Worth-It Tips and Ideas for Designing Granny Flats

Before you start on any home project, you want to ensure you've chosen the right materials for every aspect of that project. This will ensure those materials don't get damaged due to mold or moisture and that you get the finished look you want. Note a few commonly asked questions about plasterboard and its use for a home project so you know how to use it and if it's the right material.

What is the difference between plasterboard and drywall?

Plasterboard and drywall are actually the same thing; they are a layer of gypsum covered in two skins or layers of paper. This material is also sometimes called sheetrock, wallboard, or gypsum board.

While the terms for this material are interchangeable, note that there is a variance in the product itself. The gypsum core between the two layers of paper may be thicker for some applications, such as for soundproofing a room. The gypsum material itself has a certain moisture content to keep it from becoming brittle, and some types may have even more moisture to make it more fire-resistant. That particular type of plasterboard may not be good for areas with high moisture content such as a bathroom, as this may be too much moisture for the material and it may get damaged.

For rooms with higher levels of moisture such as a kitchen, bathroom, laundry room and the like, you should choose a plasterboard that has been treated to withstand this added moisture. This is why it's good to know the differences between different types of plasterboard when you're ready to shop for the sheets you need for a home project.

Can you just paint or put wallpaper right over plasterboard?

Plasterboard usually has a type of compound added between two sheets to fill in that small gap and cover over any nail holes. This compound, often called mud, is then sanded down to make it smooth. Once the plasterboard is smooth, the paper is meant to hold paint very well, as long as you choose an interior paint meant for plasterboard.

Note, however, that the glue for wallpaper will often seep into the paper of the plasterboard so that if you ever try to remove it, the plasterboard paper might come right along with it. You usually need to treat the surface of the plasterboard with a special covering so that it can safely hold wallpaper without being damaged.