Plaster and lath wall systems are rarely utilized nowadays, save to repair existing walls or to restore ancient structures. After World War II, drywall, also known as plasterboard or wallboard, burst onto the scene and has stayed there ever since. Drywall is cheap, easy to work with, and provides good soundproofing for new constructions. The main advantage of plaster over drywall is its texture. You can paint it any color you like or fill in any cracks or holes. Also, if you make a mistake painting it, you can always cover it up with another coat later. With drywall, you're pretty much stuck with white or gray, unless you want to spend a lot of money on specialty paper and paints. Drywall is cheaper than plaster, but that's about all its got going for it. The laths inside the wall cavity that hold the tiles or boards together are usually made of wood or stainless steel, which can be difficult to remove if you want to change something about the wall surface later on. There are several different types of plaster used today in building projects. Regular old-fashioned plaster is made by mixing water with calcium sulfate (whiting) and sand, which acts as a filler and thickener. You can add small amounts of other ingredients such as salt, sugar, or oil to help reduce cracking during drying.