When wondering what materials to coat your interior walls with before decorating them, you might be weighing up your options and struggling to choose whether drywall or plaster is best.
Let’s face it, there are benefits to using both and that’s why here at Gypsumtools we have plenty in stock. But, if you’re asking yourself the question: “Drywall v plaster – what’s best?”, then here are some pluses and minuses that you might find useful, depending on what your priorities are.
Pluses of plaster and benefits of drywall
Plaster is a material which has been used for centuries and centuries. What started out as a mixture of lime, sand, animal hair and water has developed over time to become a product that offers a smooth and incredibly durable finish. Most commonly gypsum plaster is used these days and, as opposed to drywall, when applied correctly it can be around for centuries, thanks to its hardwearing nature.
However, drywall has become massively popular since the middle of last century. It is often cheaper because it’s not as tricky to apply, it takes less time to do, is less dusty to repair, there’s no period of waiting around for it to dry and you won’t get any of the cracks that can appear in plaster work, meaning less chance of call backs.
Downside to drywall and wet plaster
When applying plaster it needs to be done in several stages – which includes the brown coat, scratch coat and finish coat. This essential process means that it can take longer to do, leading to higher labour costs and then there’s the drying time. Plaster also needs to be applied by a skilled professional in order to avoid cracking and uneven walls, whereas, with a bit of know-how, drywall can be put up in no time.
On the other hand, the problem with a lot of drywall is that it’s easily damaged and is nowhere near as easy to fix things like radiators and shelving to as traditional, hardwearing plaster is. You also need to be as tight with gaps as you can, whereas plaster creates a better seal around openings and covers up blemishes much more easily. Also with drywall you’re limited on the design options, while a skilled professional can do all sorts of clever things with wet plaster.
Order your drywall and plastering tools online
When making your choice between the two, the main factors are to choose the finish which best suits the look and feel of the rest of the building – eg if it’s traditional, possibly plaster would look best and in a new home often drywall is favourable. You also need to weigh up what’s most important to you. Is it saving on time and cost, in which case drywall might be your guy. Or, are you looking for something more hardwearing, durable, shiny and smooth?
Once you’ve made your decision you can order your drywall and plastering tools online with us today and have the kit you need with you in no time.
