install fibreglass insulation under your drywall or use special acoustic plasterboard.

Insulation

While drywall itself is too thin to provide adequate insulation, the area behind it is perfect for doing so. Common insulation options include fibreglass batts and spray foam, both of which may be installed when drywall is being worked on or replaced. It is possible to insulate a room without having to remove the drywall panels by using loose-fit cellulose.

Yet, it can be challenging to add insulation to pre existing plaster walls, despite the fact that plaster is a greater insulator on its own.

Older homes, constructed before central heating and cooling systems were widespread, may experience this issue.

An expert must modify the building to install insulation in pre-existing plaster walls. If you try to handle it yourself, you can end up damaging the walls and letting moisture and mildew in.

Energy Efficiency

Drywall is the most energy-efficient option when comparing the environmental impact of different building finishes. Drywall helps save money on heating and cooling bills when combined with high-quality insulation.

Skilled drywall installers can employ sealants and an advanced hanging technique to create a nearly airtight barrier that greatly reduces air leakage.

Plaster isn't as green as drywall, but it does have some advantages. Plaster is more durable than drywall and requires less maintenance. Because of this, less material is wasted during construction and less is needed for maintenance. Plaster built from recycled materials can also help keep buildings cool and absorb humidity in hot regions, lowering the need for air conditioning.

Repairs

Drywall is less long-lasting than plaster, but its repairs are typically simpler. Little holes, cracks, and chips can be patched with prefabricated drywall repair kits, while drywall patches for medium-sized holes are available at most hardware stores.

You can easily repair individual panels of drywall if a substantial area of it has been damaged by water or has large holes.

A plaster repair kit can be used to quickly fix small damage to plaster walls, such as chips, cracks, and uneven regions, but more extensive damage will require the assistance of a professional.

Plaster that has deteriorated beyond repair may need to be replaced entirely, while repairing deep or large cracks might take multiple steps. It's advisable to get a pro in to fix any broken plaster if you aren't sure what to do.

Fire Resistance

Plaster provides an extra barrier that helps slow the spread of fire, however no wall with wood structure is completely fireproof. Plaster has a high water content from the gypsum it contains, thus it won't burn.

To further lessen the likelihood of a quick spread of fire, builders have switched from utilising wooden laths to supporting plaster with metal laths or plasterboard.

Drywall, which also contains gypsum, serves as a fire barrier over wood studs. Drywall loses its structural integrity faster than plaster when exposed to extreme heat, hence some manufacturers fortify their drywall with noncombustible glass fibres.

Look and Finish

Differences in aesthetic appeal are readily apparent between plaster and drywall. In most cases, plaster is more durable than drywall and may be finished to a higher degree of glossiness.

Experts can plaster surfaces to achieve any desired quality, whether it be shiny, smooth, or stucco-like.

Since drywall is so rigid, plaster is superior for curved walls and ceilings.

In spite of drywall's less-polished appearance compared to plaster, it nevertheless offers a wide variety of aesthetic possibilities.

Drywall contractors often employ the orange-peel texture, which has a wrinkled, bumpy appearance and may be applied with either a cloth or a brush.

Although smooth drywall finishes are conceivable, they are not as frequent as other types of finishes because of the extra work involved in achieving them.

Conclusion

Plaster and drywall are the most popular options for interior wall treatments, each with their own unique qualities that can be found in both residential and commercial settings.

Portland cement plaster was used to clad homes in the late nineteenth century, but construction workers have used plaster since the time of the ancient Egyptians.

Drywall, also known as sheetrock, wall board, cement board, or gypsum board, can be purchased in the form of either individual drywall panels or a joint compound. Stucco is a type of decorative plaster that can be used to give a building a warmer, more organic appearance.

Key information includes how drywall differs from plaster, how much it costs to install, how efficient it is, and how easily it can be repaired.

Plaster is made of paper of varying thicknesses and can be equipped with soundproofing features, while drywall is made of gypsum sheets that are fastened to the studs in a wall or ceiling using screws or nails.

Plaster is superior to drywall when it comes to energy efficiency, insulation, and temperature control.

Because of its greater tensile strength and longer lasting finish, it can increase stability and safety, and it lasts longer than drywall. When it comes to building materials, plaster is the standard in this area.

It outlasts drywall, is more effective at retaining heat, quieter than other materials, and safer in a fire, and doesn't support mould growth.

Plaster can help keep buildings cool and absorb humidity in hot regions, making it a better option than drywall in these regards. Compared to plaster, drywall repairs are typically easier, as prefabricated drywall repair kits and patches are widely available at local hardware stores.

A plaster repair kit can be used to fix small damage to plaster walls quickly, but more extensive damage will require the assistance of a professional.

If you have broken plaster and are unsure of how to repair it, it is best to call in a professional.

Plaster is the best option for curved wall and ceiling applications because it is more long lasting than drywall and can be finished to a higher degree of glossiness. Drywall has a less-polished appearance, but offers a wide variety of aesthetic possibilities.

Content Summary

• The most common choices for an interior wall treatment are plaster and drywall.
• There are several things to think about when deciding on a final finish for an interior construction or remodelling project.
• We'll break down the main distinctions between plaster and drywall, as well as the benefits and drawbacks of both, to help you make an informed decision.
• Plasterboard and wet plaster are the two primary varieties of contemporary plaster.
• For instance, in comparison to gypsum plaster blueboard, greenboard offers superior mould and water resistance as a drywall choice.
• Understanding the differences between drywall and plaster will help you make an informed decision about which to use in your next DIY home improvement project.
• When compared to plaster, the cost of installing drywall is far lower.
• Drywall and plaster have similar pricing for materials, but drywall installation takes a lot less time and skill.
• Plaster outperforms drywall in terms of energy efficiency.
• Superior plaster walls outlast and outhard drywall.
• As a thumbtack will go through drywall far more easily than through plaster, you can use one to figure out what kind of wall covering you're dealing with in an older home.
• Plaster is the go-to material in this region for many reasons.
• First of all, plaster has a longer lifespan than drywall, even the highest quality drywall finishes.
• Hence, if you're in a rush to get the building up and finished, drywall can be the best choice for most of the rooms.
• Get a skilled worker to work on it for less money and less time because it's easier to assemble.
• Due to its density and hardness, plaster is the superior material for long-lasting coatings.
• If you wish to hang artwork on a plaster wall, you should use adhesive or screws instead of nails.
• If you plan on utilising nails or pins to decorate your walls, though, drywall may be your best bet.
• Plastering a wall takes more time and effort, making it more expensive than just lifting drywall sheets and screwing them into place.
• It's therefore important to determine which parts of a large home or business need the most attention to detail in terms of finishing.
• If you want a plaster finish but don't want to spend as much on labour, this is a great compromise.
• Plaster is more expensive than drywall because it must be installed by a plasterer, who has a greater range of expertise and training, and because of the longer installation time required.
• Sound transmission through plaster walls is greatly reduced in comparison to that through drywall.
• If you want to soundproof a room without using plaster, you can install fibreglass insulation under your drywall or use special acoustic plasterboard.
• It is possible to insulate a room without having to remove the drywall panels by using loose-fit cellulose.
• Yet, it can be challenging to add insulation to pre existing plaster walls, despite the fact that plaster is a greater insulator on its own.
• An expert must modify the building to install insulation in pre-existing plaster walls.
• Drywall is the most energy-efficient option when comparing the environmental impact of different building finishes.
• Drywall helps save money on heating and cooling bills when combined with high-quality insulation.
• Plaster is more durable than drywall and requires less maintenance.
• A plaster repair kit can be used to quickly fix small damage to plaster walls, such as chips, cracks, and uneven regions, but more extensive damage will require the assistance of a professional.
• It's advisable to get a pro in to fix any broken plaster if you aren't sure what to do.
• Plaster provides an extra barrier that helps slow the spread of fire, however no wall with wood structure is completely fireproof.
• Differences in aesthetic appeal are readily apparent between plaster and drywall.
• In most cases, plaster is more durable than drywall and may be finished to a higher degree of glossiness.
• Since drywall is so rigid, plaster is the superior material for curved walls and ceilings.
• In spite of drywall's less-polished appearance compared to plaster, it nevertheless offers a wide variety of aesthetic possibilities.