DRY WALL vs MDF

Greetings to all in this forum... Which material is optimal to construct walls? in my country ( Venezuela) the MDF is more cheap that the Dry wall, not yet I begin to construct, therefore I think to replace plaster by mdf. what opinion has in relation to this point? Dry wall or MDF?? Thanks in advance

I am not an expert; I have some minimal knowledge. I'll give it a try. (Feel free to throw us a life preserver, folks, if we're drowning here.) My opinion is that MDF would be just as good as gypsum drywall, maybe even better. It's a little more dense than drywall and I believe stiffer... which should help block some with the lower frequencies. Unless someone more knowledgeable jumps in here, I say go ahead and use the MDF. Creature 82

MDF and GB are about the same in mass, so it looks indeed like both will work out fine. And MDF is easier to hang stuff on :)

I hate cutting MDF though. It's more or less made of glued together saw dust, and when you cut it, it turns right back to dust and that crap gets EVERYWHERE. Next time I cut MDF I'm doing it outside.

Lerryns, what you've been told is true. Basically - when it comes to lf isolation - mass is critical...... as is sealing the shell to stop the passage of air. So you have to take into the equation the costs of caulk (for the interior wall seams) as opposed to the joint comppound (and tape) you would use for standard drywall - when comparing the osts involved. Plus - if you cannot do this yourself - so you have to hire labor to perfom the work - then your labor costs might make the drywall cheaper n the long run. But - al things being equal - if you can get the same (or greater) mass with the MDF - then it will perfomr just as well as the drywall. Sincerely, Rod

I can't see how MDF and drywall are close to being the same. They make speaker enclosures out of MDF can you imagine making an enclosure from drywall?

MDF and drywall are very different in terms of their ingredients and fitness for purpose, but they are very similar in terms of their density. Acoustically, my understanding is that they are very interchangable. However, MDF is more durable than drywall, which is why it's a much more appropriate choice for speaker enclosures, shelving, some types of furniture, etc. However, what drywall has going for it is its relative lower cost in most parts of the world, and its speed of installation. Cutting drywall with a knife and a straightedge is a lot quicker than cutting MDF with a circular or table saw. Nobody's saying they're "the same," but in terms of their ability to stop sound from getting from "Point A" to "Point B," they're peas in a pod. Paul woodlock used MDF as one of his layers in his seven- layer walls so that he could hang shelves and whatnot pretty much anywhere without worrying about having to hit a stud. --Keith :mrgreen:

Thanks to all for your commentaries. I decide by the MDF. I will make all the work with an expert in construction. The costs of all the work including the payment to the expert, materials, doors, windows, illumination, desk for the console, etc, are 1.800$. :) The carpet already this in the site. The construction begins in two weeks. I will put photos of all the process in another post. Thank you very much from Caracas, Venezuela :D

i'm no expert, but i'm pretty sure mdf is far more flamable than drywall. that might be a concern to be addressed.