Drywall Vs Plaster: Which To Use?

Finishing the wall is one of the essential parts of the house. The quality of your wall affects the support your roofs and floors get. They even cover various utilities like plumbing and wiring. The traditional method of finishing a wall is using plaster. But the introduction of drywall was a game-changer. After many tests, here we are to give a detailed comparison between Drywall Vs Plaster.

Contents

Our Verdict

Drywall and plaster have been the most popular ways to finish your walls. Drywall is a cheaper option than plaster. They can save a lot of time and need lesser labor too. They are a more energy-efficient wall option.

Plaster provides a high-end wall finish. The user might need appropriately skilled labor to install plaster. They provide excellent sound resistance. They give a very high-quality finish in texture too. Let’s find out more by comparing the different features of the products.

Drywall Vs Plaster: Comparison Chart

Specification	Drywall	Plaster
Price	Cheaper	A bit expensive
Labor	Less labor needed	More labor with good experience and skills
Time	It takes significantly less time to install	It takes more time to install
Insulation	Gives excellent insulation	Gives good sound resistance and fireproofing.
Hanging objects	Easier to hang	May cause cracks
Finish	Standard finish	High-quality finish with different textures.
Surfaces	Suitable for straight surfaces.	Can be used even in irregular and curved surfaces

Drywall Vs Plaster: Differences

1. Labor

Plaster requires appropriately skilled labor. The people who work with plasters are more skilled than the drywall installers. Before installing plasters, fair labor must be there too. In the case of repair, too, it may be a complicated process. This is not the case in drywall. Installing drywall doesn’t need too much skill. It doesn’t need much labor like plaster too. This was the reason for their sudden popularity among people. Repair in drywall is more straightforward, and even homeowners can complete it.

Bottom Line: Drywall needs lesser labor than plaster. It also requires lesser time to install.

2. Price

For many users, the budget may be the main worrying factor. Drywall is not very costly and is in the affordable range. Plaster may be a bit expensive when compared to drywall. The salary of labor is one factor that increases the price. They need more skilled labor than drywall installers. They also take a bit more time to complete than drywall. All these factors increase the total cost.

Bottom Line: If the budget is the main concern, drywall is the better option. The work takes lesser time than plaster too.

3. Sound Resistance

The plaster is denser than the drywall. This helps in blocking sound transmissions. They can give good sound resistance to the room. They provide better fireproofing too. Drywall doesn’t provide as much as good resistance as plaster.

Bottom Line: The plaster provides better sound resistance.

4. Insulation

Drywall has an excellent thermal capacity than plaster. This gives them excellent insulating power. The installation of drywall gives the flexibility to have those layers. Even though plaster is denser, drywall is better in insulation property. Sometimes the original plaster walls get refitted. This is to increase the insulation of the walls. This can be a very tough job, and it still can’t give as much as insulation as drywall.

Bottom Line: Drywall gives better insulation than plaster.

5. The Finish

Drywall gives a standard finish. Upgrading drywall based on your needs will be very tough. This is not the same in plaster. Plaster gives a higher quality finish. They can have a smooth or glossy finish too. The user can choose the texture of the plaster. Plaster can also have a variety of decorative upgrades.

Bottom Line: The plaster gives a better finish than drywall. The user can also choose between different varieties.

6. Hanging Objects

Many of us love to decorate the walls with different items. It is not very easy to hang materials in plaster. The plaster is very brittle and hard. While hanging the item, there may be a risk of chipping the plaster. Even if the user wants to hang items on drywall, it’s better to use screws. Nails may result in cracks. Drywall is better for hanging items. Pushing the nails will be more comfortable in drywall. They don’t cause much damage to the wall too.

Bottom Line: Drywall is better to hang objects than plaster.

Drywall Vs Plaster: Similarities

Drywall and plaster do not have many similarities between them. Both of them have gypsum in them. Dust from drywall and plaster could be dangerous. Plaster dust can cause respiratory diseases. They can even lead to asthma. Plaster, which contains asbestos or powdered silica, can give health hazards.

Asbestos can even cause big dangers if inhaled. Drywall also results in problems like plaster. They may have high sulfur content in them. The sulfur gases which get emitted may be dangerous. This gives a bad smell, and it can even corrode the metals. This may destroy the electrical circuits too. This was a big problem when the Chinese boards came to the US. This happened more in the summer.

Drywall Vs Plaster: Features

Features Of plaster

Interior walls in the house were essential. They bear loads that prevent the collapse of the structure. For many years in the past, plaster was the only way to do this. They provided high resistance to bumps. They gave high-quality finishes to the walls. Setting up the application is time -consuming. They need correctly skilled labor too. This was a reason for the rise in drywall.

Until World War 2, plaster was very famous and found in every house. They followed a high-end wall treatment. The workers nail lengths of wood to the studs. Then coats of plaster get applied over the top of it. They are very durable. The dense walls can create an excellent air barrier. If the lathing is right, plaster can provide a more rigid wall. For curved and irregular surfaces, the application is the best choice.

The gypsum in the plaster has high water content. This can give the walls resistance from fire. The most common form of plaster is the gypsum plaster. The veneer plaster is also getting popular. They have the same look as plaster. The advantage of them is that they take lesser time to install. They are a gypsum board with extra adhesive qualities. The installation is the same as regular plastering. Even though plaster had these many advantages, it had a big decline in the market. The time and labor required were the main reasons.

Features Of Drywall

The drywall got famous during World War 2. They were an inspiration from the Sackett board. Sackett board was the first alternative to plaster. Drywall is a board made of gypsum. They get placed between the papers and look like a giant board. They are very light in weight. They weigh around 50 pounds but are available for lesser weights too. The name drywall arose because there are no wet materials used in the making.

The popularity of drywall grew due to the time of installation. They take very little time to get installed. They don’t need skilled labor like plaster too. They need fewer men than the labor required for plaster. This makes drywall way cheaper than lath and plaster. The gypsum present in drywall gives them some fire resistance. This is due to the water content in gypsum. Drywall takes significantly less time to dry than plaster. There are many types of drywall. Each of them has different special features. Some of them are

Mold-resistant drywall
Fire-resistant drywall
Paperless drywall
Soundproof drywall
Moisture-free drywall

There are many special unique tools for drywall. Drywall sander and drywall hammer are some examples. Many companies began producing their versions of drywall. This leads to low-quality drywalls in the market. There was even high sulfur content in these drywalls, which was dangerous. They even had respiratory problems.

FAQs

1. What is the difference between drywall and sheetrock?

Drywall and sheetrock are almost the same but little different (see the comparison here). Every sheetrock is drywall, but the opposite is not true. The US gypsum company named its drywall as sheetrock. Sheetrock has the best quality among all the others in the market. Drywall is right but make sure your drywall isn’t contaminated.

2. How to install drywall?

Drywall doesn’t take a lot of time to install. Measure the height and width to get the correct size from the drywall. Keep the drywall to the ceiling and drive the screws into the studs. With proper measurements, cutting will be easier. At last, the final sheet of drywall gets placed between the corner and last installed panel. Make sure the joint works are right after setting the drywall. This will complete the process.

3. What do the different levels of drywall finish mean?

There are six different levels of drywall finishes. The levels start from zero and end at five. Each level tells what a certain level of finish means. For example, level 5 is best for enamel and gloss paint in severe lighting conditions. These levels may help the user decide the drywall for the place.

4. What are laths?

Laths are thin strips of grained wood. They form the foundation for the plaster of walls. That is why plaster is often referred to as lath and plaster. They get used in ceilings to hold the plaster. They are like a backing material for plaster.

Conclusion

The interior walls are the strength of the house. The quality of them affects the support of the roof and floor. So proper material is significant for the interior walls.

Plasters give a very rigid and high-quality finish. They are perfect for curved and irregular surfaces. But they take more time and need more labor too. They are even a bit expensive.

Drywall will be within the budget and requires less time too. They don’t need many men, and they give the user useful features for the money.

We hope your choice between drywall and plaster is now finalized.