Hi,
I am in the process of purchasing and soon remodeling an old colonial home in Merida. The house comes without any closet space, I don’t want to destroy the original and well preserved tile floors, by constructing heavy masonry walls on top of it, and instead I would rather use light frame drywall walls. Are the drywall walls common in Merida?
John

Hi John
Yes, drywall could be good alternative in some situations, and it sounds like this is one of them.
I have seen drywall being used all over Merida, specifically on commercial jobs (hotels, restaurants), not very often in restoration of colonial homes. But since you are doing it for the right reason (preservation of original floors), even historians of architecture in Merida should not object to it.
Just a couple of comments:
If you use metal studs and green board it should last about 20-30 years, you will have a hard time matching the finish texture on the drywall to an existing plaster walls.
Good luck
Adam

What is the reason for it only lasting 20-30 years? It seems that it would last as long as normal drywall. However, I'm beginning to wonder if the humidity plays a factor in this. I'd love to know why the life expectancy is so short. Have you thought about consulting any San Jose contractors?