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  #1  
Old Posted Apr 4, 2012, 7:46 AM
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Drywall or Bare Concrete in an apartment?

Honestly I don't understand why consumers want drywall, and why developers will go through the extra expense of putting it in. What makes a textureless white wall better than a naturally-textured concrete surface? And even more perplexing is why apartments with exposed concrete are marketed at a premium when they cost less to build.

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Old Posted Apr 4, 2012, 9:17 AM
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Only a segment of the population want to live in a space with 'industrial' character. I've lived in both, like both, but have drywall currently. Concrete can be cold, you can't do much with it, and try hanging paintings/art on a concrete wall.

You're right about one thing: paying more for exposed concrete is ludicrous.
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  #3  
Old Posted Apr 4, 2012, 12:53 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by dleung View Post
Honestly I don't understand why consumers want drywall, and why developers will go through the extra expense of putting it in. What makes a textureless white wall better than a naturally-textured concrete surface? And even more perplexing is why apartments with exposed concrete are marketed at a premium when they cost less to build.

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Well you'll love this... to get any decent sound proofing with drywall between different suites, they install four layers! That's about 2 inches worth of drywall. I think you have to think about what changes have to be done in order to hold up all that extra weight, if you start putting in concrete walls. The structural additions alone would add to the cost. I think for party walls, concrete makes sense, but any walls within the suite should be drywall.
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Old Posted Apr 4, 2012, 2:30 PM
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^this.

Typically you have some variation of this for party walls:

1" of type x (rated) gypsum
6" steel stud with batt insulation
air space
6" steel stud with batt insulation
1" of type x (rated) gypsum

In colder climates, you likely do not want just exposed concrete unless you have considerable exterior insulation. There can also be a tendency for condensation on interior walls if there is considerable delta T across that wall.
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Old Posted Apr 4, 2012, 11:52 PM
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Also, there's all the mechanical piping, electrical, and ducts that need to be run inside walls. A concrete wall would rule out any chance of using it, unless you added another wood or steel stud wall along it.
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Old Posted Apr 5, 2012, 1:15 AM
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Well obviously I'm referring only to concrete walls and columns that would have been there anyway for structure, as opposed to swapping non-structural steel stud partitions for more concrete. The latter can contain all the services if floorplans have a more rational and regular layout like they should. Bulkheads for anything else

In no way do I want to live in an "industrial" feeling space... I like slick and modern, and heavy, raw finishes are part of that IMO

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Old Posted Apr 6, 2012, 3:05 AM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by dleung View Post
Honestly I don't understand why consumers want drywall, and why developers will go through the extra expense of putting it in. What makes a textureless white wall better than a naturally-textured concrete surface? And even more perplexing is why apartments with exposed concrete are marketed at a premium when they cost less to build.

Rant over... comment
Where do you get this idea the exposed polished concrete costs less to build?!?

I can't think of anything worse than concrete walls and counter tops. Drywall sucks however, at least it's easy to repair and therefore offers the flexibility to change things to coincide with each passing trend. It doesn't take much to give drywall the impression of a smooth plaster finish.
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Old Posted Apr 9, 2012, 4:48 PM
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Also, there's all the mechanical piping, electrical, and ducts that need to be run inside walls. A concrete wall would rule out any chance of using it, unless you added another wood or steel stud wall along it.
Although tricky and costly, you can run conduit in the concrete. Happens all the time.
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Old Posted Apr 9, 2012, 6:09 PM
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I've run cabling in existing cast-in-place at SFU.. what a pain... Damn you Arthur Erickson.

However laying in-slab EMT is a snap if it's done at construction.. It's all about the timing.

I have an exposed brick wall in my kitchen that is actually part of the chimney for the furnace. I quite like it, it adds some visual interest to an otherwise blank wall.

I thought about polishing the contrete floor in my old condo when I ripped up the carpet to put hardwood down, but it was really expensive to get it done, plus I was worried that the place would look too much like a bunker.
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Old Posted Apr 9, 2012, 7:46 PM
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'I thought about polishing the contrete floor in my old condo when I ripped up the carpet to put hardwood down, but it was really expensive to get it done, plus I was worried that the place would look too much like a bunker.'

Thinking of going to this myself... so much more durable and given the smaller area, not prohibitively expensive.
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Old Posted Apr 9, 2012, 8:56 PM
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Dry concrete and bare walls.
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Old Posted Apr 9, 2012, 9:44 PM
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pretty difficult to find a contractor that can do finished grade poured in place concrete....drywall is way easier.

high quality exposed concrete can be nice in the right application, but for the most part residential construction is not high quality concrete...it is an art.
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Old Posted Apr 9, 2012, 9:46 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by 240glt View Post
I've run cabling in existing cast-in-place at SFU.. what a pain... Damn you Arthur Erickson.

However laying in-slab EMT is a snap if it's done at construction.. It's all about the timing.

I have an exposed brick wall in my kitchen that is actually part of the chimney for the furnace. I quite like it, it adds some visual interest to an otherwise blank wall.

I thought about polishing the contrete floor in my old condo when I ripped up the carpet to put hardwood down, but it was really expensive to get it done, plus I was worried that the place would look too much like a bunker.
The bunker effect gets diminished with all of the great reflections and texture. I highly recommend it. Then you just throw down a couple massive carpets in strategic areas and wow.
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Old Posted Apr 9, 2012, 9:52 PM
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Although tricky and costly, you can run conduit in the concrete. Happens all the time.
This is true. Installing conduits during the construction phase is common. I was thinking more about making additions or changes, and running plumbing pipes and ducts inside the wall. If you want to plumb in a sink, you'd have to come up through the floor and/or come down from the ceiling and box out all the piping.
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Old Posted Apr 9, 2012, 10:08 PM
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This is true. Installing conduits during the construction phase is common. I was thinking more about making additions or changes, and running plumbing pipes and ducts inside the wall. If you want to plumb in a sink, you'd have to come up through the floor and/or come down from the ceiling and box out all the piping.
Or just do millwork to conceal it.
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Old Posted Apr 9, 2012, 10:11 PM
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Or just do millwork to conceal it.
Like I said.
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Old Posted Apr 9, 2012, 11:04 PM
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Originally Posted by WhipperSnapper View Post
Where do you get this idea the exposed polished concrete costs less to build?!?

I can't think of anything worse than concrete walls and counter tops. Drywall sucks however, at least it's easy to repair and therefore offers the flexibility to change things to coincide with each passing trend. It doesn't take much to give drywall the impression of a smooth plaster finish.
I'm talking about rough exposed walls and ceilings. Buffed floors are quite another thing.

As far as services and conduits go, there's nothing like a well-placed bulkhead to establish a spatial hierachy within an apartment. My friend has a tiny corner unit in Radiocity, and it has to be the best-looking mid-range pad I've seen, despite his taste in furniture.
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Old Posted Apr 9, 2012, 11:35 PM
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u can always get this - concrete look wall paper


archdaily.net
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Old Posted Apr 9, 2012, 11:38 PM
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Originally Posted by dleung View Post
Well obviously I'm referring only to concrete walls and columns that would have been there anyway for structure, as opposed to swapping non-structural steel stud partitions for more concrete. The latter can contain all the services if floorplans have a more rational and regular layout like they should. Bulkheads for anything else

In no way do I want to live in an "industrial" feeling space... I like slick and modern, and heavy, raw finishes are part of that IMO

that might not even be concrete - could be a wallpaper as above
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Old Posted Apr 11, 2012, 2:09 AM
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Now, that's a neat lookin wall. It's probably relatively sound proof too.

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