Temporary Walls vs. Traditional Barriers: Which Is Better for Healthcare Projects?

Renovations are an unavoidable part of the job in healthcare. Keeping up with health and safety standards sometimes means invasive projects or updates.  But when you’ve got patients just a few doors down, every construction decision brings different challenges, especially how you handle containment. 

While plastic sheeting and drywall are familiar go-tos, they often create more headaches than solutions. Modern temporary wall systems are revolutionizing safe healthcare construction, and it might be time to reconsider what the standard of safety should look like.

Let’s discuss how you can protect your patients and staff the smarter (and more budget-friendly) way this year with a modular construction dust barrier that’s built for real healthcare challenges.

What Matters Most During Healthcare Construction

Construction in an active healthcare setting isn’t like building out an office or retail space. You’re not just managing noise and dust. You’re protecting patients, supporting clinical operations, and maintaining compliance every step of the way.

Containment isn’t a side task. It’s a central part of infection control in a healthcare setting..

Healthcare-associated infections (HAIs) still account for an estimated 90,000 deaths each year in the U.S. Construction-related dust and airborne contaminants are known contributors, especially in environments with immunocompromised or high-risk patients.

That’s why containment decisions must be strategic. Before you land on a solution, ask:

4 Questions to Ask Yourself About Construction Barriers

1. Will this keep airborne contaminants under control?
2. Will it pass inspection or cause delays?
3. Can we get it up fast and take it down just as easily?
4. Can we reuse it next time?

The answers to these questions should shape every containment choice you make.

Plastic Sheeting: Fast but Fragile

Plastic sheeting is common because it’s cheap and easy to deploy. In a true emergency, like a burst pipe or overnight repair, it’s better than nothing. But in most planned projects, especially those near patient care, it’s not enough.

Plastic sheeting tears easily and is difficult to seal to the level required for Class III or IV ICRA compliance. It might go up quickly, but it rarely holds up to inspection, and it won’t hold up under negative pressure or extended timelines. And it’s far from ideal as a construction dust barrier — especially when patient safety is on the line.

It also sends the wrong message. A clear plastic barrier often looks like a last-minute fix, not a well-managed project. This can easily chip away at your hard-earned trust from patients, staff, and the larger community.

Drywall: Durable but Demanding

Drywall feels like a professional upgrade. It’s solid. It blocks noise. It looks permanent. For some projects, that’s what you want. But healthcare construction moves fast. And drywall doesn’t.

It’s slow to install, messy to remove, and leaves you with demolition debris to clean up afterward. You’re essentially creating dust to stop dust. Worse, it’s single-use. Once it’s built, it’s staying put permanently, or getting torn out and trashed. That’s more cost, more time, and more waste.

For permanent construction or long-term upgrades in unoccupied areas, drywall may still make sense. But if you’re working in an ICU, maternity ward, or emergency department that needs to stay operational while you renovate? It’s a logistical headache. Facilities that tackle multiple projects a year, especially phased upgrades, often find that drywall can’t keep up in the same way that a temporary wall barrier could.

Temporary Modular Wall Systems: Built for Healthcare

Modular temporary wall barrier systems are designed specifically for healthcare environments — clean, sealed, reusable, and fast. They go up quickly, often with minimal tools. They meet ICRA Class IV requirements. And because they look clean and professional, they help maintain trust in patient-facing areas.

Unlike plastic or drywall, modular walls are flexible. They adapt to your project timeline and shift easily during phased work. They’re also compatible with HEPA filtration and negative air machines, making them a smart partner in your infection control strategy. Need to move it? Reconfigure it? Store it for next time? No problem.

That kind of flexibility translates to saved time, fewer delays, and a more streamlined experience for both your staff and patients. And the bonus? Less waste, less cleanup, and fewer materials ending up in a dumpster after each project. 

Looking for a Smarter Containment System? Meet STARC®

When you're managing renovations in a healthcare environment, you need containment that works as hard as your team does. That’s where STARC® Systems can make a huge difference.

STARC offers modular wall barriers that are built for real-world healthcare challenges — tight timelines, active patient areas, and the need for clean, quiet construction. These temporary wall barrier systems are easy to install, reusable, and designed to look like they belong in a hospital, not a job site.

• The RealWall™ system has the look and feel of a permanent wall, with built-in insulation that helps with sound control.
• The LiteBarrier™ is lightweight, easy to clean, and ideal for projects that move quickly or change direction midstream.

Both options help you stay compliant with ICRA standards and pair seamlessly with HEPA filtration and negative air equipment. And since they’re reusable, they’re as smart for your budget as they are for your facility’s schedule.

Discover more benefits of using STARC Systems today. 

What to Consider When Choosing Your Temporary Wall Barrier

No two projects are the same. However, the factors that guide your choice of a temporary wall barrier are typically similar from project to project.

• Location: Are you working in or near active patient care? If so, ICRA compliance is non-negotiable.
• Timeline: Do you need something that can go up and come down quickly? Will the layout change as the project progresses?
• Reusability: Will you need this system again in six months, or even six weeks?
• Staff & patient experience: Will this look and feel safe to the people walking past it every day?

Temporary modular wall systems check all of those boxes. They offer the flexibility, durability, and clean design that modern healthcare environments demand, without the downsides of drywall or the limitations of plastic sheeting.

Where Modular Wall Systems Make the Biggest Impact

If you’re still weighing your options, it helps to think about where modular wall systems really shine. Here are a few common situations where they tend to outperform plastic sheeting or drywall:

Occupied patient areas
Whether you're working in an ICU, surgical suite, or patient wing, minimizing noise, dust, and disruption is a top priority. Modular walls create a cleaner, more controlled environment that helps keep care on track.

Fast-moving or phased projects
When timelines are tight or renovations happen in phases, speed and flexibility matter. Modular systems can be installed quickly and reconfigured just as easily as your project evolves.

Facilities with ongoing maintenance needs
If your facility regularly renovates or refreshes spaces, modular walls provide long-term value. Instead of building from scratch each time, you can repurpose the same system across multiple jobs.

Public-facing environments
First impressions matter. In lobbies, hallways, or waiting rooms, modular barriers provide a polished, professional look that maintains patient trust, even during construction.

Make the Smartest Choice for Healthcare Dust Containment

As a healthcare facility manager, you’re already juggling a lot — compliance, timelines, safety, staffing, and patient care. The last thing you need is a containment solution that adds to the stress.

Modular temporary wall barrier systems help you work smarter. They install fast. They hold up to ICRA and CDC standards. They keep dust and disruptions where they belong — away from patients. And they’re reusable, saving time and money with every project.

In healthcare construction, speed and precision matter. So does trust. Thankfully, modular walls help you deliver all three consistently.

Empower your facility with unbeatable infection control protection today.