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Plaster Vs Drywall: Which Wall Is Superior?

The post Plaster Vs Drywall: Which Wall Is Superior? appeared first on Homedit.
Plaster vs. Drywall: which is superior? It’s a question that sparks debate among homeowners and builders. Since drywall’s invention, people still can’t decide if it’s better than plastic.   What is the answer? We’ll look at both so you can decide. What Is Plaster? Plaster is a building material for walls. It has ancient origins dating…

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Related: Best Drywall Patch Kit for Your Home Repair Projects
The short answer is no, you should not remove plaster walls or change them to drywall. You also shouldn’t cover them with some other type of wall covering. In fact, unless the plaster is a hazard. 

What Is Plaster?

Green Materials – according to the National Lime Association, “Lime absorbs and neutralizes sulfur oxides from these gases, helping to prevent acid rain and reducing emissions of hazardous air pollutants, including mercury.”
If you can’t find a stud, you can secure a new 2×4 to a backboard or baseboard. Make sure two opposing sides of the drywall has something to screw onto. 
There’s a reason it’s a high-end wall covering that’s sought after. Here are the pros and cons of plaster walls: 

What Is Drywall?

What Is Drywall?
Mark Pinkerton – vi360 photography

Repairing plaster walls isn’t easy. Hire a professional. 

Not As High End – drywall is cheaper, which means it isn’t as high-end.

For small cracks, you can cover them with tape and mud. But best results, you need to cut out the damaged piece of drywall. You can feel the small hole with newspaper and tape it. However, the correct way is to cut the piece out.

Pros And Cons Of Plaster

Pros And Cons Of Plaster
dSPACE Studio Ltd, AIA

Plaster Vs Drywall

Pros

Easier To Install – anyone with a drywall knife and drill can hang drywall. Finishing it is another story, as taping and mudding have to be done right. 
Costly – this is the number one reason people choose drywall. Plaster is expensive. Due to labor expenses, although the materials cost more than sheets of drywall. this is why plaster is high-end. 
Drywall is the most popular wall covering. That doesn’t mean it’s not without its weak points. Here are the most notable pros and cons of using drywall as opposed to plaster.  
Can Look Cheap –  if the mudding isn’t done right, it can look messy and cheap. 
Measuring twice will reduce mistakes. After, mark, and cut the new drywall. If there are any outlets or switches, make sure you cut holes for them. 
In the early 1900s, people began using drywall. Its purpose was to safeguard homes against fires. It was advertised as a “poor man’s plaster.”
If your other wall is stomped or has popcorn, you should match it. If you have trouble, call a professional to help out. Repairs aren’t nearly as expensive as entire walls. For a complete guide on repairing and even installing drywall, check out this informative article. 
Plaster is a building material for walls. It has ancient origins dating back to early Greek and Egyptian architecture.

Cons

Rare In New Homes – this may be a con, but being part of the reason a good wall covering doesn’t die is a great thing. Being rare means that you may be the only one in the neighborhood with plaster walls. 
Fire-Resistant – according to the UL, plaster walls burn three times slower than drywall. While drywall doesn’t burn fast, it doesn’t offer much protection. 

Pros And Cons Of Drywall

Pros And Cons Of Drywall
450 Architects, Inc.

Soundproof – plaster walls offer better soundproofing than drywall 

Pros

Drywall is a mixture of plaster, gypsum, and fiber, and comes in 4×8 sheets. 
There isn’t a clear winner. Plaster and drywall have their advantages and disadvantages. It depends on your home and what you want.
Good Insulator –  since plaster walls are thicker than drywall, it’s believed plaster walls offer better insulation than drywall. 
Screw the drywall in. The screws should be flush with the drywall so you don’t have to re-tape and mud. Now, all you need to do is tape and mud the drywall. 

Cons

Higher End – plaster is expensive. Like granite countertops, plaster walls make a home look  more valuable. 
All In The Details – you won’t see fancy Greek light coverings or crown molding with drywall. But with plaster, experts can craft just about any shape or design that you can imagine. 

Should You Remove Plaster Walls?

Yellow and red room with wood floors plaster walls
cg interiors group

The post Plaster Vs Drywall: Which Wall Is Superior? appeared first on Homedit.
Making Changes Is Easy – changing drywall is easy. You can take walls down and put them back up. This isn’t possible with plaster. Once it is up, it cannot be salvaged if you’d decide to move walls around. 

How To Repair Plaster Walls

You should end up with a square or rectangle piece cut away from the wall. Each stud should be exposed halfway through. This is so you have something for both pieces of drywall to attach.

Types Of Cracks In Plaster Walls

Plaster vs. Drywall: which is superior? It’s a question that sparks debate among homeowners and builders. Since drywall’s invention, people still can’t decide if it’s better than plastic.  
Authentic – plaster has organic materials. If you want your home to look old but well taken care of, plaster walls are your best choice. 
Harder To Install – plaster requires an expert to install and even then, it can take weeks.
For a guide on plaster wall repair, check out this article. We go over how to repair and renovate plaster walls. We let you know the layers of plaster so you can fix those moving cracks in no time.

How To Repair Drywall

Yellow and red room with wood floors plaster walls 1
Kara Mosher

Can Hang Stuff – this may seem small, but if you have plaster, you understand why it’s important. While you can hang items on plaster walls, it’s easier to do so on the drywall as you can use drywall anchors. 
Plastering requires some physical strength, but not much. The hard part about plastering is you need experience to become good at it. As they saying goes, “practice makes perfect.”

Cut Out The Damaged Piece

There are a few methods you can use to help determine the difference between drywall and plaster. The easiest way is with a thumbtack or pin. Whichever you choose, push it into the wall to see how hard it is.
If you have children, plaster might be better because it is soundproof. In cold climates, drywall is better because of its insulation. Plaster is harder and more expensive to install than drywall.
Drywall is known as sheetrock. The first plasterboard plant opened in the late 1800s. The word “sheetrock” emerged in the early 1900s. 
We could continue discussing which one is better, and we would end right where we started.

Flatten The Area 

If you have a home with drywall that needs repairing, it’s easy. It’s a good idea to have a drywall repair kit on hand. Take these steps and you shouldn’t run into any problems. 

Measure New Area 

Drywall is soft. Plaster is hard. With plaster, you can’t stick a pin or thumbtack in it.

Measure New Area And Cut New Piece

Moving Cracks – moving cracks are difficult. If you don’t remove plaster that is moving, it will cause problems later. When you do, you will need to apply all three coats of plaster back on.

Install The New Drywall

Mudding drywall is the hardest part of installation. You need drywall tape, adhered to cracks with drywall mud. Then, use a painter’s or drywall tool to add a thin layer of mud on top.

Mudding Drywall

After you cut the drywall out, make sure the mud is removed, and sheetrock, or screw heads aren’t sticking out. The area should be completely flat. You can scrape off most things with the knife or painter’s tool. 
Plaster veneer can be applied to drywall or walls. This process is called “gluing.” You take an existing wall surface and paint on an adhesive compound.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)FAQ

Is Replacing Plaster With Drywall A Good Idea

Cheap – drywall is cheap which is why people choose it. You can paint it, put wallpaper over it. 

Do I Need To Plaster Over Drywall?

After you clean an area measure it in different ways. Each drywall piece should be measured, but not the studs. 
Hairline Cracks – hairline cracks are tiny, long, and thin cracks in plaster. They can loosen pieces that look like paint chips. To repair hairlines, remove the pieces and plaster over it.

How Can You Tell Between Drywall or Plaster?

Next, you apply a small layer of “base coat” plaster. After the walls are cured, you can paint them or put wallpaper over them. 
Unless you have to replace your plaster with drywall, it’s not a good idea. Plaster is more expensive than drywall, so it wouldn’t make sense to replace it with something cheaper. 

When Was Drywall First Used?

Plaster is a mixture of lime, water, and sand. As a paste, it’s poured over a mesh or lath. Plaster adds thickness to a wall and also makes it soundproof 

Is Plastering Hard Work?

What is the answer? We’ll look at both so you can decide.

Plaster Vs. Drywall Conclusion

Furniture and decor will modernize your house. 
Wide Cracks – if the wide crack is stationary, you will need to apply tape before adding plaster. If the crack is deep, you can feel it with plaster before adding tape on the top. This prevents the tape from breaking. 
Drywall hall
To do so, you need to find the stud. Find it and cut the drywall halfway through the stud. The stud should be half, though not fully, exposed. Do the same sixteen inched, or wherever the next stud is. 

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