Walls - Drywall vs. Plaster

looka_production_104096074 — Thu, 16 Mar 2023 19:00:00 GMT

An often overlooked detail when discussing wall finishing with your contractor

Not all walls are created equal!

We often hear from our clients that they never even knew there were options in the construction and finishing of walls. This often overlooked detail and the decisions made actually can have a significant effect on how your walls look and feel over time. And they will definitely perform better. Below I give my take on the key differences between drywall and plaster walls, the 2 main options widely used in the United States these days.

Drywalling involves screwing gypsum board sheets (1/2" or 5/8" thickness) to the wall frame which is normally constructed of 2" x 4" vertical wall studs nailed to a ceiling and floor plate (pressure-treated lumber if on concrete). Since normal stud spacing is 16", additional thought should be given to making sure the ends of the gypsum boards (which come in standard sizes) overlap with the studs. Joint compound is applied to the seams between the boards and the screws. The gypsum board is then primed and painted and the walls are done.

Plastering is similar to drywalling in that you still start with the same wall frame but the spacing of the studs is less important in this case. The reason is that wood lath is nailed horizontally to the vertical studs which will support the plaster. These horizontal lath strips of wood are sometimes replaced by blueboard to make the process a little easier. But make no mistake about it. Plastering is an art form and requires skill and experience. This is why it became less and less popular starting in the 1900s as building volume increased dramatically. Once the lath or blueboard is up, the plaster, which is a soupy pasty mix of powdered gypsum, lime or cement that is mixed with water, is applied. If you want to get all scientific, the water actually liberates heat through crystallization and the hydrated plaster then hardens. Application is similar to how exterior stucco is applied and requires application with a trowl and multiple coats of the plaster until a smooth hard coat result. This normally takes at least 3 layers of application. This is then what is primed and painted.

While the results may look very similar, there are differences. Here are some of the pros of each option:

Plaster:

1. Better sound, vibration and moisture insulation and overall isolation of the rooms

2. Better fire resistance, especially with metal lath/backing

3. You have more control over the finish texture and contour of the wall framing though you can add texture to drywall

Drywall:

1. Easier and normally cheaper to install

2. Easier to repair and patch walls

3. Easier to hang pictures, mirrors, etc. on the walls

4. Less prone to cracking as homes settle over time

5. When it comes to priming, you can use water-based primers rather than oil-based primers preferred for plaster which emit more volatile organic compounds.

In our opinion, plaster is making a comeback these days and, if applied correctly, it just looks better and suits most of our work a little more. With some care, repairs and hanging things on the walls are not an issue with plaster. These days, many of our walls are covered with wallpaper or other design features so normally any hanging is done on those materials. You can still get the same straight finish after patching with joint compound as needed. But ultimately it's up to each of our clients and partially driven by the different circumstances of each build. The key is to talk to your contractor about it and decide together on what works best.

Let us know what your thoughts are on the age old battle between plaster and drywall!

Humidifiers n' Heaters

looka_production_104096074 — Mon, 13 Feb 2023 02:26:32 GMT

It's a good time to monitor your home humidity levels these days.

Palm trees. Ahhhhhh, yes. That would be nice now. But up here in the Northeast in February, nothing could be further from our reality. Even in the relatively mild winter we have been having, as our heaters start running, the air in our homes gets drier. As humidity drops below 18-19%, the dry air may be the cause of allergies kicking in, bloody noses and unhealthy air that is the perfect environment for viruses and bacteria. Could this be a reason why we always feel sick when heaters kick in?

I know we saw all these symptoms until we installed a whole home humidifier. We were so pleased with the immediate results, including more consistent temperature, less drafts and so on, that we have been recommending this to all our clients considering how to get the best quality air in their homes. This has to be one of the best home air quality hacks we know considering the relative ease with which you can get one up and running.

What are your thoughts? Interesting in finding out more? Are you feeling these same symptoms?

International Builders' Show - Jan 31 - Feb 2 2023

Mon, 30 Jan 2023 15:42:56 GMT

NAHB International Builders' Show Jan 31 - Feb 2

We are on the way to Las Vegas, NV for the annual NAHB IBS (change the name already for crying out loud :)) taking place over the next few days. We hope to get a glimpse into all the newest building techniques and technology and look forward to meeting all our fellow builders from across the country. We will post some of our highlights from the trip shortly!

Will you be there? Pop by and say hi!

Quantum Leap Construction

Check us out on Instagram @qlconstruct for our favorites from this year's show.

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