Why plasterboard is better than plaster for walls and ceilings

There are many differences between drywall and plaster including material size, hardness, density, installation, repairs and cost.

Drywall, also known as plasterboard, is made of gypsum mixed with water and spread between two large sheets of paper. Plasterboard is used for the construction of interior walls and ceilings. One of the benefits in specifying plasterboard is that it is fire resistant.

Comparatively, plastering is one of the oldest building techniques. Plaster is made of lime or gypsum, a white material, which hardens when drying and is predominately used for covering ceilings and walls. Plaster is used as a protective cover over stone and brick masonry, and is also ideal for creating unique finishes.

Plaster is a powder mixed with water to create a paste before application to walls. Often two coats of plaster are required to ensure full coverage.

Plasterboard/drywall

Plasterboard is installed by lifting the sheets and attaching them to wall studs. The front side of the drywall is a smooth, even surface, which can be easily painted over. Plasterboard is effective for noise control and humidity resistance.

Plasterboard is more stable than plaster, doesn’t require high levels of sanding, and is easier to repair.

Ready-made GTEK plasterboards quickly and easily attach to your walls or studs. The install process involves a simple measure, cutting the sheets to size, fixing the sheets to the wall, and filling the joins and screw holes before you paint your new walls and ceilings. Once the plasterboard has been secured, fill in the joints and screw holes with one of GTEK’s jointing compounds.

Due to the premium quality of GTEK, the plasterboard rarely cracks and is already dry, making it the premier choice over wet plaster. For example, GTEK Wall is a flat, smooth, blemish-free and monolithic surface that will readily take decorative paints and thin cover finishes. GTEK also offers ranges for specific applications such as GTEK Ceiling, a 10mm plasterboard sheet designed specifically for ceiling use, and ideal for residential and commercial applications where economy of effort and cost-effectiveness are crucial factors.

For wet areas and bathrooms, it is recommended to use a specifically designed product, GTEK Wet Area, which has been developed with a low absorption core for wet area walls in residential and commercial buildings. GTEK Wet Area is suitable for bathrooms, laundries, toilets, cleaning rooms, and external ceilings in alfresco areas.

Another wet resistance option by GTEK is a highly effective lining technology that provides superior performance in wet and high humidity areas in both residential and commercial projects. GTEK Barrier incorporates high performance non-woven fibreglass composite lining on the face and back to provide superior moisture and humidity resistance. GTEK Barrier has excellent abrasion resistance, making this product ideal for high traffic non-tiled areas.

Available in WA, GTEK Smartwall is applied to double brick construction using drywall lining instead of traditional plaster. Offering a fast and easy installation, it creates a premium smooth internal wall and low maintenance finish that is resistant to settling and cornice cracking that you would typically see with plaster.

GTEK Sound and Impact ranges provide sound and temperature insulation solutions.

Overall, the installation process for plasterboard is quick and easy with little to no dry time. Plasterboard is less expensive to install and more user-friendly for the end user as you can easily hang shelving and frames on plasterboard walls.

Plaster

Plaster is a hard material that creates a durable surface to be painted over; however, it is porous and absorbs moisture easily and can make painting more difficult and costly since it would need more than two coats and higher dry time to achieve your desired look.

Compared to plasterboard, plaster has a slower installation process as dry time and multiple layers of plaster must be factored into the build or renovation.

While thicker plaster can be a good soundproofing solution, it is prone to cracking over the long term, which can cause costly repairs.

Generally, plaster can be more expensive to install than plasterboard.

Conclusion

Overall, plasterboard is the more convenient option of the two, and recognised as the most time and cost-efficient choice.

Get in touch with our team of technical experts to assist you with choosing the best GTEK plasterboard options for your next project.