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We are here to help you with your drywall or plastering project.  The two methods are definitely different and both plastering and drywall have their benefits. However, it is likely you already know which of these materials you are interested in using. Chances are you have found us because you are looking for a drywall or plastering contractor. You likely need some help figuring out what to do next, and find a professional drywall contractor or plastering contractor to help you with your project. So, what would you like to do?

- Find a drywall contractor

- Find a plastering contractor

- Find a sheetrock contractor

- Find an insulation contractor 

HomeBlue will help you learn more about your drywall or plastering. We can match you to a drywall contractor or simply provide you useful information.

A quality drywall or plastering project is certainly what you are looking for and it is worth the investment. Thus, we would like to help provide some information. With the information we provide you, we hope that you will be able to make an educated and informed decision on how to proceed with your drywall or plastering project.

Articles:

- Plaster and Lath

- Drywall

Methods: Drywall and Plastering

Drywall: Walls and ceilings are often constructed of a prefabricated material called plasterboard or wallboard, which is a rigid board made of layers of fiberboard or paper bonded to a gypsum plaster core. This system is used in lieu of plaster or wood panels. If you are doing it yourself, you will need the following tools: drywall hammer, screw gun, nails, screws, saw, tape, knife, putty knife, drywall compound, sand paper, and paint.

Plastering: Plaster is a mixture of lime or gypsum, sand, and water (sometimes with fiber added) that hardens to a smooth solid. When it is wet, it is applied to a preset wall with small 1-2 inch slats of wood called lath. These slats and the gaps between them help bond the plaster to the wall. There are other systems (blue board and metal lath) that you can apply the plaster to as well. If you are doing it yourself, you will need the following tools: plaster mix materials, putty knife, trowel, ladder or stilts.

Drywall vs Plastering

Drywall is quicker and less expensive than plaster (approximately 1/4 less). Plaster, however, is harder and more durable than drywall. Plaster also provides for a different architectural look. Read an article on plaster and lath.

Drywall is great for 90 degree angles, plastering is great for curves.

In historical terms, plaster came before drywall. In essence, plaster is very similar to concrete. You begin with dry compounds. Mixing them with water starts a chemical reaction which causes the materials to bond together. As the materials bond, they become hard.

Although plaster use to be applied to wood slats called lath, there are new veneer plaster systems and metal lath systems that are often used in modern applications. If you use a veneer plaster system, you typically hang what they match to as "blue board" (which is a board capable of accepting the wet plaster), and then apply a thin coat of plaster. Professional plasterers can apply a finish that does not even require sanding.

The choice between plaster and drywall is like any other when it comes to architectural elements. It is a balance between price, look, and function.
 

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