Plaster walls were the universal standard in American homes before the 1950s, requiring skilled tradesmen and weeks of curing time to produce a surface far denser than modern drywall. The postwar ...

If you own a home, odds are very good that the walls (and ceilings) surrounding you are made of drywall. Also called Sheetrock, plasterboard, or wallboard, drywall was invented in 1916 and quickly ...

A worker is applying a finishing coat to the drywall on a ceiling while standing on a platform. - Virrage Images/Shutterstock When it comes to finishing a wall, homeowners have a ton of options to ...

Dear James: My parents’ older house had plaster walls, but most builders now use drywall. I’m making a room addition. Which interior wall material is best to use?—Melanie N. Dear Melanie: From the ...

Lath-and-plaster walls are common in older houses (built late 18th Century until the early 1950’s, when drywall became standard). Whether you want to hang a picture, mirror or kitchen cabinet, ...

In nearly all American homes built in recent memory, you’re probably familiar with drywall, which is by far the most popular wall material in the nation. Quickly installed, solid, and with a ...

Drywall can take a beating from daily living or home-improvement projects. Sometimes you just have to roll up your sleeves and fix a hole with the materials you have on hand, such as a scrap of ...

Q: The walls of our 1938 San Francisco home are lath and plaster, with a canvas-like fabric over the plaster. There are cracks in the plaster, which can be seen through the paint as raised creases in ...

Dear James: I have an old house with plaster walls and many cracks that need to be repaired. How can I fix these so they stay fixed and are invisible? — Julianne T. Dear Julianne: Many older houses ...

Dear Melanie: From the standpoint of function and appearance, plaster is clearly the better interior wall surface material. Lucky for you, real plaster walls are making a strong, and even better ...