Plasterboard vs Furniture Built Media Walls: What Homeowners Don’t Realise

When most homeowners start researching a media wall, they believe there are only two differences between companies: price and appearance. But the real difference is not what the wall looks like on day one. How it’s built.

Two media walls can look similar in photos, yet behave completely differently in your home, during installation and for the next 10 years.

This article explains the difference between a plasterboard construction media wall and a furniture-built media wall, and why the method matters more than the style.

The plasterboard approach (builder method)

This is the traditional way many builders create media walls. The process is essentially a small renovation project inside your living room:

1. Timber frame constructed on site

2. Plasterboard fixed over the structure

3. Taped and plastered

4. Sanded

5. Painted

6. Second trades return for electrics and fireplace
   

The result can look good initially. But the homeowner's experience is closer to building work than to furniture installation.

What homeowners don’t expect

Most clients imagine “fitting a feature wall” Instead, they experience:  • dust travelling through the house  • drying time between visits  • repainting the entire wall  • limited access to the room  • unpredictable timeline

Even after completion, any modification means reopening the wall.

If a cable needs changing, the wall is opened. If a fireplace changes, the wall is opened. If a bracket moves, the wall is opened.

The wall is effectively part of the building.

The furniture-built method (cabinetry approach)

A furniture media wall is designed and manufactured the same way as high-end fitted wardrobes or kitchens.

At DEVIN Furniture, the wall is produced in our workshop using precision machinery before arriving at your home.

Panels are:  • cut • edged  • drilled  • labelled  • prepared for assembly

Then the components arrive flat-packed and are assembled inside the home.

The living room becomes the final stage, not the production area.

What actually happens in your home

Instead of weeks of trades, the installation typically takes 2–3 days.

Day 1: Structure assembled and aligned

Day 2: Finishing & integration

Day 3: (if needed) Final adjustments for complex layouts

• Floors are protected, and the room remains usable in the evenings.

• There is no plaster drying time and no repainting afterwards.

• This is a cabinetry installation, not a plasterboard build.
  

Why longevity is different

Plasterboard media walls are rigid structures. Furniture media walls are engineered assemblies.

That changes how they age.

Plasterboard:

• cracks appear with house movement

• Repainting is required over time

• difficult to repair neatly
  

Cabinetry:

• stable joints

• replaceable components

• serviceable electrics
  

The wall behaves like furniture, not part of the building.

The design difference nobody talks about

The biggest visual mistake in media walls is proportion.

Builders usually copy shapes from Pinterest.

Designers calculate balance.

That includes:

• correct TV height

• fireplace width relative to screen

• shelf spacing

• visual weight across the wall
  

This is why many media walls feel “off” even if they look expensive.

Safety and wiring

Many construction-style walls rely on extension leads hidden inside or inaccessible sockets.

A properly designed furniture media wall plans wiring before installation. An electrician installs dedicated circuits based on technical drawings.

After installation, everything works immediately.

Cost vs value

Plasterboard builds often appear cheaper up front.

Furniture installations cost more but behave predictably in the long term. You’re buying a finished product, not a building project.

Which one should you choose?

If your goal is a permanent architectural alteration and you accept renovation disruption, plasterboard may suit you.

If your goal is a designed feature installed calmly with predictable results, furniture construction is the better route.

If you want advice specific to your room size or TV plans, you can speak directly with the team at DEVIN Furniture on 07802 606815.

Q&A

Q: What’s the main difference between a plasterboard and furniture-built media wall?  A: Plasterboard is a construction material built while furniture-built walls are manufactured offsite and assembled cleanly in the home.

Q: Which option creates less mess?  A: Furniture-built walls create far less mess because preparation is off-site.

Q: Do plasterboard media walls need redecorating after installation?  A: Usually, yes, due to plastering and painting.

Q: Which lasts longer?  A: Furniture-built walls are easier to service and maintain long-term.