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The ceiling is one area that needs attention if you are finishing or upgrading your home. Drywall and drop ceiling tiles are two highly popular solutions for building and finishing a good-looking ceiling in any area.

Both can be worthwhile choices to take into account, but they also differ greatly. This article compares drywall and drop ceiling tiles, explains how they differ and explains which is better in various scenarios.

Explaining Drywall

Plasterboard, sheetrock, buster board, wallboard, and gypsum board are further names for drywall. This panel is composed of calcium sulphate and gypsum, as indicated by the names. 

To be precise, gypsum and calcium sulphate are mixed to form a slurry or paste, which is then sandwiched between two sheets of speciality paper.

Explaining Drop Ceiling Tiles

Drop ceiling tiles, as their name suggests, are unique ceiling tiles that extend a little below the actual ceiling. 

Because of how this method works, there will be a tiny gap between the drop ceiling tiles and the actual ceiling, making plumbing and electrical work simple.

Drop Ceiling Tiles versus Drywall

Size

The fact that drywall and drop ceiling tiles have various sizes is one of the key distinctions in this case, which is significant for both the installation procedure and the final appearance. There are three standard drywall sheet sizes: 4’ x 8’, 4’ x 12’, and 4’ x 16’. 

Contrarily, drop ceiling tiles often come as either 2” x 2” square tiles or 2” x 4” rectangle tiles. Simply said, they appear profoundly different.

Weight

The weight of drywall is a significant distinction to be made. While individual drop ceiling tiles can only weigh a few ounces, even a tiny sheet of drywall can weigh up to 60 pounds. 

This simplifies the overall installation process when employing drop ceiling tiles.

Installation

In connection with the point mentioned earlier, installing drywall is challenging. This is true for walls, but it is considerably more challenging when it comes to ceilings since you have to manually lift the incredibly heavy drywall and suspend it until it is installed. 

Compared to drop ceiling tiles, drywall is far more difficult to instal because of its weight.

Cost

Another thing to think about in this situation is that installing drop ceiling tiles is frequently far more expensive than installing drywall ceilings. 

Yes, the specific cost for each may vary depending on a number of factors, but generally speaking, drop ceilings will cost between 50 per cent and 200 per cent more than drywall ceilings.

Finish

Since you want your ceiling to seem nice, the second significant distinction to take into account here has to do with looks. This is frequently going to be painted, flat drywall. 

It’s not that it looks horrible per se, but neither is it very fancy or aesthetically pleasing. It’s quite simple.

Conclusion

Drop ceilings are the way to go if you want something that looks great and is simple to instal on your own. They are also available in a wide variety. 

But drywall is the best option if you don’t mind a longer installation time, want something inexpensive, and don’t care too much about appearance.

Plaster & Recruit provides high-quality drywall in Brisbane! We’re a registered plastering company that offers the best plastering services with operations throughout Brisbane, Gold Coast, and Queensland. Call us today to learn more!

The storm season often ends up damaging parts or chunks of a home. Also called water damage, rain soaks and seeps through the home’s crevices, eventually making the materials brittle or losing their integrity.

However, some companies now offer maintenance and repair services for water-damaged plasterboards. But although it is as easy as it sounds, there are some things people should first do. Here are some ideas.

1. Find Leak Cause

The first step is to find out the cause of the leak. Although it is common for water to enter the home, it is a problem when it seeps through the cracks and crevices. When the water leaks, it is often because of a broken pipe or a hole in the ceiling.

If it is a broken pipe, it is best to call a professional to fix it. But if there is a hole in the ceiling, it is best to patch it up. Finding the root cause of the leaks should stop them from wetting the property and making its material brittle or lose its integrity. Repairing the leaks should come first.

2. Inspect the Plasterboard

If the leak is coming from the ceiling, it is best to check the plasterboard because it is the most common place where leaks occur. It is also the most vulnerable part of the ceiling. Inspections should help plasterers identify if the material’s integrity is still good enough to use.

The plasterboard is the ceiling material held together by nails and screws. It is also the place where the electrical wires are attached. If the nails or screws are loose, they can cause the plasterboard to fall. Water can also seep through the nails or screws, causing leaks inside the rooms.

3. Scrape Off Damaged Plasterboards

If the plasterboard is already damaged, you will need to scrape off the old plasterboard to ensure that the new plasterboard will be appropriately attached. Once you have removed the old plasterboard, you will need to apply new plasterboard.

When applying new plasterboard, you must ensure that you use the proper adhesive, or the new plasterboard will not stay in place. You also must ensure that you apply the plasterboard evenly, or the new plasterboard will not look its best.

4. Seal Off Using Primer-Sealer

After you have applied the new plasterboard, you must seal off the plasterboard using primer sealers. Sealing the gaps will ensure that the plasterboard is properly sealed, preventing future problems like leaks or further water damage.

Applying primer sealers is relatively simple; just follow the instructions on the packaging. Once the primer-sealers are used, you can paint over them or apply wallpaper, depending on your desired finish. The application should finish in no time.

5. Use Plaster Patching

Once the plasterboard is applied, you should consider using plaster patching. It is a simple process that involves applying plaster to the damaged areas. Plaster patching will ensure that all cracks and holes are filled in, providing a much better and more professional finish.

You can apply plaster patching directly on top of the old plasterboard. However, to ensure that the plaster patching adheres appropriately, you should first sand down the old plasterboard. Once the plaster patching is applied, you can then paint over it.

Conclusion

Repairing water-damaged plasterboards is not much of a difficult task. However, it can be a challenge for people doing the repairs for the first time. But nowadays, homeowners can simply call for help and let the expert plasterers do the job in no time.
Plaster & Recruit offers plastering services to property owners to help them maintain or repair plaster boards. Aside from providing solutions to plasterboard issues, we also assist in ceiling repairs around Gold Coast. Learn more about our services or book an appointment on our website today.

There are two main types of wall materials: plaster and dry wall. To figure out which kind of wall you have in your home, you can do these simple methods in the comforts of your own home:

Check the Attic

You can usually tell what kind of wall you have in your attic by the material used. It is drywall if you see the uniform, rectangle sheets with brown paper backing. It is a plaster wall if you see thin wood strips with hardened white material in the gaps between them.

It’s important to check the attic’s floor and walls when determining what materials are used in the home’s construction. The attic is the ceiling of the room below, so checking can give you an idea of the materials used. 

Additionally, exterior walls will not help identify your wall material. Exterior walls are not usually finished with drywall or plaster and are typically insulated so that the building material won’t be visible.

Take Out the Switch Plate

Remove the switch plate or electrical socket cover with a screwdriver to expose the wall material beneath. If it contains a layer of paper on either side of the crumbly white gypsum, you have a dry wall.

On the other hand, if your walls are plaster, there is no paper layer on either side. There is only a hard plaster layer on top of wood laths. You may see plaster “keys” between the laths with a flashlight.

Try the Hardness Test

Try pushing a push pin into the wall to tell if you have plaster or drywall. If it’s a dry wall, it’s relatively soft so that the push pin can go in with thumb pressure. If it’s plaster, it’s much harder, so a thumbtack probably won’t go in without hammering.

Also, if you want to hang an item on your wall, you can try hammering a small nail into it. Drywall is easy to penetrate with a nail and will produce a small amount of white dust. Plaster walls are more difficult to nail into, and the nail may feel like it’s being pushed out. This is because the laths in the wall are flexible. When you get a nail into plaster, the hole is usually bigger than the nail, which can cause the nail to fall out.

Crack Down on Cracks

Plaster is a type of material that is used in construction projects. It is made of water, lime, and sand and creates smooth surfaces on walls and ceilings. It is also used to create decorative elements like mouldings. Plaster walls are usually found in older buildings because it was gradually phased out of use in the years after World War II. Most plaster walls have cracks because of the age of the material.

Plaster forms hairline cracks as it ages, while drywall does not. Cracks in plaster form spider web-like lines that spread across walls and ceilings.

Conversely, the cracks on a dry wall surface are usually small and localised. The paper surface of the dry wall also won’t crack.

Conclusion

Don’t just nail anything to your wall without checking its material. Remember these tips to find out if you’re working with plaster or dry wall!

Need Help? Contact We Plaster & Recruit Today
We Plaster & Recruit do exactly as our name suggests: we provide the best plastering services by employing the right contractors to do the job for you, whether dealing with plaster or dry wall in Gold Coast. Find out more on our website!

In any construction, the type of finish applied to a wall or ceiling has a significant impact on the end result. Factors to consider during the process can include the following: the type of surface being finished (e.g., drywall, plaster, wood, etc.), the desired look and feel of the finished product, the durability and maintenance requirements of the finish, and the budget. Let’s look at the different levels of finish for plasterboards to help you on your next project.

The Levels of Finish Explained

There are five levels of finish that most contractors adhere to in Australia. However, among the five levels, only levels three, four, and five are the most common benchmarks used for plasterboard applications. This is because levels one and two are generally used for unfinished work, such as walls that will be hidden by cabinets or furniture. Level three is the minimum level of finish that should be used for most applications, as it provides a smooth and even surface that is ready to be painted. Let’s take a closer look at all the different levels.

Level One – This is the lowest level of finish and is generally used for unfinished work, such as walls that will be hidden by cabinets or furniture. The surface will be rough and uneven, with visible imperfections.

Level Two – This level is a step up from level one and is often used for walls that will be visible but won’t be the focal point of the room. The surface will be smoother than level one, but there may still be some visible imperfections.

Level Three – This is the minimum level of finish that should be used for most applications. The surface will be smooth and even, with no visible imperfections. This level is best used in areas where a heavy or medium textured finish is desired before the final painting or where heavy-grade wallcoverings will be applied.

Level Four – This level is a step up from level three and is often used for walls that will be the focal point of the room. This level of finish is considered the default standard for the majority of plasterboard applications.

Level Five – This is the highest level of finish and is generally only used for extremely high-end applications. This is the best possible way to finish plasterboard or fibre cement so that the surface is as smooth as possible without any defects or blemishes. A level five finish is much more suitable for use when there’s low sheen, semi-gloss, or non-textured flat plaints being applied on the wall.

Conclusion

There you have it! Those are the levels of finish used in plasterboard applications in many projects. It’s important to understand the levels of finish used for plasterboard in Australia in order to ensure that your home or office space is properly decorated and finished.

When it comes to plastering applications, We Plaster & Recruit is the only name to trust. We are a registered plastering company providing the most reliable plastering services in Brisbane, Gold Coast and Queensland areas. Expect timely and quality work whenever you partner with us. Contact us today to get started!