Question from Jennifer Abromowitz
Hi Debra, I am planning plaster walls for a bedroom addition. I am intending to plaster over wallboard rather than use wood lathe (which is usually fir and aromatic, or metal – which I don’t like to surround myself with).
Wondering if wall board contains any chemicals, mold inhibitors, paint etc. What about the joint compounds used to mud it? Are there any preferred products from an Environmental standpoint?
I have been told that drywall is exactly the same stuff as plaster, so why plaster? Is this true? It doesn’t feel the same to me. Is there a preferred kind of plaster to use for plastering – that is plastering over drywall (ie do you just buy Plaster of Paris or are the options all the same?)
Last I have been told that plaster will not stick on regular wall board without a toxic vinyl acetate glue…but that I could use blueboard without the glue. Is blueboard usually ok? It is supposed to be basically wall board with a rough texture skin that plaster adheres better to. Any advice? Thanks
Debra’s Answer
OK. I understand that you want plaster walls. I can understand that. I have old plaster walls in my house and they are beautiful. And they don’t need to be painted.
I applied colored plaster on my bathroom walls, which already had wallboard. I had to apply a “sanded primer” so it would stick. I got the primer from AFM Safecoat. And then I used plaster from American Clay.
Wallboard is made from gypsum, with a paper cover. It may contain performance additives, but if you get just regular wallboard, it should just be gymsum.
Blueboard is standard wallboard with a blue paper cover that is specially treated with a form of aluminum to hold plaster. There is no offgassing, but it does create a dust hazard when cutting. If you want plaster walls, this is probably the easiest way to go.
There are three types of plaster:
I think I answered all your questions.
