I know it seems as though I had abandoned this project. I assure, I have not. It’s only that my focus has been elsewhere and I felt like I couldn’t do these posts justice under those circumstances. At the moment I’m feeling a strong pull back home, in working to improve and refine this space that is ours.

We have a lot of projects going on right now! Some are pretty boring, but oh so important (insulation just isn’t sexy, ya know? But I don’t think I can over-emphasize it’s importance…), others are exciting and creative and fun. We are in the midst of a whole-room project that I’m really excited to share. So, as before, these posts will be sprinkled in between my other regular posting.

And while we have that picture up there I might as well share the two wonderful products featured (workman not included. you have to find your own, that one is mine and you can’t have him). That is Georgia-Pacific DensArmor Plus wallboard. And while I’m not overly thrilled about supporting or advertising for Georgia-Pacific, otherwise known as one of the leading manufactures of disposable paper goods (napkins, plates, whatnot), I do think that this is a great product.

DensArmor Plus differs from regular drywall in that it’s comprised of a gypsum infused fiberglass back and core. The main benefit of this being that there is literally no paper involved, making mold growth highly unlikely. It’s far heftier then your standard dry-wall, so be prepared for some extra work moving it around. In the reviews that we’ve read, contractors have considered it nearly indestructible when compared with regular dry-wall. And unlike with green board, the mold resistance comes from lack of suitable growing habitat, rather then chemical fungicides of extremely questionable safety. It is the only dry wall to obtain both GREENGUARD* and GREENGUARD Children and Schools* indoor air quality certification.

As with all products people’s tolerances differ, especially people with chemical sensitivities, so you should always test things out before making a purchase. There are some acrylic binders used in manufacturing DensArmor Plus, which can be an issue for some. On the whole, I think it’s a promising product that could be a good option for a lot of people.

The second product is by Murco Wall Products. Their M100 Joint compound is the only one that I’ve found that is entirely insecticide/fungicide free, with no preservatives. We’ve been using this product for years now, even before we got sick, and it’s always worked well for us. The two downsides to this particular product are that a) you have to mix it yourself, and in this day and age where “ready-made” is the status quo, some people find that aggravating, and b) most people will have to have it shipped directly from the company in TX, due to the weight of the product that can mean a shipping cost nearly or greater then the product itself. It still seems a small price to pay to ensure purity and health.

*GREENGUARD Environmental Institute recognizes indoor products that have low emissions of VOCs (volatile organic compounds).