Plastering or drywall: which should you choose?
Choose plaster when the existing wall is solid and reasonably flat and you want a seamless, hard-wearing surface. Choose drywall when you need to correct a wall that is badly out of true, hide services or insulation, or finish the job quickly. In practice, many Amsterdam apartments end up with a mix: boards where the wall has moved, a skim of plaster on top for the finish.
What the work involves
Plastering means applying material directly to what is already there: brick, concrete or an older base coat. The result is one continuous surface with no joints. The level of finish is negotiable and matters more than most people expect: a wall prepared for wallpaper takes far less labour than a truly flat surface ready for paint under raking light.
Drywall means building a frame of metal profiles or timber studs, screwing boards to it, then taping and filling the joints. Where the existing wall is close to straight, boards can also be bonded directly to it, which saves depth. The cavity behind a stud wall is the real advantage: it will take wiring, pipework, insulation or acoustic material, which solid plaster simply cannot.
Amsterdam housing stock adds its own constraints. In pre-war buildings you regularly find old lath-and-plaster ceilings that will not accept the weight of heavy boards without extra support. Anything you are unsure about in a property built before 1994 should be surveyed by a certified asbestos company before it is drilled, sanded or removed. Never take that risk yourself. If the change could affect the structure, a shared wall or the facade, get a structural assessment and clear it with the building association first.
The main stages
- Survey the substrate: hollow-sounding plaster, cracks, damp, and how far the wall is out of plumb.
- Fix the cause of any damp or movement first. Finishing over an active problem simply buys you a year.
- Prepare: strip loose material, clean down, prime or apply a bonding coat.
- Execute: base coat and finish coat, or set out profiles, fix boards and tape the joints.
- Dry, sand, remove dust and inspect the result under strong side lighting before signing off.
What drives the price
Both trades are normally quoted per square metre. Small repairs tend to be charged hourly or per item, and anything substantial should be priced only after someone has seen the room. The variables that move the number most:
- Area and ceiling height; tall canal-house rooms mean towers or scaffolding.
- Level of finish, from wallpaper-ready to a fully flat paintable surface.
- Condition of the existing wall, including hacking off, repairs and how much build-up is needed to straighten it.
- Complexity: corners, reveals, alcoves and sloping attic ceilings all slow the work down.
- Access. A narrow Amsterdam staircase decides what board sizes can physically get in, and sometimes material has to come through a window.
- Waste removal, plus the permit and parking bay the council requires if a skip has to stand on the street.
- Whether you stay in the property, which adds masking, protection and clean-up.
Questions to ask the contractor
- What finish level are you quoting, and what is explicitly excluded?
- Are you removing the old layer or working over it, and what is the reasoning?
- How long between coats, and when can it be painted?
- Who removes the waste, and is a street permit included?
- Can you show comparable work in a building of the same era?
Common mistakes
The expensive mistake is finishing over an unresolved problem. Damp from a poorly ventilated bathroom or condensation behind single glazing will come through any new surface. Equally common: boarding out a cold, damp external wall with no thought for ventilation, which traps moisture instead of curing it.
The second is rushing. Fresh plaster needs to dry properly before paint goes on, especially in winter with the heating up. And do not leave logistics to the last minute; standard board sizes and a 1900s stairwell are not always compatible, which is something to establish before ordering rather than on delivery day.
Frequently asked questions
Which is stronger?
Plaster on a solid wall takes knocks better and is easy to patch locally. A stud wall is more vulnerable to impact, but a damaged section can be cut out and replaced without touching the rest.
Can I hang heavy things on drywall?
Only if it was planned. Ask for extra noggins or a plywood backing behind the intended fixing point before the boards close up. After the fact you are limited to specialist fixings with a modest load rating.
Do I lose floor space with a stud wall?
Yes, a few centimetres per wall for a framed one, less for bonded boards. In a small city flat that is a genuine trade-off against concealed services and better insulation.
My wall keeps cracking. Will replastering fix it?
Not while the cause remains. Settlement in an old building, a deflecting timber floor or nearby vibration all need a structural opinion first. Reinforced crack repair or a board solution only makes sense afterwards.
Do I need approval from the building association?
Usually not for finishes inside your own apartment. You do as soon as the work touches shared or load-bearing structure, the shell or the facade. Ask before anything is opened up.