The Pushpin Test This is a fail-safe method that will quickly tell you what materials make up your wall. All you need to do is take a simple thumbtack and try to push it through your walls. If the pushpin penetrates the wall, you have drywall. If it doesn't, you have plaster.
Simply knocking lightly across your wall can surprisingly tell you a lot about how your house is built. If your walls sound hollow and airy, you likely have drywall, and if it sounds very dense or full, it's probably a harder material like concrete, brick, or plaster.
Drywall had a long history of struggle until its popularity began during and after World War 2. It was invented in 1916 as a dry alternative to plaster though it would be 25 years before it was widely accepted as a proper building material.
Plaster walls are very hard, so you want to pre-drill any type of hole in the wall to avoid surface fracture of the plaster around the hole. Any standard metal/all-purpose drill bit should work fine. You do not need a masonry bit and you do not want to use a spade bit.
Generally, a plasterboard wall will hold a TV securely and safely, but this is only as long as you use the right mounting. You should consider using an anchor or mounting plate for best results.
Even if you know how to use a stud finder and are doing it correctly, the devices may not be as effective for plaster walls. Because plaster walls are thicker, harder and more brittle than drywall, finding a stud can be a bigger challenge.
Screws are your ultimate option for hanging things on plaster walls without picture rail. For lighter items, screwing into the plaster with a 1 1/4” drywall screw can get the job done. For heavy items, you can opt screws with masonry anchors.
Understandably, when drilling into their walls, many people are worried about cracking the plaster. However, this can be avoided by adding a small piece of masking tape over the area you're looking to drill into, and drilling straight into it through to the wall.
Plaster veneer may also be applied to ordinary drywall, or over existing walls, but this requires "gluing" the existing wall surface by painting on a special adhesive compound, and then applying a thin layer of "base coat" plaster.
Lath and plaster was a skilled craft and a time-consuming technique and the advent of cheaper, mass produced, pre-manufactured plasterboard meant lath and plaster largely fell out of favour by the 1930s and 1940s. Plasterboard was simply faster and less expensive to install.
If you're still not sure, try the pushpin test. This is a fail-safe method that will quickly tell you what materials make up your wall. All you need to do is take a simple thumbtack and try to push it through your walls. If the pushpin penetrates the wall, you have drywall.
Drywall dust presents another potential health risk due to silica, a common mineral in rocks and soils, including gypsum. Cutting or sanding drywall releases silica particles into the air. Inhaling large quantities of silica can result in the development of silicosis, a lung disease that can be fatal.
If the renovation year of your home falls between 1920 and 2000, it's also very likely that there could be dangerous levels of asbestos in your plaster walls. In addition, any plaster walls labeled as “fire-rated” are also more likely to contain asbestos.
Drywall is softer and thinner than plaster walls, and nails can be hammered into drywall without usually causing damage. Plaster is more brittle and can crack or chip, so you will always want to pre-drill a hole in the plaster before adding any hardware, such as a nail, screw, or anchor.
Sheetrock is a drywall brand widely used in the United States. However, the terms "drywall" and "Sheetrock" are often used interchangeably and refer to the same product.
As mentioned earlier, avoid using nails on plaster wall because they will likely cause the drywall to crack. Instead, use a screw, because they won't break the plaster wall. Screws will also hold a lot better because they will fasten into the lath behind the drywall.
Drywall is made out of softer material called gypsum which doesn’t crack. Sheets of it are nailed into the wooden studs when finishing the interior of a house. Plaster, on the other hand, dries much harder than drywall, and is more labor-intensive and expensive.
The best-rated product in Plaster Hollow Wall Anchors is the HTB 2-1/4 in. Drywall Anchor Bolt with Slotted Round Head Screw (100-Pack).
Figuring out how to find a stud in a plaster wall this way takes some patience because the changes in density can be difficult to discern. Try to find a few studs along the same wall and mark them as you go. If you notice they're generally 16-24″-inches apart, then you've definitely found your marks.
Are lath and plaster walls load bearing? No, lath and plaster walls are rarely used as load bearing walls. There are exceptions to this rule, so it's best to make sure before you start working.
How to identify different wall types. Identifying the type of wall can sometimes be tricky. The simplest way to tell is to tap your wall with your fist; a stud wall will be hollow sounding, as will a lathe and plaster wall. Dot and dab and, unsurprisingly, solid walls, will sound solid to the ear.
If the pin pokes into the wall easily, that's drywall. If it doesn't, then that's plaster. A pushpin can penetrate drywalls easily because they're softer compared to plaster. Meanwhile, lath and plaster walls won't even budge with a thumbtack unless you use a hammer.