3 Reasons to Consider Dry-Lining Your Interior Walls

If you want to plaster your walls you have two main options, skimming or dry-lining. Dry-lining is a really popular choice, so it’s worth knowing about it.

But if the term leaves you baffled or you don’t really know what it involves, don’t worry, you’re not alone. Keep reading to learn more about dry-lining and why you should consider using the technique to plaster your walls.

What’s dry-lining?

Dry-lining is when you attach sheets of dry plasterboard to a wall, rather than skimming it with wet plaster. You can attach the plasterboard using adhesive, nails or screws. You can then either skim on a layer of wet plaster over the top or fill in and tape over the joints and nail holes. After this, your wall should be ready to decorate.

Dry-lining is a popular option and has its own set of advantages and disadvantages – the same as skimming on wet plaster.

3 reasons to consider dry-lining

1. Less likely to develop cracks and need re-doing

A big advantage is that plasterboard is much less likely to develop cracks than wet plaster. This means that you can avoid spending unnecessary time and money on getting it redone.

2. Easier to DIY

Dry-lining is also worth considering because it’s relatively easy to do yourself. It’s still a tricky task, but is much easier to do than skimming, which is really a specialist job. So if you want to plaster your wall yourself, putting up plasterboard and taping over the joints is the answer.

3. Quicker to complete

Another benefit of dry-lining is that it can help you get your walls finished and decorated quickly. Wet plaster needs to be left to dry before you paint it, which can take up to 4 weeks in winter.

The downsides

However, using plasterboard does have its disadvantages. It doesn’t offer the quality of soundproofing that wet plaster provides and can be tricky to fit successfully around dormers and window reveals. It can also make it harder to fix things like shelving and radiators to your wall. Plus, if you use adhesive to attach plasterboard to your walls it will leave a small cavity, which takes up valuable space in your room.

If you want to find out about an alternative to using plasterboard, see our article on skimming. Or if you’re looking for a professional to do your dry-lining, click ‘Start my project’ and complete our online form. We’ll connect you with up to 4 local plasterers.

Material cost

Approx. £12 - £16 per square metre

Installation time

Approx. 1-2 days

For an average-sized room


Advantages and disadvantages
  • Your walls are less likely to develop cracks and need re-plastering
  • Dry-lining is easier to DIY than skimming
  • It’s quicker to complete than skimming
  • It doesn’t offer the quality of soundproofing that wet plaster provides
  • It can be tricky to fit successfully in awkward areas
  • It can be difficult to attach things like radiators and shelves to plasterboard