If the house or apartment that you currently live in was built within the last few decades, there is a good chance that drywall covers the walls and ceilings. It has become the most popular option for covering the framing of your home for a variety of reasons, including cost savings as well as space savings.
With that in mind, this article will look at just how drywall will help you save money and space in your home. So whether you are remodeling your home, or looking for a new place to buy, you should ensure that drywall is used throughout.
What is drywall?
Before looking into how drywall can help you save money and space, let’s make sure you know what drywall is. Drywall is a panel made of gypsum (which is calcium sulfate dihydrate) and is the modern solution to applying wall plaster by hand.
A panel of drywall usually has a core of gypsum, that is then surrounded by a number of layers of paper. Drywall was patented way back in 1894 and it’s big break took place back in the post-WWII days. It’s clean appearance fit the times and this has continued into the modern day.
If you have heard terms like wallboard, plasterboard, and sheetrock get thrown around and you’re confused, don’t be. Those are all just different terminology for drywall. There are different types of specialty drywall and various sizes to accommodate all kinds of walls, ceilings, and homes.
How drywall can save you money
Now that you know what drywall is, how can it help you save money? Well, there are a couple of reasons. The first way that using drywall can save you money is just how affordable it is. Each panel will usually cost you between $10-$30 and if you go by square footage, you can generally expect to pay about $1-$3 per square foot. Of course, the exact cost of your project will depend on the type of drywall you use as well as the quality and size you need.
Also, drywall is fairly easy to install, so if you feel like doing it yourself you can save a lot of money on labor, which will cut the cost significantly. However, when you do it yourself, you will need to ensure that you have the other necessary materials such as support screws, a drywall saw, paint, primer, and more. Once you have all the necessary items, you are good to go.
From there, installing drywall is relatively easy and only takes three steps. First, you need to cut the drywall into the correct size that you need. Next, you need to start attaching and hanging your drywall panels to the studs used to frame the room. Hang sheets horizontally when working with studs that are wood, and you should install vertically with metal studs. Simply use a screw gun and some drywall screws, a few inches apart.
Lastly, you need to finish the drywall. This involves taping, sanding, and painting. You need to tape along the joints, put on a few layers of mud and then sand it down to perfection. This is definitely the most difficult step but is still worth learning.
While these steps aren’t too difficult and don’t require a ton of skill, they will take some patience as a beginner, so don’t get discouraged! It is a valuable skill to learn and one that can save you a lot of money in the future.
How drywall can save you space
Not only can drywall save you money but can also save you some space. The main way that drywall can save you space is by allowing you to build in shelves right into your walls. While they can be as sleek as humanly possible, shelving units or storage cubs take up some space in your home.
While this is fine if you have a lot of space, these external additions can really take up a lot of room if you have a small home. Instead, using drywall will allow you to build custom sized and shaped shelves, cubbies or bookcases right into your wall. While this takes a little more time and work than a standard drywall job, it can save a lot of space and will look great in the process. These will allow you to decorate and furnish a room without having to use up a ton of your square footage.
In conclusion, drywall is a fantastic choice for covering the framing of the walls and ceiling in your home. It is not only cost-effective and space saving, but is how a majority of homes now are created. Whether you do it yourself or have a professional install the drywall, it is an important part of any home build or remodeling job.
