Alternate to Dry Wall

[Jack01]

I am building a partition wall about 18 feet long and 8 feet tall. It is in unfinished part of house.

This is more as sound deadening wall than insulation. I was planning to finish with dry wall but I would not be able to lift dry wall and installed it by myself. I called couple of handyman service and got quotes, and they were quite bit expensive. So that will not be a choice.

What other alternate I should explore?

[Robert Adams]

Hmm. Homasote? It is good at absorbing sound thouh has little strength but it's very cost prohibitive these days. It's $35+ a sheet and hard to find.

[Cdshakes]

i don't know that i agree with the strength statement of homasote. I have a room that was done with that stuff-- anytime i need to cut a hole, it's like a work out--sooo much more cutting than with drywall. Also tried replacing a damaged section with drywall--i was smacking it with a hammer, and it only dented it-- that hard of a hit on drywall would've created a 2 foot hole.

[Lynden]

Mobile homes often have 1/8"-thick wall paneling and plastic batten strips to cover the seams. Home Depot carries two paneling options.

http://www.homedepot.com/p/Hardboard-Tem...32777/202046928 (It's smooth on one side)

http://www.homedepot.com/p/Utility-Panel...33096/100535208

Another paneling option...

http://www.decpanels.com/products/smooth

I'm not sure where you can buy plastic battens locally. You can always make (or buy) wood battens to cover the seams.

http://www.all-rite.com/batten-strips-p-221.html

[R Clark]

It sounds like you're not so concerned with final appearance.

If it was me, and my first choice was drywall, but had issue with lifting full sheets, then I'd cut the full sheets in 1/2 and install them that way. This does add to work in doing the cutting and any taping/mudding that would result, but it will reduce the stress of lifting full panels.

[Bob10]

I would go with drywall the lower course should be fairly easy to maneuver and you could fab together some type of stand so you only have to lift a corner at a time to set the other one on top. I know you said it was heavy but I think you might arrange to lifting only half at a time

[brianwelch]

2 layers of 3/8 or 1/4" drywall, or 1/4" over 1/2" or 5/8"? You could cut the heavier first/hidden layer for ease of handling as others have suggested, and then a finish layer of the lighter drywall...Homasote offers good acoustic damping, as does multiple layers of drywall. Paneling offers very little, unless you install it over insulation or other substrate...

[fredhargis]

The idea about cutting the sheets in 1/2 may be a workable one, and you could also get the ultra light rock (about 25% less weight) which would help even more. Homasote should be a good option, but the stuff I've seen is what Robert Adams described: not very strong, but it does have good sound dampening.

[Woodenfish]

Jack01 said:

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I am building a partition wall about 18 feet long and 8 feet tall.

I called couple of handyman service and got quotes, and they were quite bit expensive. So that will not be a choice.

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We're talking 3 sheets of drywall... What is expensive?

[Jack01]

Thanks for the suggestions . I am going to check these items.