Contractors Corner Drywall vs. Brick wall: Weighing in

I must admit I was slow to consider Drywall as a viable alternative to internal brick walls, and by general discussion I realized I am not alone; so allow me to share what I have learned so far to possibly help you change your mind.

We in Trinidad and Tobago have in many ways been conditioned into believing that building with bricks and mortar is the only way to build if you want quality and that alternative building methods give a lesser product and are to be frowned upon.

Well folks, this is definitely no longer the case and one of the alternative construction methods that have been perfected to give a classy finish is in fact dry walling.

In Trinidad and Tobago, are a number of companies that supply materials that can be used and choosing the correct materials for your application is all important. It is however very important to get this process done well because some homeowners have had disappointing results with dry walling because the wrong materials and specification have been used in construction or because incorrect construction methods have been used. I think however that so much information is now available, and the skill sets developed enough to mitigate against recurrences of these negative results.

The big advantage that dry walls have over brick walls is that they are lightweight and thus do not need any foundations or strong support structures when building on a suspended slab or floor structure and there is no mess. Construction is quick and drywalls can be easily erected by a professional contractor or a Do It Yourself enthusiast.

Drywalls are also easy and quick to remove without mess or dust as is the case with brick walls.

You can choose straight or curved walls, add character with arches or recesses. There is no problem with fixing items like pictures or mirrors as there are suitable fasteners readily available from various suppliers. The finish is smooth and apart from having to fill in the joints with fiber tape and mud (or a similar product), it is ready for painting.

Dry walls can be just as soundproof as brick walls, are an effective fire barrier, and have good insulation qualities. Framing can be either in timber or using lightweight metal studs. Dry walls are thinner than brick walls and thus have an advantage where space is a problem. The speed and ease of construction coupled with the cost of materials and labour make dry walling a good financial option when compared to conventional brickwork.

There are, however, a definite number of dos and donts when it comes to drywall construction and it is most certainly not just a case of buying a pile of materials and knocking up a wall. But as I said before, this information is available from a number of suppliers. Dry walling is a viable alternative to brick walls and its versatility makes it a good option to consider. Thanks for Connecting

Read the rest here:
Contractors Corner Drywall vs. Brick wall: Weighing in