Drywall Alternatives for Your Walls
Drywall is a building material that many of us grew up taking for granted in suburban homes.
But drywall has some disadvantages, and there are plenty of alternatives on the market worth considering, each with their pros and cons.
In this article, I will introduce you to 10 alternate materials to think about using in your construction project.
I will go over the pros and cons of each of them as well as some recommended products.
First, let’s quickly discuss the reasons you might want to pick an alternative to drywall for your project.
Here's a list of Best Drywall Alternatives
Best Drywall Alternatives | Rating | |
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Why Choose an Alternative to Drywall?
For some, the reason to pick a different material for walls is aesthetic. Not everybody likes the appearance of drywall.
For others, it is practical. If you live in a location where mold is common, drywall can quickly soak up moisture, leading to problems with mold and rot.
In general, the flimsy nature of drywall makes it easy to damage and difficult to repair.
On top of these other drawbacks, it is not an eco-friendly material from a recycling standpoint.
So, there are many different reasons why drywall alternatives have become more prevalent in recent years.
Now that you are familiar with them, let’s move onto exploring some alternatives.
1. Wood Planks
One of the trendiest drywall alternatives in a lot of recent homes is wood planks. These are usually installed in a horizontal orientation.
Pros
Cons
Products to Consider:
Local and Reclaimed
This product consists entirely of 100% reclaimed wood, which is locally sourced from lakes in northern Maine.
Overall Assessment
With a variety of colors to choose from, finishing already taken care of, and eco-friendly origins, the Timberchic DIY Reclaimed Wooden Wall Planks are beautiful drywall alternatives worth considering.
Eco Friendly
These wood planks are made of 100% reclaimed materials and received a certificate from the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC). They also meet standards set by the Rainforest Alliance.
Cut As You Choose
You can use a jigsaw, miter saw, square and chop saw, or even a square and razor knife to cut these boards.
Overall Assessment
This product is another great eco-friendly option. Plus, these wall planks were designed with a variety of scenarios in mind. So, regardless of your tools or skills, you should be able to cut and install them.
Eco Friendly
These rustic wood planks are made from Oklahoma-sourced reclaimed wood and are naturally weathered.
Cut As You Choose
To cut these wood planks, you will need a miter saw or hand saw. There are multiple options for installation. Either you can use a hammer and nails, or you can use construction adhesive.
Overall Assessment
For those who are looking for a weathered look, it is hard to beat these wood planks. Some other products are artificially modified to create a weathered appearance. But these planks are naturally aged.
2. Bricks or Masonry
Moving on from wood planks, another option for adding texture to your walls is to install bricks or masonry. There are also “flats” you can opt for in this category.
Pros
Cons
Products to Consider:
Easy to Cut and Install
You only need an angle grinder or tile saw to cut these thin bricks.
Overall Assessment
Even though these are individual bricks (as opposed to a sheet), installing them is easier than installing full-sized bricks would be.
3. Pegboard
Pegboards have become popular organizing systems for walls. But in some cases, pegboard may be used as a drywall alternative. You might consider this in a garage or craft room or any other room in your house where you have many tools and supplies to store.
Pros
Cons
Products to Consider:
Personalize Your Walls
This pegboard product comes in a range of hues, including white, gray, black, blue, green, pink, purple, orange, yellow, and clear. So, whatever your personal style and decor, and whatever room you want to install pegboard panels in, you should be able to find a product that will complement your interior.
Overall Assessment
These pegboard wall panels are versatile, aesthetically pleasing (for pegboard), and easy to install.
4. Plaster and Lath
Another alternative to drywall to consider is a lath and plaster system. “Lath” refers to wooden slats. You begin by setting these up horizontally, and then you fill in the gaps between them using gypsum plaster. Once you have completed that process and have allowed it to dry, you add more plaster to form the outermost surface of the wall.
Pros
Cons
Products to Consider:
Affordable
Buying this product is a low-cost way to purchase lath pieces in bulk for your projects. Just one set of these can go a long way.
You may want to note that there is a less expensive pack also from Home Depot, which includes the same number of pieces and the same dimensions for each for around half the price.
The reason I selected the more expensive product is that it has better reviews. It seems more common with the less expensive product to end up with cracked, warped, or otherwise unacceptable pieces. So, paying for the higher quality is probably worthwhile.
Easy to Use
Another benefit of this product is that the dimensions for the lath pieces are convenient and make it easy to tackle most projects.
Overall Assessment
For an inexpensive and conveniently-sized set of lath pieces, this product can see your needs.
Along with your lath strips, you will also need some gypsum plaster for your project. Our recommended product is the U S GYPSUM 163841 50LB BagStructo Plaster.
A Solid Product That is Easy to Work With
Assuming your layer is around half an inch to three-quarters of an inch thick, you should be able to cover around 6’ X 6’ with the amount of gypsum plaster which is in this container.
Overall Assessment
This product is gypsum plaster, plain and simple. Use it in conjunction with your lath strips as a drywall alternative.
Take note that it seems challenging to find gypsum plaster, but if you use a contractor for your projects, they may have access to more options.
5. Cement Board
Next on our list of alternative drywall options is cement board. You can consider this idea if you are okay doing some heavy lifting. You probably won’t be able to move and place cement board by yourself, so make sure you have someone who can work with you on your project.
So, what is cement board? It is a panel that contains a mixture of cement and cellulose-rich fibers.
Pros
Cons
Products to Consider:
Protect Your Walls From Moisture and Mold
According to the seller, this product features the “lowest water absorption of any cement board.”
Reinforced Edges
The reinforced edges are tapered and feature double-wrapped EdgeTech technology. This feature makes them resistant to shattering while permitting closer fastener application.
Overall Assessment
This product is durable and attractive. Also, it is not as heavy as some other competing cement board products.
6. Concrete
Another long-lasting and robust drywall alternative to think about is concrete.
Pros
Cons
Products to Consider:
Inexpensive
This product contains more concrete mix for a lower price than some competing products.
Overall Assessment
Purchasing concrete mix is pretty straightforward. This product is a good deal.
8. Wood Sheets
If you want to use wood as a drywall alternative, wood planks are not your only option. You can also go with sheets of plywood.
Pros
Cons
Products to Consider:
Sturdy BCX Plywood
These durable plywood panels can hold up to a lot of wear and tear, making them a sturdy choice for a drywall alternative.
Overall Assessment
This product is just one example of the many sheet wood materials you can use for your walls.
9. Cork Wall
Traditionally, we usually see corkboard used on bulletin boards, not for entire walls. Nevertheless, it can have some advantages as an alternative to drywall.
Pros
Cons
Products to Consider:
Versatile and Affordable
This product provides an ample amount of coverage at a reasonable price.
Overall Assessment
Although this particular product was engineered specifically as a flooring sound barrier, you can use it for a vast array of different projects. As such, it may be suitable for your walls.
10. Textured Wall Panels
Finally, in recent years, textured wall panels have become a popular alternative to drywall. Manufacturers make them using materials like PVC.
Many people are familiar with textured wall panels, but usually not in a residential setting. In the past, it was far more common to encounter them in upscale hotels and similar establishments.
Using these panels, you can give your walls an intriguing 3D effect. In some cases, that effect might mimic another material, like bricks. But in others, it could be a geometric effect, turning your walls into modern art.
Pros
Cons
Products to Consider:
Lightweight and Easy to Install
These textured wall panels are lightweight so that they are easy to lift, move, and place. You can attach them to the base using adhesive glue. The manufacturer provides a detailed installation manual that you can download.
Overall Assessment
With these textured wall panels, you can bring a modern book to any room.
Easy to Trim
You can literally cut these sheets of 3D bricks using a pair of scissors. It doesn’t get simpler than that.
Easy to Customize
You can apply latex paint to these bricks to color them to your needs.
Overall Assessment
If you want to easily mimic the appearance of real bricks without going through the hassle of using them, these textured panels do a pretty convincing job serving as a substitute.
Overall Assessment
This product is similar to the Art3d Textures 3D Wall Panels White Diamond Design Pack. But instead of the geometric planes, it features a flowing pattern of abstract curves.
Conclusion
You are now familiar with some drywall alternatives which are on the market today. While each of these materials is ideal for different scenarios and requires different tools, materials, and expertise for installation, you should find one or more options that are ideal for your project.
These ideas are quite interesting. We should try for your home. Even I should recommend to do wall painting. Nowadays wall painting is a new trend. There are lots of designs out there that you can go through to put for your perfect wall. And even for drywall as well. Thanks for this blog to get new ideas.