If none of these things ring any bells, you can also look for damage caused to your walls from nails or screws.
Additionally, you may have plaster in your home if you notice a sand-like material around the edges, as this is something unique to plaster. On the other hand, plaster typically does not have these tapered edges, and if you run your hands over a plaster wall, you will notice a slightly bumpy or even gritty sensation. Additionally, if you notice a tapered edge along the joints where two pieces of drywall meet, then you can be sure that drywall is the material in use. Drywall usually has a smooth feel to it while plaster usually contains some grain.
One way is to look at the texture of the wall. How do I know if I have drywall or plaster? Plasterboard was also gaining traction in 1960s as an alternative to lath and plaster due to its fire-retardance, easier installation, and improved soundproofing. In some parts of the US, cinder block, which is similar to concrete block but with hollow spaces between the two blocks filled with cinders, was also used. Other popular materials used to construct walls in the 1960s included wood, plaster, stone, concrete, and even adobe. In the United States, drywall was becoming increasingly popular due to its ability to provide an interior wall or ceiling finish at a relatively low cost.ĭrywall was generally attached to walls that had been framed with 2×4 or 2×6 studs, which were nailed or screwed into the existing wall’s framing. In the 1960s, walls were most typically constructed using traditional materials such as brick or concrete block. Today, while plaster walls are still used in some historic buildings and in commercial applications, they are no longer typically used in residential construction. As a result, the use of plaster walls slowly tapered off over the next few decades. Additionally, wallboard was also much cheaper than plaster therefore, it quickly became much more popular.īy the 1960’s, wallboard was the accepted method of construction for interior walls in the U. Wallboard gave builders a much faster way to construct walls, as plaster must be applied in layers and take days to dry and cure. However, by the 1930’s, other materials such as wallboard began to be used instead. The use of plaster for walls in the United States began in the mid-1800s, and continued to be the standard for many years.