| Advantages of Plaster Walls |
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By Rosemary Sadez Friedmann
Scripps Howard News Service So what's the big deal about plastered walls as opposed to drywall? Well, plastering has many attributes. For one, it is a better sound barrier between rooms than drywall. The denseness of plaster prevents more sound from penetrating and passing through than drywall, which contains only a condensed powder between the sheets that hold it together. Another benefit is plaster's durability. Plastered walls can withstand more abuse. In one test, drywall was stroked 10 times with a wire brush before it produced visible scratches on the wall. Plaster withstood 30 strokes before it showed any signs of marring. And have you tried putting your fist through drywall? Easy — unless you hit a stud. Try putting your fist through plaster. Better not; it hurts. Plastered walls also age more gracefully. Like leather, these walls seem to grow more attractive with age. Drywall might start to show "age lines" at the seams. After a while, with years of humidity, air-conditioning and heat being absorbed by the drywall, the seams might open a bit and nails might pop out. Not that this is any major catastrophe; these are minor problems that can be fixed. But there are no seams in plastered walls, so by its nature, the seam problem doesn't exist. There also is a special quality and "upgraded" look to plaster. Whether the finish is smooth or rough, plaster has a rich, finished look to it; the kind you find in old mansions of historic homes. Specialty painting, stenciling and painted murals come out much better on plastered walls than on drywall just because the quality and feel of plaster is that much better. So why are most homes finished in drywall? Because it is much quicker to apply and cheaper to buy. Most contractors agree that plastering walls will cost almost twice as much as drywall. Also, drywall doesn't take a great deal of special talent to install. As a matter of fact, drywall is a great do-it-yourselfer type of wall finish. Still, if you have the time, money and inclination, plastering may be the way to go. If not, join the rest of us and rely on good old drywall. ( Rosemary Sadez Friedmann, a member of the American Society of Interior Designers, is president of Rosemary Sadez Friedmann in Naples, Florida.)
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