When preparing for a home renovation or addition you may have considered drywall automatically.
Alternatives to drywall for interior walls.
Sheet woods like plywood medium density fiberboard and oriented strand board serve as some of the cheapest and easiest to install materials for finishing walls in the home.
Even if you use drywall as the base some of these other options can be installed on top of the drywall.
While these materials don t offer the smooth look or fire resistance of drywall they are simple to screw in place and can be painted or left unfinished.
First plywood is inexpensive and sturdy as well as easier to install than drywall.
Plus the panels can be installed pretty easily.
All you need to do is to click the panels together one by one and the wall be done under an hour.
One of the best things about plastic panels is that there are plenty of designs to choose from.
Some of these alternatives are designed for high moisture environments such as basements while others do have that inherent visual interest lacking in drywall.
Instead of leaving every room clad in drywall alone i create interest depth and richness in interior spaces by incorporating alternative wall treatments with materials such as wood tile and natural stone.
Often referred to as gypsum board or sheetrock the name of a major drywall company this material is one of the most popular construction options for walls and even ceilings.
But it takes someone with very good trowel skills to apply it skillfully.
It s harder and smoother than drywall.
Making the choice to use plywood walls comes down to two main reasons.
Visual interest is born from creating visual tension.
Decor aesthetic or construction consideration.
If your interior walls are made of drywall then you can use plastic panels to cover any damage.
It s much more straightforward and just has to be screwed the studs either on its own or over existing drywall.
When most people think of a brick wall they may envision a brick wall in the kitchen or around a brick fireplace.
But there are alternatives to drywall.
This is most easily achieved by utilizing contrast.
Typically it s applied to some plaster ready gypsum board.