Dry lining or plastering: which is best?
Wet plastering gives the hardest, most seamless finish. Dry lining is quicker, drier and easier to insulate. Most homes end up with a mix: boards on the walls that need them, and a skim coat over everything.
The short answer
Choose wet plastering (float and set) for solid block or brick walls where you want a hard, traditional finish and the room can be left to dry.
Choose dry lining when walls are uneven, cold or damp-prone, when you want insulation behind the surface, or when the job needs to be finished quickly.
Either way, a skim coat on top gives the smooth, paint-ready surface most people want.
What each one is
Wet plastering means building the surface up in coats: a base coat floated onto block, brick or concrete, then a thin finishing coat set on top. It bonds to the wall itself.
Dry lining means fixing plasterboard to the wall or ceiling. The boards are bonded straight to the wall with adhesive (dot and dab) or fixed to battens or a metal frame. They are then skimmed, or taped and jointed ready for decorating.
Side by side
| Wet plastering | Dry lining | |
|---|---|---|
| Best for | Solid block, brick and concrete walls; new builds and extensions | Uneven or cold walls, stud partitions, ceilings, lofts |
| Finish | Hard and seamless | Smooth once skimmed; joints can show if only taped |
| Speed | Slower: each coat has to go off, then the wall dries out | Faster: boards go up quickly and there is less water to dry |
| Insulation | Adds little on its own | Insulated plasterboard can be used to warm up a room |
| Mess and moisture | More water in the room while it dries | Drier and tidier |
| Fixing things to the wall | Solid behind, so heavy items fix straight in | Heavy items need the right fixings or a fixing into the wall behind |
| Room size | Loses almost no space | Loses a little, more with insulated boards or a frame |
When dry lining is the better choice
- The walls are out of true and would take a lot of plaster to straighten.
- The room is cold and you want insulated boards on the outside walls.
- You are building stud walls, boarding a ceiling or converting a loft.
- The job has a tight turnaround and decorating needs to start soon.
When wet plastering is the better choice
- The walls are sound block or brick, as in a new build or extension.
- You want the most solid, hard-wearing surface.
- You are repairing or matching existing solid plaster in an older house.
Which costs less?
Dry lining is often quicker and tidier, which can make it more cost effective, especially on uneven walls or larger areas. On sound block walls the difference is smaller. The condition of the walls decides it, so the honest answer comes from seeing the room.
Not sure which you need?
We do both, so we have no reason to steer you towards one. We look at the walls on a free visit and tell you which suits each room, then put it in a written quote.