Which is better, warm plaster or drywall? Choosing between plasterboard and plaster finishing, sharing our experience

It’s rare that a redevelopment can be done without erecting new partitions, unless you decide to make a studio and are just tearing down the old walls. New walls can be erected from piece materials, such as bricks, slabs and blocks of various compositions - we have already talked about them in the article “”. Or use sheet materials. There are three most popular today, and we are ready to tell you about all their pros, cons and features so that you can choose the best one.

1. Walls made of plasterboard - gypsum plasterboard

A plasterboard sheet is a layer of gypsum wrapped in thick paper, measuring 1200x2500x12.5 mm and weighing 29 kg. It can also be thinner - 9 mm wide, but this option is very fragile. It is mounted as follows: first, a frame is formed from a metal profile, then plasterboard sheets are sewn onto the frame in two layers, overlapping on all sides. The final wall thickness will depend on the width of the metal profile used 50/65/75/100 and will be 100/115/125/150 mm, respectively. GCR is sheathed not only on walls, but also on ceilings.

Waterproof plasterboard sheets (GKLV) of green color are also sold, but they are conditionally waterproof: with constant exposure to water, such sheets will swell, even if they are covered with tiles on top. It is better not to use it in “wet” rooms at all.

GCR cost: 250-350 rub./piece. GKLV will be more expensive.

Pros:

It is convenient to lay communications inside the frame, which is sheathed with gypsum board.
Easy installation.
If you mount the frame on top of the floor screed, the plasterboard wall can be dismantled and rebuilt as needed.
Very light material, gives very little load on the floors.

Minuses:

1 m² of plasterboard wall can withstand no more than 20 kg of facing material. That is, the tile will withstand normally, but porcelain stoneware is no longer a fact. If overloaded, the finish will soon fall off along with a layer of cardboard, exposing the plaster.
One butterfly dowel (the tip of which opens after screwing) will hold an object weighing no more than 10 kg in a plasterboard wall, and no more than 4 kg on the ceiling (you will have to make a cutout under the curtain rod or lay a beam on the ceiling). If you want to hang something heavier, you need to know in advance where exactly and lay a beam or profile there.
Very poor sound insulation.
Low strength - dents remain from impacts.
Use with great care in damp areas.

2. What is better than drywall: Gypsum fiber sheet (GVL)

GVL also consists mainly of gypsum, but is reinforced with various environmental additives. The assortment includes PC sheets - with a straight edge, they are intended for walls, and FC - an edge with a recess (for the floor). There is also a GVLV (waterproof gypsum fiber sheet) in stock: it does not differ in color in any way, it only has a seal indicating moisture resistance.

Dimensions of the gypsum fiber sheet are 2500 x 1200 x 10/12.5 mm, weight 36/42 kg. More often, a thickness of 10 mm is used for interior partitions. The metal frame is sheathed with GVL sheets in one layer, unlike gypsum plasterboard. To improve sound insulation, you can make two layers, but then it is better to combine: one layer of gypsum fiber board, the other of gypsum plasterboard.

Thickness of the final single-layer gypsum fiber board partition 10 mm: 70/85/95/120 mm depending on the width of the selected profile.

Price: 450-500 rub./piece. The final wall is approximately the same in cost for gypsum plasterboard and gypsum board, since gypsum plasterboard is mounted in two layers, and gypsum board in one.

Pros:

The butterfly dowel can already withstand up to 20 kg on the wall and up to 8 kg on the ceiling, which is two times higher than that of gypsum plasterboard.
Non-flammable material, can be used in saunas.
Good water resistance, can be used in the bathroom; Even a frame for a bathtub or sink can be made from GVLV.
It is well processed to create complex shapes: arches, convexities, concavities.
It is convenient to lay communications inside the frame, which is sheathed with GVL.
Easy installation.
The wall turns out smooth and does not require additional leveling.
If you install the frame on top of the floor screed, the gypsum fiber wall can be dismantled and rebuilt as needed.

Minuses:

Sound insulation is better than gypsum plasterboard, but not by much. It can be improved by installing the material in two layers.
For items heavier than 20 kg, you will still have to make additional reinforcement of the wall at the hanging location.

3. Another alternative: Cement particle board (CSP)

DSP is the golden mean between wood and stone in its properties. Made from cement, wood fibers and liquid glass (stationery glue). There are slabs for interior decoration and for facade (FCSP). Size of one slab: 2700 x 1250 mm or 3200 x 1250 mm, and thickness to choose from 8/10/12/16/20/24/36 mm. For interior partitions, widths of 10 and 12 mm are most often used; the weight of slabs of this width is 46 and 54 kg, respectively. It is better to choose the widest frame - metal or wood. The final width of the wall will be about 12 cm.

Price: 800-900 rub. per slab 2700 x 1250 x 10 mm.

Pros:

The assortment includes DSP with a three-dimensional decorative pattern imitating brick, stone, wood, etc. Such DSPs are more expensive, but do not require finishing.
Moisture-resistant material, can be used in bathrooms even with direct contact with water.
Non-flammable - can be used in saunas, baths and around fireplaces and stoves.
Does not rot, very durable.
You can make many other elements from DSP, besides walls: use it as a top layer to level subfloors, make window sills, steps.
On a butterfly dowel it can withstand up to 50 kg.
The partitions are strong, but easily chipped.
They are easy to install, except that due to the weight it is more convenient to do it with two people.
Good sound insulation.

In the process of wall repair, both specialists and novice finishers are trying to figure out: what is better, plaster or drywall on the walls? Each technology option has its pros and cons. The final decision is influenced by the slightest nuances that you don’t pay attention to in everyday life.

There are no perfectly straight walls. Painting or wallpapering them will not hide them, but, on the contrary, will highlight all the imperfections more clearly. Therefore, when finishing an apartment (private house), it is always necessary to level the walls.

For these purposes, two completely different technological solutions are used:

drywall;
plaster.

Each has its own advantages and disadvantages. To make a final decision, you need to learn more about them.

Drywall

The most popular building material, the leader in sales in the USA and Europe, plasterboard, is rapidly gaining ground over plaster in Russia. Real professionals can use this material to greatly diversify the interior of a room, which cannot be done with plastering work in principle.

Drywall consists of a layer of gypsum covered on both sides with cardboard. Its abbreviation is GKL (not to be confused with gypsum-fiber sheets GVL, where the strength of the sheet is achieved by fibers mixed with gypsum, rather than cardboard). Professional work during its installation ensures a perfectly flat surface of the walls.

If you use drywall instead of plaster: the pros and cons of this technological solution are below.

Advantages of drywall:

Allows you to implement any design solutions - it bends perfectly, as a result of which you can create various decorative elements.
Allows you to hide significant curvature of walls (more than 4 cm) both horizontally and vertically, as well as their defects - chips and peeling.
Serves as an additional, and this good, sound and heat insulating layer.
Ideally hides utility lines.
Installation work is completed quickly.
No experience or qualifications are required for installation - basic concepts are sufficient. This results in significant savings - the cladding can be done by hand.
The material is environmentally friendly.
Further finishing work can be carried out immediately after attaching to the wall.
There is no dirt during work - plasterboard sheets: cut with a construction knife practically without debris and dust; They are attached to the wall or with self-tapping screws on a metal sheathing, or they are mounted with glue.
It hides mortar or adhesive seams of walls well if aerated concrete, foam blocks or gas silicate were used for their construction.
Allows walls to “breathe” - gypsum plasterboard reacts very quickly to changes in humidity. When it increases, it quickly takes moisture from the air, and also quickly releases it when it decreases.
Indispensable when eliminating inconsistencies between walls and FBS (foundation building blocks), when the blocks protrude into the building by more than 4 cm.

With so many advantages, this material also has disadvantages. Cons of drywall:

It greatly “steals” the volume of the room, especially when attaching gypsum boards to the sheathing;
Low strength - cannot withstand a medium-sized painting, let alone heavier objects. Experienced craftsmen solve this problem simply. At the place where heavy objects are fastened, a rectangle is cut out and plywood, or even better, OSB sheets, is attached in place of the gypsum board. Therefore, this disadvantage is rather relative;
A categorical ban on use in homes with temperature changes down to sub-zero values. In country houses, or rather dachas, where there is no constant heating in winter, it is destroyed;
Finishing wallpaper requires applying a thin layer of putty. If you glue wallpaper directly onto drywall, then when you replace it, which is done after about 7-8 years of operation, you will also have to change the gypsum board - when removing the wallpaper, the cardboard will be torn off from the plaster, which leads to inevitable destruction of its layer;
Promotes the appearance of rodents in the apartment - mice live in the space between the wall and the drywall;
The bathroom sharply, up to 7 years, reduces the service life of gypsum plasterboards, even if special moisture-resistant types (gypsum plasterboards) are used. They can be easily distinguished on sale by their green color with blue inscriptions.

Plaster

Plaster is a classic of construction work. It appeared as a way to level vertical surfaces in ancient times. Having passed through the centuries, it has remained relevant in our time. As a type of construction work, it involves applying a layer of a certain group of materials to a vertical surface to level it. Materials can be based on:

cement - cement-sand, cement-clay, cement-lime;
gypsum - gypsum, gypsum-lime;
clay - clay, clay-lime, clay-gypsum;
calcareous.

Like any building material or technology, plaster has its pros and cons. Positive aspects of plaster:

Durable. If technology is followed, which only professionals can do, it will last 30-35 years;
Durable. You can attach any hanging structures - paintings, sconces, hanging boxes, etc.
Withstands seasonal temperature changes, as well as changes in humidity. Therefore, there are no restrictions on its use;
Easy to repair;
Saves room space;
Environmentally safe - it contains no components harmful to health;
A universal base for any type of finishing work - wallpaper, painting, tiles, decorative plaster.

The disadvantages include:

The work is dirty and dusty;
Requires certain experience and skill. Therefore, it is beyond the power of novice finishers;

Important: experienced builders do not use beacons for plastering walls. However, with their help, even a novice finisher can perform the work, and their installation does not cause much difficulty. Doing wall leveling work with your own hands significantly saves the family budget.

Plastering work can only be used to eliminate surface differences of 2-2.5 cm;
It is necessary to apply in several layers with a thickness of 1.5-2.5 cm, or use fiber as a reinforcing material, which leads to an increase in the cost of work;
In almost 90% of cases, finishing of wall plaster with putty is required;

Attention: in Russian, the process of sealing cracks before painting is denoted by two verbs: putty and putty. The first term - putty comes from the word tow, it was used to caulk existing cracks, the second - putty, which is based on the word spatula, and sealing cracks or leveling walls is done with special mixtures. In materials devoted to leveling walls, the word putty is constantly used, but putty is not available for sale. There is only putty. Therefore, novice builders need to take this into account. There is another important point here - those making repairs with their own hands are looking for the answer: what is the best way to level the walls with plasterboard or putty? The question is not formulated entirely correctly, so on some sites where the word putty is not used, the answer will be unequivocal - no, since it is impossible to level the walls with tow. In fact, the answer is ambiguous, since one concept is simply replaced by another that has the same meaning. What exactly to use should be decided by analyzing the positive and negative qualities of each technology.

For communications it is necessary to punch special grooves - grooves;
It takes a long time to complete. With complete drying it takes about a month;
The work is labor intensive, which, again, increases the cost of this type of wall leveling.

Which type of technology is cheaper?

An important point in choosing a wall leveling technology is the cost of the work. What is cheaper to level the walls - with plasterboard or plaster? To compare the cost factor, let’s take a room 3 x 4 x 2.5 meters with a total wall area of 30 m2. This figure is needed to determine the amount of gypsum boards. To determine the cost of work, minus 2 m 2 for the window and doorway. To level the walls you will need:

Attention: prices for materials and work are taken for St. Petersburg as of the summer of 2018. There may be significant differences in other regions of Russia.

Drywall 2.5 m long and 1.2 m wide. The optimal thickness is 12.5 mm. You need to buy 13 sheets, including waste in the corners. The cost of plasterboard sheet (GKL) KNAUF GSP-A 2500x1200x12.5 mm is 269 rubles. (a similar Volma sheet costs 219 rubles). The total cost will cost approximately 3,500 rubles. (we still took the more expensive option). Delivery with lifting to the apartment will add costs by about 700 rubles. In total, gypsum boards will require 3,700 rubles;
Profile UD 27 (metal KNAUF) - 48 m at a price of approximately 50 rubles/linear. m. Total cost - 2,400 rubles;
Profile CD 60 (metal KNAUF) - 50 m at a price of about 50 rubles/linear. m. Total cost - 2,500 rubles;
Suspensions for the profile - you will need about 100 pieces for the amount of 300 rubles;
Three packages of dowels for attaching the sheathing to the walls - 250 rubles;
Packing of self-tapping screws for fastening drywall (650 pieces in a pack) - 300 rubles;
Three packs of self-tapping screws for fastening the sheathing - 300 rubles;
Gypsum or polymer finishing putty for sealing seams and corners of drywall - 15-20 kg for the amount of 1,000 rubles.
Installation of drywall - RUB 10,050. (30 m2 at 350 rubles per 1 m2) excluding windows and doors.

In total, leveling walls using gypsum plasterboard will cost approximately 21,300 rubles.

Attention: in all materials for drywall putty, it is recommended to use dry mixtures, since they have lower consumption and price. However, this does not take into account the property of dry mixtures diluted with water to set very quickly. As a result, frozen pieces of mortar remain on the spatula and in the container. Problems increase if they get into the working mixture - the entire solution from the spatula has to be thrown away. As a result, instead of saving, there is an overexpenditure in both weight and money.

If you plaster the walls, you will need:

Primer to improve adhesion between the wall and the plaster mortar (6.5-9.0 kg per 30 m2 depending on the type of wall: concrete, brick, etc.) for the amount of 500 rubles;
Dry plaster mixtures - you will need approximately 0.8 m 3 of solution or 584 kg of dry plaster (24 bags of 25 kg each) for an amount of 4,420 rubles;
Delivery of material with lifting to the apartment - 700 rubles;
Finishing putty 15 kg for the amount of 750 rubles;
Master's work - 14,000 rubles. (500 rubles per 1 m2) (2 m2 for the window and door are deducted).

Thus, it will cost 20,370 rubles to plaster the walls. If installation of beacons is required, the cost of work will increase by 2.0-2.5 thousand rubles.

A comparative analysis of the price factor of using plasterboard or plaster to level walls showed that neither method has a significant advantage, except for the case when plasterboard with glue is used instead of plaster.

When such an opportunity exists, this is the cheapest way to cladding walls. Gluing gypsum boards is quick and cheap, no professional skills are required.

When is the best time to use drywall?

Is it possible to cover the walls with plasterboard instead of plaster? Installation of gypsum boards is used in the following cases:

the house has wooden walls;
when it is necessary to hide communications, and building walls is time-consuming, dusty and expensive;
it is necessary to carry out additional heat and sound insulation;
there is a large curvature of the wall or the vertical is blocked;
work must be completed as soon as possible - 2-3 days;
there is no financial opportunity to attract specialists to carry out the work;
when you need to hide the seams from the mortar in aerated concrete and gas silicate walls, as well as when using foam blocks;
it is necessary to level the protrusion inside the room of the foundation blocks.

In all other cases, whether to replace plaster with drywall or not should be decided taking into account other factors.

When is the best time to use plaster?

Plaster is used in premises:

with an unstable temperature regime, moving from heat to negative temperature values;
where it is necessary to preserve the volume as much as possible;
with height differences at the wall surface of no more than 2 cm;
on the walls of which it is planned to mount heavy objects;
with high humidity, for example, bathroom and kitchen;
with finishing of the walls with heavy marble slabs.

Conclusion

With the exception of a few specific situations when the use of gypsum board or plaster for leveling walls is dictated by necessity, the choice of one or another technology remains with the owners of the room.

Korovin Sergey Dmitrievich

Master of Architecture, graduated from Samara State University of Architecture and Civil Engineering. 11 years of experience in design and construction.

When performing finishing work both in new buildings and in historical premises, it is often necessary to resolve the issue of leveling the surface of the walls for subsequent pasting with roll products or cladding with other materials. Traditionally, plaster mortars and sheet products such as drywall are used to solve these problems. Below we will consider in which cases it is necessary to use drywall instead of plaster, the pros and cons of these materials, as well as options for using each type of finish based on the characteristics of the room.

Drywall

This material has been actively conquering the domestic construction market for more than ten years. At some point, the use of plasterboard began to be associated with “Euro renovation”, since the use of this sheet product was mainly in Europe and the USA, where plasterboard is the leader in sales.

The sheets consist of an even, dense layer of gypsum, 9 to 12 mm thick, with cardboard glued on both sides. The perfectly flat surface of the sheet allows you to build various structures and level the walls for subsequent puttying and applying the finishing touch. Cardboard secured with glue keeps the rather fragile plaster from chipping and creasing, which makes it possible to mount it on a metal profile frame.

In construction, they began to replace plaster with plasterboard, based on the following positive qualities of this material:

plasterboard sheets make it possible to realize any ideas of the interior designer, from standard use for leveling to the design of shaped elements;
drywall is installed if the vertical differences exceed 40 mm, which is impossible when using standard methods for eliminating errors;
these sheet products protect the room from extraneous sounds and help retain heat;
using gypsum plasterboard sheets and metal profiles, water supply and electrical communications are masked;
installation of gypsum boards does not take much time;
this material is very easy to process and install, as a result of which even a person not experienced in construction work can independently build any structure;
gypsum is not an allergen and therefore gypsum board sheets are considered environmentally friendly materials;
You can immediately glue wallpaper or tiles onto the installed plasterboard base;
when working with plasterboard, there is practically no construction waste - the material is cut with a knife, and it is attached to the guides with self-tapping screws;
it masks the remnants of adhesive solutions that arise when laying walls made of lightweight concrete materials - with minimal differences in such surfaces, it is enough to fix the drywall with glue instead of plaster;
gypsum is a natural regulator of humidity in the room - it absorbs excess moisture, and when less humid conditions are created, it evaporates;
GCR is used to eliminate vertical differences that occur in the lower part of the wall due to the foundation blocks going beyond the floor level.

In addition to its positive qualities, this material has a number of disadvantages that limit its use in some cases:

The use of gypsum boards implies a significant reduction in the internal volume of the room, which is unacceptable in confined spaces.
Walls made of gypsum plasterboard cannot withstand even average loads - it will not be possible to hang a shelf on such a base, but experienced finishers find a way out in this situation: if the exact location of fixing the fastening elements is known, a hole is cut out in the gypsum plasterboard and the material is replaced with a more durable one (plywood, OSB ).
GKL sheets cannot withstand strong temperature changes, so the use of plasterboard in dachas that are not heated in the cold months is prohibited, as the product will quickly become unusable and collapse.
Before gluing wallpaper onto a gypsum fiber board base, it is necessary to treat the wall surface with a putty mixture, otherwise, when removing the wallpaper, the protective layer will be removed along with it, which will lead to the need for a thorough reconstruction.
The cavities formed during the construction of walls made of material become a refuge for rodents and insects.
Despite the production of special water-resistant varieties of this material, constant exposure to rooms with high humidity reduces the service life of gypsum boards to 5–7 years.

Plaster

This method of leveling bases for further application of finishing materials has been used for many centuries, but even today plaster is actively used in construction work. This material can be based on various substances - cement, gypsum, lime and clay - therefore, the use of plaster solutions also differs in the type of surface and operating conditions.

The positive properties of plaster include the following:

this material, with proper preparation of the solution and application, can be used for at least 30 years;
You can hang any elements on plastered surfaces without any problems;
the bases on which the plaster is applied do not respond to changes in temperature and humidity, which allows it to be used in any conditions;
if necessary, any damaged plastered area can be repaired;
the layer of plaster does not exceed 20 mm, which allows you to preserve the volume of the internal space of the room;
any types of plaster do not pose a danger to human health;
plastered surfaces are used for further installation of any finishing materials.

The disadvantages of plaster solutions include:

When working with plaster mortars, a large amount of construction waste appears.
An untrained person will not be able to perform this work efficiently.
Using plaster solutions, you can eliminate unevenness with a thickness of no more than 25 mm.
In almost all cases, to install the final finish, puttying will be required.
To hide electrical wires or water pipes, you will have to prepare grooves using a hammer drill.
It will take quite a lot of time to carry out high-quality work on plastering the base. The final strength gain of plaster mixtures based on cement occurs within 28 days and only then is it possible to carry out the following work.

In what cases is it better to use

Having found out the advantages and disadvantages of the materials in question, you can decide which is better, plaster or drywall for walls in each specific case. To make a decision, you will need to analyze the input data: the degree of deviation of the vertical wall, the base material, whether the manufacture of complex structures is required to give the interior the intended appearance, operating conditions of the room, the need to mask any structures and communications, what material is planned to be applied as finishing cladding on the walls and the experience of the master.

An important issue is the cost of materials. Plaster solutions are cheap, but require a more highly qualified finisher; drywall is more expensive; in addition, guides and fasteners will be needed to install the sheets, although even a novice craftsman can handle covering walls with this material.

Drywall

To resolve the doubt whether it is possible to cover the walls with plasterboard instead of plaster, the following list of circumstances in which the installation of plasterboard is preferable will help:

if the base is a wooden surface, for example, in a country house or country house, when they are a permanent place of residence;
if necessary, disguise internal communications without the use of tedious gating and if there is free space in the room;
if there is a need for additional insulation of the room or sound insulation;
with significant differences in the vertical wall (more than 20 mm);
if it is necessary to complete finishing work in the shortest possible time;
when doing the work yourself, when it is not possible to hire a professional to plaster the walls;
if necessary, eliminate flaws in masonry made of aerated concrete, gas silicate blocks, bricks and foam blocks;
in cases where it is necessary to eliminate protruding parts of the foundation made of FBS.

In ambiguous conditions, when it is possible to use both materials, you should calculate whether it is cheaper to level the walls - with plasterboard or plaster, and then make a decision.

Plaster

If you need to decide how best to level the walls - with plasterboard or putty, the main criterion for making a decision is the magnitude of the vertical difference of the base and the purpose of the room.

For small vertical deviations, you can use gypsum plasterboard and plaster the surface, but if you are going to hang heavy shelves or other objects on such walls, you will only have to plaster the base.

Leveling plaster is used in the following cases:

when preparing bases for subsequent finishing with heavy materials (decorative stone slabs);
for leveling the surface in rooms with high humidity levels (in the bathroom);
if it is necessary to secure massive objects to the walls;
in small rooms when you need to save space;
when the treated surface deviates from the vertical within 20 mm;
in rooms where sudden changes in temperature and humidity conditions are possible.

Leveling walls in an apartment with plaster or gypsum: which is better for walls in a new building and which plasterboard is best to choose for leveling

Choosing between plaster and drywall involves understanding the differences between them. The cost of the material and the installer's experience required for installation are important factors to consider when making your decision.

Plaster or drywall - which is better?

During construction or renovation, many people are faced with a choice: what materials to use - traditional or new?

Which is better - plaster or drywall? The latter method of wall decoration is becoming increasingly popular because it has many advantages. However, plaster does not give up its position.

What is better for walls: drywall or plaster?

It is difficult to answer this question unambiguously. It all depends on the budget, the time you need to spend on finishing the walls, and the skills available. As a budget solution, it is recommended to use GK slabs. They can be installed even by less experienced people.

Plaster is more resistant to mechanical damage and better insulates heat. It can be used in any room. Cement mixtures are recommended in areas with high loads. Bags of plaster are more expensive, and its application requires more skills. Drying time for walls is up to three weeks.

When is it better to cover walls with plasterboard?

While some would argue that a traditional plaster wall is not comparable in texture and aesthetics to other finishing materials, it is important to note that drywall has tremendous flexibility. HA profiles reduce the need for expensive load-bearing structures and are pre-cut on site to allow for faster on-site installation.

It is ideal for more modern conditions in terms of creating non-standard structures and unusual wall shapes.
Perforated plasterboard solutions have impressive sound absorption.
With its help, you can improve the internal comfort of a room much faster and cleaner than using older technologies.

Installation takes place without the messy application process that traditional plaster cannot do without. For most modern apartments, a simple solution from HA is reasonable and economical.

When is the best time to plaster with plaster?

Float:="" left="" margin:="">For interior walls in old houses, you can use both plaster and plasterboard. GK is cheaper and easier to install, but it is less resistant to damage and is not suitable for damp rooms.

Applying plaster mortars correctly requires the right skills, and the long drying process will lead to a significant prolongation of construction work. A good alternative is machine plasters, which provide a much faster and more effective coating on walls.

Performance characteristics of plaster and drywall

Plastering is an older construction technique that can be found on historic buildings. The material is used for unusual shapes, such as rounded walls, on which plasterboard sheets cannot be mounted.

Stucco has a textured appearance, which some people consider to be a more upscale and sophisticated finish. At the same time, the room looks seamless and smooth. The building material can be purchased pre-mixed or in the form of a dry compound, which is prepared using water.

Drywall is a panel of plaster placed between two sheets of thick paper. The material first appeared in Australia in 1940 and its benefits include:

simple cutting;
little weight;
easy transportation.

Another plus is the smooth surface, which is suitable as a substrate for paints or wallpaper. The disadvantage of using drywall, especially on frames, is the reduction in space in rooms.

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What is better and cheaper, to plaster the walls or cover them with plasterboard?

Which building material is more preferable when leveling walls - plaster or drywall? This is one of the most pressing repair issues that must be resolved in advance so as not to encounter many problems that are inevitable with the wrong approach. Both materials show excellent results when leveling walls and ceilings and look great after finishing work is completed, but both of them have disadvantages, and working with each of them has its own nuances.

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To answer the question of which is better - drywall or plaster, it is worth comparing their characteristics and considering the pros and cons.

Types of drywall

The modern construction market offers many types of drywall from Western and Russian manufacturers, designed for different purposes, differing in size, sheet thickness and performance characteristics:

Standard gray plasterboard with blue markings for finishing walls and ceilings in rooms with low and normal levels of air humidity.
Waterproof plasterboard GKLV with silicone granules, which includes antifungal components, intended for rooms with high levels of humidity and unstable air temperatures. GKLV color is green, markings are blue.
Fire-resistant plasterboard GKLO pink or gray with red markings is used to protect the premises from fires. In an apartment, such material is sometimes chosen for a nursery.
Waterproof and fire-resistant GKLVO material in green color with red markings for industrial premises with high levels of humidity and increased fire safety requirements.

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Based on thickness, plasterboard is divided into wall (from 12.5 mm), ceiling (8–9.5 mm) and arched (6 mm).

Advantages of drywall over plaster

Drywall has the following advantages:

High noise-absorbing properties. Plaster also has soundproofing characteristics, but not to the same extent.
Convenient arrangement of heat and sound insulation. Materials are laid between the frame and the wall or ceiling.
Sheathing a surface with plasterboard is easier and faster than leveling it with plaster, especially in the case of a ceiling that is particularly difficult to plaster.
Drywall is indispensable when creating complex structures - arches, figures, interior and zone partitions, multi-level ceilings.
Suitable for walls of any curvature.
Plasterboarding is a relatively clean way to level surfaces, leaving only dry debris behind.

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Disadvantages of drywall

Among the disadvantages of gypsum boards:

fragility of the erected structure;
reduction of room area;
the need to completely replace drywall in cases of flooding from the upper floors;
difficulties with placing heavy objects on the walls, special fasteners are required, and in order to hang heavy cabinets on drywall in the kitchen, you will have to think about ways to strengthen it.

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Leveling walls with plasterboard requires a whole range of work. To create an ideal surface, you will need to seal the seams and the locations of the screws with putty, apply a layer of primer and then putty to the entire surface of the drywall, and after drying, sand it. When everything is dry, you can begin wallpapering, painting or finishing with decorative plaster.

Types of plaster

Plastered walls and ceilings are an ideal base for painting or wallpapering. Types of plaster for leveling surfaces:

The most economical option is a cement mixture, which provides a durable coating with high heat and sound insulation and fire protection characteristics. The composition can withstand high levels of humidity, but is heavy, which makes it difficult to apply to walls and especially ceilings. It requires puttying and sanding before painting or laying tiles, but if properly leveled it can last a very long time.

Cement-lime plaster has antibacterial properties, protecting the room from the appearance of mold and microorganisms.
Gypsum is a dry mixture consisting of gypsum powder with plasticizers. Gypsum plaster is plastic, vapor-permeable, environmentally friendly, lightweight compared to cement, compatible with concrete and brick surfaces, and does not require putty before painting or wallpapering.
Decorative plaster - can be silicone, mineral, silicate, used for finishing, allows you to create unusual and unique surfaces. It makes no sense to compare such exclusive types of this material as travertino, Venetian, Moroccan plaster with plasterboard, since their cost significantly exceeds the most expensive types of gypsum plasterboard along with finishing.

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Advantages of plaster over drywall

Plaster is one of the most ancient building materials, the composition and properties of which have changed over the centuries. Modern mixtures with various additives are successfully used for both interior and facade work, maintaining the excellent appearance of the cladding for decades. Among its main advantages:

High strength and reliability.
Long-term operation.
Space saving.
Low material cost
No problems with placing wall cabinets and any other items.

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Disadvantages of plaster

Plaster also has significant disadvantages:

Plastering is a labor-intensive and messy process.
The need to use beacons to create a uniform layer.
Risk of cracking when applying thick layers.
Long drying time. When plastering in several layers, repairs may take several weeks.
Plastering walls will be difficult for a beginner without special skills.

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Which material to choose

Before you begin a renovation, there are several important factors to consider to decide which of these materials is right for your particular application.

If the speed of work is important and the repair must be completed quickly, you should give preference to drywall.
It is better to level walls in rooms with high levels of humidity with cement or cement-lime plaster, which is an excellent base for all types of tiles and heavy wall structures - shelves, mirrors, water heaters. Plastered surfaces in the kitchen, bathroom and toilet will last for several decades.

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It is much more profitable to level surfaces with large differences with plasterboard rather than plaster. When using gypsum plasterboard, the curvature of the walls does not matter; when using a plaster mixture, you will have to use up a lot of material.

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What is cheaper – plaster or drywall? The cost of the plaster mixture is lower than the cost of plasterboard, plastering work will also require lower costs, but if a really good experienced craftsman does the plastering, his work will be paid higher. In this case, the price of work with these materials will be approximately the same.

If the ceiling or walls need to be insulated, it is better to choose plasterboard.

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When choosing paint as a finishing material, you should prefer gypsum board, since microcracks will not appear on it.
It is advisable to finish the walls in new buildings with gypsum or cement plaster to minimize cracking of surfaces during shrinkage of the building.
In a small room, it is better to plaster the walls and ceiling so as not to waste space due to the plasterboard frame.
In the kitchen or other rooms where heavy cabinets or other items will hang, it is more advisable to choose plastering.

What is better to level the walls: with plasterboard or plaster, reviews

In turn, drywall can be installed using metal profiles quite quickly. In addition, gypsum boards are cheaper than plaster. Both methods have their advantages and disadvantages, which we will look at in this article.

Drywall or plaster - which is better to use?

Many new home owners are increasingly deciding to use plasterboard on interior walls instead of traditional plaster. This solution, however, has some disadvantages, although, without a doubt, this technology is much cheaper and allows you to quickly finish all walls.

From year to year, plasterboard is becoming an increasingly popular material in residential construction, repair and reconstruction. This is indeed a very good material for the walls of any room, including baths and kitchens, in addition, it can be used for false ceilings. But in order to make the right choice, you need to carefully analyze whether to level the walls with plasterboard or plaster and what will be better in each case.

Finishing walls with plaster - advantages

Plastering interior walls has many advantages:

For living rooms and living rooms, you should choose traditional gypsum or clay plaster. At the same time, such a choice will not be the best solution for premises where there is a high risk of damage to the walls - garages, workshops, etc. For such premises, stronger cement-lime mixtures are best suited.

The solution should be applied approximately 1-2cm thick. To secure the surface and ensure durability of the coating, the walls should be primed with special compounds. And only then apply one or two layers of plaster.

You can also perform machine plastering, which significantly speeds up finishing work.

Disadvantages of plaster

The biggest disadvantage of this type of finishing is the need to thoroughly dry the walls before applying a decorative layer, such as paint or wallpaper. To ensure that the wall dries, you need to wait about 3 weeks. This increases repair time but provides a durable coating.
Carrying out the work requires experience and high precision in applying the solution and leveling it in order to create a completely perfect wall, without “waves”. Special beacons for plaster make the process easier, but they will require additional costs.

In turn, the big advantage of plaster walls compared to plasterboard is that the plaster forms a dense surface over the entire wall, unlike gypsum boards. If the seams between the slabs are poorly finished, vertical and horizontal cracks may appear on the walls over time.

It is very easy to make grooves in a plaster wall for wires and cables, as well as plumbing pipes. This is important if it is necessary to reconstruct and install or add new cables.

Wall finishing with plasterboard

Installation of plasterboard boards can be done in two ways:

dry (on profiles);
by gluing to the surface with special glue.

In practice, these two technologies are durable and are sufficient for domestic needs.

Advantages of plasterboard finishing

you can do this work yourself, even if you don't have much experience;
gluing the panels is not difficult, you just need to accurately determine the location of each plate and spend a little more time finishing the wall with windows and doors.

Many people say that the advantage of drywall is that it allows you to make the wall very even and smooth. There are two points to consider here:

This can also be done using plaster, but more experience will be required.
For less experienced people, drywall will be easier to work with, but care must also be taken to ensure that the wall itself is not too crooked. The layer of gypsum adhesive must be within certain limits; it should not be too little or too much, which may sometimes require additional treatment of the walls before assembling the panels. Some problems can be solved by installing slabs on profiles, but this solution is more expensive and more labor-intensive than installation by gluing.

When installing drywall, it is important to choose the right type of slab for the room, namely, match it to the conditions where there is a certain temperature and humidity. In bathrooms, kitchens, and laundries, it is necessary to use impregnated so-called “green” boards, which have increased moisture resistance, but it should be borne in mind that they are not waterproof.

After installing the panels, on profiles or with glue, a very important stage of work is the correct finishing of all joints between the panels. If we make mistakes at this stage, then over time unaesthetic cracks may appear on the surface of the walls, which spread to the paint layer.

It is also necessary to carefully control the location of places where glue is applied so that this does not lead to sagging of the slab, for example, when hanging heavy shelves on the wall, which can even lead to a crack in the slab.

Disadvantages of plasterboard finishing

high water absorption;
complete disrepair in case of flooding by neighbors;
less strength and load capacity;
the thickness of the wall will steal the area of the room.

How to choose which is better?

If the financial aspect is most important, then it is better to decide to decorate the walls with sheets of plasterboard glued to the wall. However, if we want to get a more durable and reliable coating, then traditional plaster is recommended. Here we have a fairly wide selection:

gypsum plaster;
clay;
limestone;
cement;
their combinations and some other modern technologies.

Both types of coating then need to be puttyed and carefully sanded to a completely smooth surface before we paint or wallpaper them.

Gypsum boards are a less demanding material to install than plaster, so we can, if we have certain skills, decorate the walls with them ourselves. For plastering work you need to have some experience; this is a more labor-intensive technology. An interesting alternative is machine plastering, which allows you to quickly and efficiently complete a large amount of work.

In terms of speed of work, drywall is better than plaster, as it allows you to complete repairs faster. It should be remembered that when plastering, we must wait before painting, usually 2-3 weeks. This problem does not occur with drywall, which can be painted much more quickly.

Building a new house or renovating an old one, updating an apartment or restoring damaged walls invariably leads to the need to start repairs. A few decades ago, construction work on leveling walls would have been reduced to plastering them. Today, this option has a worthy competitor - drywall. This is where the dilemma arises: which is better - drywall or plaster?

There is no clear answer to this question. In each specific case, the owner will have to decide for himself what to purchase. The choice will become obvious only after reviewing the advantages and disadvantages of each building material.

What is drywall?

This material was invented at the end of the 19th century in America. But then it did not become widespread. Over time, when choosing which is better - drywall or plaster, more and more people began to give preference to drywall. From the middle of the next century, its use spread throughout the world, and it also appeared in the USSR.

Drywall is a building material. It consists of two sheets of cardboard and an inner layer of hardened gypsum dough between them. Drywall is used for ceilings, for interior wall cladding and for creating interior partitions. Not suitable for external work and for rooms with high humidity. Of course, you can use plasterboard to level the walls, but after a few years the appearance of these walls will deteriorate. After a maximum of 6-8 years, the repair will have to be repeated.

Manufacturers produce plasterboard sheets in three main standard sizes. One width is 1200 millimeters, and the length can be 2, 2.5 or 3 meters. The sheet thickness comes in two sizes: 9.5 or 12.5 millimeters.

Responding to consumer requests, manufacturers have launched the production of three types of plasterboard: standard gypsum plasterboard sheets (GKL), waterproof gypsum plasterboard (GKLV) and fire-resistant gypsum plasterboard (GKLO).

Waterproof sheets are distinguished by the addition of special anti-fungal substances to the gypsum core. The gypsum in fire-resistant sheets is reinforced with clay and fiberglass reinforcement. Thanks to the fire-resistant properties of these materials, a sheet of plasterboard can withstand an open fire for an hour without spreading it or smoke. The buyer can distinguish the types of drywall by the color of the sheets: if it is gray, then it is ordinary drywall, green markings indicate water-resistant material, and pink marks indicate fire resistance.

What is plaster?

For a long time, walls and ceilings were leveled using plaster. This is a building mixture used to finish the inside or outside of walls, as well as the ceiling. Plaster also means a hardened layer obtained as a result of applying it to walls. Usually there are three:

Regular - used to level the surface of walls and protect them from the negative effects of the environment. It is possible to treat walls both indoors and outdoors.
Special - by adding certain components, it provides different characteristics: heat-saving, sound-insulating, X-ray protective, waterproofing.
Decorative - at the final stage of finishing walls or ceilings, it gives an aesthetically attractive appearance to the surface. There are colored, silk, Venetian, stone and others.

Ordinary plaster can have different compositions: lime, gypsum or cement-sand mixture.

Lime mortar is a mass of lime and sand in a ratio of 1:4. You can add cement for strength. The environmentally friendly mixture is quickly applied and used for outdoor work. Cement-sand mixture in a ratio of 1:4 can be applied to the outer and inner sides of the walls. This solution will be able to level out large defects; the layer of plaster will not be destroyed for several decades. used for interior work. The coating is smooth and white, suitable for finishing in any way: wallpaper, painting, tiles.

Advantages of drywall

In order to determine which is better - drywall or plaster, you need to learn about the pros and cons of each type of finishing materials. Drywall has a number of advantages that plaster does not reach:

All finishing work with drywall is accompanied by a minimum of dirt, since the material is dry and does not require moisture.
Leveling walls with this material does not require special skills and is done quickly. It is not difficult to use plasterboard for the ceiling.
GKL sheathing provides sound insulation from external extraneous noise. The use of special fire-resistant plasterboard provides fire prevention.
The ability of drywall to absorb excess moisture allows the walls to “breathe.”
An empty space is created between the sheathing sheet and the wall, which can be put to good use. You can hide communications there or fill them with insulation.
Drywall sheets bend well. This allows you to construct original designs on walls and ceilings from this material.

Disadvantages of drywall

Like any material, it has disadvantages. The disadvantages include:

reduction of usable space inside the room, because the sheets are attached to the sheathing;
upholstering walls with plasterboard is only part of the finishing work: you also need to putty the seams and apply finishing material;
plasterboard walls cannot support a heavy shelf or cabinet hung on them; to do this, additional elements must be laid under the sheet.

Advantages of plaster

It’s not for nothing that plaster is called an old, proven method of leveling walls and ceilings. It can compete with the visible advantages of drywall when choosing a material: what is better - drywall or plaster? The material has remained in demand for so long because the advantages of plastered walls cannot be ignored.

Durability is the main advantage of plaster. The work carried out in compliance with all technologies allows you to forget about problems with unevenness for at least thirty years. Wallpaper, painting, and whitewash will have to be updated more often.
A wall lined with plaster is strong, can withstand impacts, and is reliable.
It can support almost any load: furniture, electrical equipment or a picture in a heavy antique frame.
Keeps the same area of the room without reducing it by a few centimeters on each side.
Electricians allow the use of single-insulated wires on plastered walls.

Disadvantages of the material

Plaster is good, but it is not without its drawbacks:

Plastering walls is carried out by adding water, so it is accompanied by a huge amount of dirt.
Plastering is not a quick job. It takes time to apply the material and then for it to dry. And only then can you begin finishing. This may take three weeks, or even more.
When accepting work done from a plasterer, the customer can easily overlook the flaws. A non-professional is also often unable to check whether the technology is being followed correctly. There are many builders who want to carry out plastering work. The price depends on the level of skill and responsibility of the specialist.

Decorating a room using drywall

Plaster hides unevenness on the walls well and reliably. Drywall can do more - it can transform a space. When plastering, you get a box with perfectly smooth walls. Drywall design knows no boundaries. The most common options are: two- or three-level ceilings, zoning the room, creating arches or columns. You can transform any room, from the bedroom to the hallway. Craftsmen offer interesting ideas for decorating a bedroom, nursery, and living room.

Cost of plaster and drywall

A comparison of the price of drywall and the components for plaster shows that the second material is significantly cheaper, almost twice as much. But you need to prepare a mixture from the starting materials, and then apply it to the wall. The drywall is ready for use and the sheet looks great. It is not difficult to lift and carry, it is lightweight.

Calculating the required number of sheets of drywall is easy. It is enough to measure the area of the walls and ceilings in each room. Even a master can calculate the required amount of plaster. Much depends on the condition of the walls. If they are in poor condition, then you will have to increase the consumption of materials. Hence, to the question of what is cheaper - drywall or plaster, we can confidently answer that the second material is more affordable.

Remuneration of specialists

The cost of covering walls with plasterboard and plastering them is approximately the same. There is another problem here: finding a good master. It will, of course, cost more, but the game is worth the candle.

There are construction companies that demand quite high prices - up to 4 dollars for processing one square meter. However, the length of the tool is not specified. An experienced plasterer for that kind of money will only work with a one and a half meter trowel. The customer must understand that this option is preferable for him. The work of a highly qualified professional will cost much more: from $20 per square meter.

Leveling walls or ceilings with drywall will cost much less. So, on average, installation of drywall (price per sq. m) is about $5. Additional expenses will be required for smoothing the joints of sheets and for facing drywall. It's still cheaper than plastering.

Comparing these prices clearly answers the question of what is more profitable - plaster or drywall. Plaster will be cheaper.

Making a choice

Plaster and drywall have common features. Let's look at which ones exactly. It’s not called drywall for nothing. It can level walls without unnecessary difficulties. Both types of finishing materials are made from environmentally friendly components. Therefore they are harmless.

If we compare the speed of work, the undisputed leader will be drywall. Moreover, you can work with it already at +5 degrees. Plastering requires a warmer temperature. When comparing service life, the leadership will remain with plaster. A small caveat: if the application procedure was carried out correctly.

To quickly complete the repair, it is better to choose installation of drywall. Price per sq. m will also be lower, which is important. Preference should be given to drywall if you need to hide utility lines or large flaws in the walls. Additional insulation is also possible when installing this material.

Plaster is preferable at the dacha, since in winter there is no constant heating. A small room finished with plasterboard will become even smaller. Plaster will save the area from shrinking. And, of course, for rooms with heavy objects on the walls, this material is a win-win option.

Conclusion

These are the conclusions. Make your own decision about what is right for you - finishing the walls with plaster or drywall. Happy renovation!

Indoor finishing work often involves the need to level the walls. Typically, various plaster compounds or drywall are used for these purposes. The resulting coatings differ in quality, load-bearing abilities and possibilities for decoration. To understand which is better: plaster or drywall, you need to learn more about these materials.

Plaster is the general name for a group of materials that are used to create a smooth surface by applying a specific layer. They can be made from cement, gypsum, lime or clay. Sand or other mineral fillers are added to the binder. Special additives are also used to increase the viscosity and ductility of the material. Some additives serve to speed up or slow down the drying of plasters.

These materials are primarily divided into plasters for external or internal use. They can also be divided into subtypes, depending on the quality of the coating after the solution has dried. In addition, there are compositions for heat and sound insulation. In most cases, plasters are white or gray in color, but color is added to some decorative mixtures during production. The material can be supplied in dry powder form in bags of 25 and 50 kg. There are also ready-made solutions that are sold in plastic containers of various sizes.

Plaster is the general name for a group of materials that can differ significantly both in texture and appearance, as well as in performance properties.

If we talk about the positive aspects of this material, the following especially stand out:

Long service life. Provided that the manufacturing technology and application to the walls are followed, plaster can last up to 30 years. In this case we are talking about a rough leveling finish; the decorative finish serves 2 times less.
Compared to drywall, purchasing materials for plastering will cost a little less. You can save approximately 50% of the budget if you use inexpensive cement mixtures to level surfaces and a thin decorative layer. If we take into account the cost of work, then plastering ultimately costs 10-20% less.
After drying, the wall becomes durable and protected from various influences. This allows you to hang decorative elements, furniture or equipment on it. In this case, drywall will not be able to withstand serious mechanical loads, so this possibility disappears.

Plastered walls look very aesthetically pleasing and are completely ready for decorative finishing

The main disadvantage of plasters is the difficulty of working with them. The mixture must first be properly prepared, brought to the desired consistency, and then transferred to the surface to be treated within a limited period of time. Serious preparatory work is also required before plastering. Plasters take a long time to dry; it usually takes from 2 weeks to a month to complete the work from start to finish. Violation of the drying technology leads to damage to the coating, so you will have to wait in any case.

Too much wall collapse or a significant number of defects are difficult to correct with plaster. This requires a lot of solution, which leads to additional costs. Also, one layer of plaster should not exceed 25 mm, and there should be a reinforcing mesh between them, which complicates the work. We should also not forget that it will be difficult for an inexperienced master to determine the quality of the solution and the finished coating by eye, so flaws during application are inevitable.

In some cases, plastering walls requires a reinforcing mesh and a large consumption of mortar

Features of drywall

Drywall is sometimes called “dry plaster” because it is its closest analogue. In Western countries, they prefer finishing with plasterboard to working with plasters, but in our latitudes they are used to the same extent. Drywall consists of sheets of thick, hard paper, between which there is a layer of gypsum. It is intended for leveling surfaces, thermal insulation or masking utility lines in rooms with normal humidity levels.

On a note! For bathrooms, basements and other wet rooms, it is recommended to use a special gypsum board with a polymer layer that is protected from the harmful effects of water.

For rooms with high humidity it is better to use gypsum plasterboard with a polymer layer

Simple drywall will last about 15 years under normal conditions; moisture-resistant drywall in the bathroom will need to be replaced after about 7 years. After installing the sheets of material, you get a perfectly flat surface that can be decorated in any way.

The advantages of this material include the following:

Drywall is a ready-made product that just needs to be installed. The work does not involve the appearance of large amounts of debris and pollution.
This material does not require additional sound insulation, since it itself blocks sound.
Drywall is able to quickly absorb and release moisture, so it does not accumulate under the surface.
With its help, you can finish not only smooth surfaces, but also create intricate curves, design an interior opening in the form of an arch, and so on.
Installing drywall takes much less time than applying plaster.
Between the gypsum plasterboard sheets and the surface to be treated, insulation, for example, mineral wool, can be laid to effectively use the space.

The first and main negative feature of gypsum boards is the reduction in the internal volume of the room. The fact is that sheets of material are not installed directly on the wall, but on a metal sheathing. Additionally, installed drywall cannot be considered a finished finish. You will need to putty the seams between the sheets, paint, tiling or wallpapering.

Installing a frame for drywall significantly reduces the area of the room

It is important to remember that drywall is a rather fragile material, so you cannot hang furniture or heavy equipment on walls finished with it. This drawback can be partially mitigated by installing additional fasteners on the sheathing before directly installing the sheets, but if this is not done first, then the material will have to be dismantled to strengthen the wall.

In what cases is drywall better than plaster?

The installation of gypsum plasterboard is advantageous in cases where the wall is filled with more than 80 mm; it has many cracks, potholes, sagging, uneven joints, chips and other defects that are inherent in concrete and brick structures. Also, this material is more suitable than a plaster mixture when you need to quickly complete repairs. Even an inexperienced home craftsman can cope with covering the ceiling and walls in 2-3 days. Professional plasterers also work quickly, but you still need to wait for it to dry.

On a note! Drywall is a material for home craftsmen who do not have special education or extensive experience in finishing work. The entire installation process boils down to drilling holes and installing fasteners.

This finish is suitable in cases where there is no possibility or desire to dabble walls. All utility lines can be masked using sheets of this material. If pipes and wiring do not run in the natural gap between the gypsum board and the wall, then insulation can be laid in it. Mineral wool is usually used as it is not very expensive but effective.

A layer of insulation inside the drywall frame creates additional heat and sound insulation of the room

If you plan to decorate surfaces using painting, then it is better to use drywall instead of plaster. Microcracks do not appear on the sheets, so the finishing layer will not be damaged. Also, this material can be installed in conditions of high humidity and low temperature, which cannot be said about plaster.

When is plaster preferable to drywall?

If manufacturing and application technologies are followed, the resulting coating from plaster mixtures has a significant level of mechanical strength, so if you plan to hang large furniture and equipment on the wall, or there is a possibility of damage, it is necessary to abandon the gypsum board and plaster the surfaces. Plaster is also better suited in cases where there is a significant risk of flooding, or simply in damp rooms. If such a problem happens, the drywall will become unusable, and the plastered surface will simply dry out.

Even the heaviest tiles can be installed on plastered walls. Plaster is also better suited if the walls have a small number of defects. It is not recommended to use drywall in tight spaces as it will take up the already cramped space.

Plaster is perfect for leveling walls and allows you to save space

Is it necessary to plaster drywall under wallpaper?

In some cases, you don’t have to choose whether plaster or drywall is better, but rather, use both of these materials together. The fact is that when pasting gypsum plasterboard with wallpaper without preliminary preparation, the rolled material will stick tightly to the cardboard, so it will be possible to change the topcoat only together with the drywall. The layer of plaster under the wallpaper should be minimal, only to create a small layer.

Cost of materials and work

To understand which is better: plaster or drywall, you can resort to calculating the cost of materials and work.

Let's say there is a room 3x4x2.5 m. To cover it with plasterboard you will need the following:

Sheets of plasterboard in the amount of 20 pieces - approximate cost 7,000 rubles.
Slats and steps for sheathing - 40 pieces of both - 4000 rub.
Two packages of dowels – 400 RUR.
Five packs of self-tapping screws – 400 rub.
Serpyanka – 100 rub.
Primer (10 l) – 620 rub.
Putty (3 bags) – 1200 rub.

At the moment, a good master will charge 500 rubles on average. per square meter, since 35 square meters will need to be processed. m, then the cost of work is 17,500 rubles. The total amount is 31,220 rubles.

Plaster or drywall: the cost difference is negligible, the time difference is large

For plastering:

10 cans of primer – 6000 rub.
24 bags of plaster – 4560 rub.
3 bags of finishing plaster – 600 rub.

The cost of the work is 600 rubles. per square meter. The plasterer will have to pay 21,000 rubles. The total cost of work is 32160.

The difference in cost is insignificant, but in time it is very large. If you plan to quickly complete the repair, then it is better to opt for drywall. If major repairs are required, it is better to choose plaster.