# New shop, what to put on the walls?



## david2011 (Apr 1, 2008)

It looks like my long awaited shop will break ground on Wednesday, Aug 19. I've been working on the design for months with a couple of CAD programs. One decision I still need to make is what to put on the interior walls. The choices are drywall or OSB. Without question drywall will look the best but the ability to hang items of moderate weight anywhere gives great appeal to OSB. The ceiling will still be drywall regardless.

What do you think?


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## wapakfred (Jul 29, 2011)

Just drywall suits me fine, I don't have a problem hanging things but I can see the appeal of that. Even with OSB, you may have to cover it with drywall for fire purposes anyway.


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## mike02719 (Jan 13, 2008)

OSB was my choice because it is cheap, stronger than drywall, and much easier to install. Strength is critical in a shop. Over the years, the walls and ceilings take a lot of abuse because of different projects, wall hangings, etc. I put OSB on the ceiling as well. After it is painted, there is not much difference and will last much longer. Good Luck with your project.


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## rwe2156 (May 7, 2014)

OSB here. Mainly because I needed to save $ and picked up a bunch of extra sheets off a construction site for next to nothing.

I were building a new shop, I would probably go with drywall and definitely hire it out!

OSB doesn't hold screws that well anyway you really have to go with 3/4 ply.


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## ibewjon (Oct 2, 2010)

I used 7 / 16 osb, covered with drywall for fire safety. Upper cabinets are hung on french cleats on studs, but having the osb behind makes hanging small items easy. And the osb behind the drywall also strengthens the drywall. I taped it myself, it is not the living room.


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## david2011 (Apr 1, 2008)

Thanks for the replies. The entire shop will be built by contractors. For once I'm paying for a turnkey job. Since I'm on the Texas Gulf Coast the shop will be insulated and air conditioned so open studs aren't one of the options. Not only is A/C necessary for creature comfort but it's also necessary to keep bare metal like cast iron machinery from rusting.


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## wapakfred (Jul 29, 2011)

One other thing to consider, the noise levels are reduced with drywall, the OSB seems to reflect more sound. Good luck with your choice.


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## DrTebi (Jun 16, 2009)

> One other thing to consider, the noise levels are reduced with drywall, the OSB seems to reflect more sound. Good luck with your choice.
> 
> - Fred Hargis


Hmmmm…. I do not believe that that is true. Any hard and smooth surface will reflect sound waves. OSB, having a slightly uneven surface, may actually reflect less.

Vibration is a different story though. Drywall is denser, and would not "ring" as much as OSB. Soundwaves of lower frequencies, like those from large motors, may make OSB sing a bit more than drywall.


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## Unknowncraftsman (Jun 23, 2013)

I vote for drywall. Osb would remind me roofing days the stuff stinks.


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## kelvancra (May 4, 2010)

I covered mine with drywall.

Some areas get a upper sheet of OSB, plywood or what have you over that for hanging things. Working out of boxes takes much of the fun out of work, so I want my layout tools and so on where I can see and reach for them.

Patterns, if displayed for an easy find, tend to require weird positionings too, so the nail or screw holding capacity is, again, important.

For cabinets, drywall is fine, because all I have to do is hit a 24" center. Even my "swinging display walls" don't need plywood, because they have to have an iron angle bar to hang off of, and it's about four feet long, so can be mounted on centers too.

In the end, doubling up, such as with OSB or ply over rock, certainly isn't going to hurt the insulation any.


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## pottz (Sep 15, 2015)

osb definitely,then paint white.i dont think it's a noise issue at all.if fire rating is an issue just cover the osb with drywall.


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## WoodenDreams (Aug 23, 2018)

I'd go with the Dry wall. When I hung my peg board up, I used 1×2 and 1×4 strips to use as a backing to bring out the pegboard. You can always add some 'slat wall panels' where you want them. About $36 per sheet. https://www.menards.com/main/paint/paneling-planking/paneling/dakota-trade-3-4-x-4-x-8-prefinished-slatwall-panel/lamslatwallwhite/p-1444428251813.htm

or something like this https://www.garagecabinets.com/garage-slatwall/


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## craftsman on the lake (Dec 27, 2008)

Okay, another take on this….

I have drywall, painted with a light paint. Looks good. If you've got exceptional dust collection then that's good. If you don't, expect a perpetual dust collected wall. Try to wash it and after it dries it's just a swirl of dust and it looks worse.

I speak from experience. So, as much as I like sheetrock for looks if I did it again I'd have to spend more money than I have on a dust collection system or use something that I can varnish so it wipes clean with something stronger than water.
A pleated filter doesn't seem to necessarily cut it. Dust comes off the machines too. I'd need really good ($$) suction and really good collection points at each machine. The dust is a never ending battle.


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## david2011 (Apr 1, 2008)

> Okay, another take on this….
> 
> I have drywall, painted with a light paint. Looks good. If you ve got exceptional dust collection then that s good. If you don t, expect a perpetual dust collected wall. Try to wash it and after it dries it s just a swirl of dust and it looks worse.
> 
> ...


That's very interesting. What level of gloss is your paint? I was planning on satin but maybe semi-gloss would be better.

Because of my decades of building RC airplanes with balsa, I am going for good dust collection this time. Balsa dust has a lot of silica in it and is a terrible irritant. My dust collector is a Jet DC1200 with the 2 micron filter; 2 hp; 1200 cfm. A big Dust Deputy will be added to it. I plan on adding a ceiling mounted air filtration system as well. For smaller tools I have a Shop Vac with a Dust Deputy and the Rockler hose system for smaller tools. I have an opportunity to get rid of my Craftsman contractor's saw and replace it with a decked out Craftsman hybrid cabinet saw. It has over arm dust collection as well as the port in the base so that should help with dust as well.


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## david2011 (Apr 1, 2008)

> osb definitely,then paint white.i dont think it s a noise issue at all.if fire rating is an issue just cover the osb with drywall.
> 
> - pottz


For me it's "either, or." I don't want the added expense of double dipping on the interior walls. I think the fire concern is great enough to steer me toward drywall. That is something I didn't consider so all the comments on fire safety are appreciated. I've burned scraps of OSB and have seen that it is REALLY flammable. I can hang appropriately sized panels of nice ply with French cleats at strategic locations and attach them to studs. That will probably be the best end result. Another consideration is sound penetrating to the outside. I like to work late at night sometimes. I'm less concerned about noise inside the shop than I am noise that escapes. I'm in a quiet neighborhood and don't want to annoy the neighbors.


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## redlee (Apr 11, 2016)

1/2" Plywood, painted white.
Only good thing about Drywall is the fire rating.


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## LeeRoyMan (Feb 23, 2019)

Drywall. 
I've never had a problem hanging anything from studs.
Use the money from the OSB, or plywood, and upgrade your power.
So many other better things you can use the money for,
compared to just having the ability to put a screw where you want.

How much extra is it going to cost just for a convenience? (A Festool Domino Joiner? )


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## Kazooman (Jan 20, 2013)

Prepare for future loads on the walls by installing blocking between the studs before the dry wall. Cheap, easy to install, and it gives you a lot of freedom to place future items where you want them. Pick one or two heights and the specific areas to install with an eye towards future use. The materials are close to free compared to the overall cost of the project.

Make a good drawing of where the future support is before the drywall job or better than that take a lot of pictures. I had a high quality shower surround installed a few years ago. We do not currently need any handicap support bars so we left them out. I did have 2×12" blocking installed in strategic places and I have good drawings and pictures. Adding a very secure handicap rail will be a piece of cake in the future. Anchoring into solid wood.


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## JCamp (Nov 22, 2016)

OSB or Ply. One of the things about drywall is that it can mold from absorbing moisture. I've never had that issue with ply or OSB and I like being able to hand stuff other than right on the studs


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## corelz125 (Sep 23, 2015)

If you put drywall over osb I would just go with 3/4 fire rated plywood at that point. If you are worried about hanging things off of drywall the Hilti toggle bolts are great for drywall. Drywall is a better look than osb if you plan on selling the house down the road.


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## CWWoodworking (Nov 28, 2017)

I used osb. If I had to do it over it would be plywood.

I would never use drywall because I would have to pay someone to finish it.


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## MadMark (Jun 3, 2014)

Posters of Pammi & Farrah in their red bathing suits?


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## kelvancra (May 4, 2010)

That drywall-toggle bolt thing would be a pain for those of us who rearrange furniture like….

Every square inch of plywood or OSB is fair game for hanging something, then changing your mind. Not so much drywall. Those of us who have owned shops for decades know this too well.



> If you put drywall over osb I would just go with 3/4 fire rated plywood at that point. If you are worried about hanging things off of drywall the Hilti toggle bolts are great for drywall. Drywall is a better look than osb if you plan on selling the house down the road.
> 
> - corelz125


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## LeeRoyMan (Feb 23, 2019)

> That drywall-toggle bolt thing would be a pain for those of us who rearrange furniture like….
> 
> Every square inch of plywood or OSB is fair game for hanging something, then changing your mind. Not so much drywall. *Those of us who have owned shops for decades know this too well.
> *
> ...


I've been in at least 3 other commercial buildings that were drywall, and I have never had a problem putting anything, where I want, or moving it later.
It ain't that big of deal.


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## Smitty_Cabinetshop (Mar 26, 2011)

I have painted osb and love it. The texture does hold dust, and that bothers me sometimes (but not that much). I like knowing I don't have to hit a stud or use an anchor. The osb wins that one.

No fire rating applicable to my shop.

My dad has sheetrock in his shop, on the ceiling he's had it for 35+ years, and expansion /contraction has produced seem lines. I have a metal ceiling, and much prefer it.

Good luck with your new shop.


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## pottz (Sep 15, 2015)

i dont understand the worry about fire rating,if it's connected to your house the code will require a fire rating otherwise who cares.hell sometimes i wish the garage would burn down,with the insurance ive got i could build a dream shop.


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## BlasterStumps (Mar 13, 2017)

I hung the drywall in my little 14' x 24' shop this spring. I had hired a crew to do it. Thought it would take them about 1/2 to 3/4 of the day. Turned out that after 4 hours, 3 men, they had two sheets up on the ceiling and that was it. I walked in and took a look at how they ran the screws way deep into the sheetrock, the big gaps and screw holes everywhere and told them to pack it up. They cleared out, what a joke, didn't even know how to run the screw gun.

I ordered some drywall and went to HF and bought a hoist and hung it myself. 12' long pieces of 5/8 on ceiling, 1/2 on walls. I taped it, mudded it, sanded, mudded, and textured it, then painted the ceiling with Kills. The walls got a light khaki. It took me a few days but turned out okay in the end.


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## pottz (Sep 15, 2015)

> I hung the drywall in my little 14 x 24 shop this spring. I had hired a crew to do it. Thought it would take them about 1/2 to 3/4 of the day. Turned out that after 4 hours, 3 men, they had two sheets up on the ceiling and that was it. I walked in and took a look at how they ran the screws way deep into the sheetrock, the big gaps and screw holes everywhere and told them to pack it up. They cleared out, what a joke, didn t even know how to run the screw gun.
> 
> I ordered some drywall and went to HF and bought a hoist and hung it myself. 12 long pieces of 5/8 on ceiling, 1/2 on walls. I taped it, mudded it, sanded, mudded, and textured it, then painted the ceiling with Kills. The walls got a light khaki. It took me a few days but turned out okay in the end.
> 
> - BlasterStumps


yeah they were not drywall hangers by any means,good call.


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## kelvancra (May 4, 2010)

For reference, every time I painted an interior with raw rock (and it was a lot), we used PVA primer. It's cheaper than KILZ, but ever bit as good, for the purposes.

The ONE bit advantage KILZ has is, you can tint it. Of course, white isn't a tint.

And I can relate to the "pro's." I wasn't happy with my [perfectionist] work, so brought some experts in, when I was done. I had to work on their work to get it back to mine.

Mudding is no less an art than hanging.



> I ordered some drywall and went to HF and bought a hoist and hung it myself. 12 long pieces of 5/8 on ceiling, 1/2 on walls. I taped it, mudded it, sanded, mudded, and textured it, then painted the ceiling with Kills. The walls got a light khaki. It took me a few days but turned out okay in the end.
> - BlasterStumps


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## david2011 (Apr 1, 2008)

> Drywall.
> I ve never had a problem hanging anything from studs.
> Use the money from the OSB, or plywood, and upgrade your power.
> So many other better things you can use the money for,
> ...


I honestly can't imagine needing more power than what is already designed in. There's a circuit for the air conditioner, one for the welding machine and one for the dust collector and possible future 220v motor for the table saw. For 110v there are two lighting circuits for the main floor for 380 sq ft. One for the air compressor. Three for small tools. I'll build my workshop cabinets and workbenches in there. Once that's done I'll make some new doors and drawers for the kitchen. I'll work alone so the max tool load will be the dust collector and one other tool at a time. Once that's done the primary use will be to build radio controlled airplanes.

I think the best plan for me might be to make some birch ply panels of French cleats to position around the shop and put them on top of the sheet rock. If I'm lucky and my health holds I may get 15 years of use out of the shop. I don't want to waste too much of that refining the shop instead of using it.


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## david2011 (Apr 1, 2008)

> For reference, every time I painted an interior with raw rock (and it was a lot), we used PVA primer. It s cheaper than KILZ, but ever bit as good, for the purposes.
> 
> The ONE bit advantage KILZ has is, you can tint it. Of course, white isn t a tint.
> 
> ...


I remodeled two bedrooms in a house I bought several years ago. After removing the popcorn on the ceilings and floating it smooth I put Kilz on one of them for a primer. The dust that was left behind even after cleaning acted like putting flour on a counter top to roll out dough. The Kilz didn't stick. I ended up peeling off every square inch of the Kilz. No fault of the Kilz; it was my mistake. THEN I learned about PVA primer. Great stuff; would never do drywall work without it again. I'm paying to get this shop built. It's a year overdue already. If the weather holds and the city gets out in a timely manner for inspections it should be done in a month from now.


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## david2011 (Apr 1, 2008)

This is a great discussion. Thanks for participating! While we're at it, I want a nice shiny floor finish like you see in big box and warehouse stores. Any recommendations?


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## pottz (Sep 15, 2015)

forget the "showroom" floors and spend the money on tools or wood,the floors are gonna get [email protected]#ked up sooner or later,dont waste the money unless,well you got money to waste!


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## Smitty_Cabinetshop (Mar 26, 2011)

Forget what Pottz says. If shiny floors make you happy, do them. Life's too short. Do what you want.


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## pottz (Sep 15, 2015)

> Forget what Pottz says. If shiny floors make you happy, do them. Life's too short. Do what you want.
> 
> - Smitty_Cabinetshop


well if all you want is shiny floors go for it,if you want to be a "woodworker" you wont care.


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## david2011 (Apr 1, 2008)

Why wouldn't a woodworker want floors that are very easy to clean? That's the motivation. The floor is a concrete slab. The choice is to let it make more of its own dust or seal it and make it easy to clean. I lived with the SE New Mexico dust that turned the air brown on windy days from 2011 until 2019. It was impossible to keep the dirt away and I want "easy" now. I'm a model airplane builder far more than a woodworker. They just happen to be made of wood.


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## Smitty_Cabinetshop (Mar 26, 2011)

Really Pottz? You don't like nice things? Something about self denial builds character in your world? Sounds like a cold, dark place. No thanks.


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## kelvancra (May 4, 2010)

Merely that you don't recognize a problem does not mean it does not exists. Before I rode a bike, walking was fine. Before I drove, a bike was fine.

Others of us have dealt with both and, from it, would take the plywood walls over rock any day.

A commercial building is, for these purposes, no different than a residential one with drywall. Hanging heavy things between studs is not easy. A toggle is a lot of hassle for an L square, when nails or screws in wood would take a couple taps to be off and running.

If you move a tool, the nail can be pulled from wood. The toggle must be left, or is a pain to hide or remove.



> That drywall-toggle bolt thing would be a pain for those of us who rearrange furniture like….
> 
> Every square inch of plywood or OSB is fair game for hanging something, then changing your mind. Not so much drywall. *Those of us who have owned shops for decades know this too well.
> *
> ...


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## kelvancra (May 4, 2010)

In my retired woodworker world, half the fun is working on the man cave, a/k/a wood shop. I have 1" rubber floors, eye glass storage from the ceiling, as well as push stick storage over the saw. I have custom carts and keep adding drawers for sand paper, sand disks, files, rasp, polishing compounds and so on. My copper plating station could have been simple, but…...FUN

It's a hobby, and it pays



> Forget what Pottz says. If shiny floors make you happy, do them. Life's too short. Do what you want.
> 
> - Smitty_Cabinetshop


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## pottz (Sep 15, 2015)

> Really Pottz? You don't like nice things? Something about self denial builds character in your world? Sounds like a cold, dark place. No thanks.
> 
> - Smitty_Cabinetshop


oh i like and love nice things things smitty im just saying you can spend your money more wisely than fancy floors,but maybe youve got the resources to admire your reflection in a shiny floor? id rather spend the money where it counts!!!look at my projects and you'll see what i mean! ;-)


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## DrTebi (Jun 16, 2009)

> Really Pottz? You don't like nice things? Something about self denial builds character in your world? Sounds like a cold, dark place. No thanks.
> 
> - SmittyCabinetshop


Come on now… he just pointed out that one shouldn't wreck their brain about the looks of a workshop, since it's really just a workshop.. we may build beautiful things in our workshop, but that doesn't require the workshop to be equally beautiful.

From my experience… it is *not* worth it to put a fancy nice floor into a woodworker's shop. It wont' take long before it's scratched up, has glue spots that don't come off, marks and dents from whatever… My shop's floor looked amazing when new, but after a few years… not so much anymore. Even though I did my best to keep it all clean and tidy.

Bottom line is, there is nothing wrong with a beautiful workshop, walls, floor and ceiling, but just don't expect it to stay that pretty for too long if you do any serious work in there… I'd focus on practicality rather than looks.


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## pottz (Sep 15, 2015)

> Really Pottz? You don't like nice things? Something about self denial builds character in your world? Sounds like a cold, dark place. No thanks.
> 
> - SmittyCabinetshop
> 
> ...


thank you. i can afford that beautiful floor but does it make sense…..no!


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## wapakfred (Jul 29, 2011)

> I ve been in at least 3 other commercial buildings that were drywall, and I have never had a problem putting anything, where I want, or moving it later.
> It ain t that big of deal.
> 
> - LeeRoyMan


Worth repeating…it just isn't that big a deal. As for slick floors, I had a ship that the concrete really polished up, every time I walked in with damp/wet shoes I'd damn near bust my butt. Even the rubber mats I had in front of my workbench (for foot comfort) would slide around if I got water on the floor. My current shop has the concrete with a little "fuzz" on it for safety reasons.


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## DLK (Nov 26, 2014)

OSB is a terrible choice. If it is attached to the house or if you will store gasoline in it you will have to use drywall, otherwise use 1/2 inch plywood. Plywood will allow you to hang anything anywhere.and will add structural strength to the walls.


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## Mosquito (Feb 15, 2012)

I used 1/2" BCX sanded plywood ceiling and walls, and would do it again if building a new freestanding shop, no hesitations. Check code for what requirements are, most places require sheet rock between garage and living space if attached, but it can be over ply/osb usually.

-

I would also totally put in floors like Smitty if I could redo and have an insulated slab. Main hint I miss (about only) from my old spare bedroom shop is the wood floors. More comfortable to stand on, resist to sweep, better to look at, warmer than slab on grade, less worry in the unfortunate event that a handtool hits the floor, and in my opinion just a nicer place to be.


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## farmfromkansas (Jun 16, 2019)

I have sheetrock walls in my shop, hung and finished it myself. I hung a suspended ceiling, as I got it for helping take down the ceiling during a remodel of the bank I use. Only had to replace the wall angle. Hung it myself, and have added 3 layers of insulation on top. The original R-19 batts went flat, did not know it did that. For AC, need lots of insulation. Walls have blue dow board on the outside between the nailers and then r 13. My shop is an old pole barn, has about the right ceiling height, so just poured a concrete slab and started making it into a shop. Front side looks like a house, with windows and siding, soffit and feisha, but the back side still has the original strongbarn.


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## Rich1955 (Jan 26, 2020)

I would check the building codes for your area. some may require a fire rated material for wall coverings. I'm not a fan of OSB because it's flammable. This is just my opinion, but i would use drywall and if I want to hang things I would use a french cleat system. Good luck in your new shop!


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## Tony_S (Dec 16, 2009)

> It ain t that big of deal.
> - LeeRoyMan


You know better than that. It's LJ's…everything is a big deal and worth arguing about.
Stepped on a turd? Sorry bud, I've been stepping on turds all my life….you did it all wrong. My turds are better than your turds.


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## BlasterStumps (Mar 13, 2017)

I totally get that shop Smitty. It is like eye candy to my eye. Really nice job. Nostalgic.



> Forget what Pottz says. If shiny floors make you happy, do them. Life's too short. Do what you want.
> 
> - Smitty_Cabinetshop


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## farmfromkansas (Jun 16, 2019)

Added a wood floor to the shop by laying down 2×4's with dow board between, @ 16" oc. Put 4" T&G flooring on top, sanded, but did not finish. Great for a shop. Rented a random orbit floor sander from Menards, used the coarse sand paper, then went around the floor with my finish sander. Very nice, bought a flooring stapler at Harbor Freight, had staples that fit,1 3/4", pulled it up very tight. Easier to heat, easier on the old body. Had to raise the walk in door, and just have a little step at the garage doors, did not go under them. Used treated wood nailers near the garage doors.


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## GrantA (Jul 19, 2014)

> I honestly can t imagine needing more power than what is already designed in. There s a circuit for the air conditioner, one for the welding machine and one for the dust collector and possible future 220v motor for the table saw. For 110v there are two lighting circuits for the main floor for 380 sq ft. One for the air compressor. Three for small tools. I ll build my workshop cabinets and workbenches in there. Once that s done I ll make some new doors and drawers for the kitchen. I ll work alone so the *max tool load will be the dust collector and one other tool at a time*. Once that s done the primary use will be to build radio controlled airplanes.
> 
> - david2011


David I think you'll be happy with the French cleats!

As for power, I know you said tool load but make sure you are counting on anything that cycles as being part of a max load- air compressor and air conditioner in your case. Lighting shouldn't pull much if you go led but that's another constant.
of course the size of the tools will vary but you could. Easily use up 30a circuits each on ac, comp, DC and another tool. That's over 100a. Think it through. My home shop also has the well running from it and a refrigerator, I ran a 150a panel to it because of that and have been happy.

As for wall covering I vote for 1/2" bc plywood. 3/4 is overkill. I have 1/2 with 2×12 yellow pine "baseboards" which act as a bumper when something his the wall Oops.


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## Smitty_Cabinetshop (Mar 26, 2011)

The floor is reclaimed, an investment of time more than anything else. And it does make sense for me to have a wood floor. I use hand tools. Old, cast iron (and in several instances, collectible) hand tools. Cracked the body of my T13 No. 4 1/2 by knocking it off the bench, onto concrete. The wood floor became a priority.

It's not slick.

Real work gets done in my shop. Not that I care if anyone feels otherwise. But that line was drawn in earlier comments, so…

It's been in place well over five years now, I guess. It's dented a bit, in traffic areas. But who cares? Better the floor wears and scars up vs. my tools. Oh, and it's easier on the eyes and the knees than concrete.


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## LeeRoyMan (Feb 23, 2019)

> Merely that you don t recognize a problem does not mean it does not exists.
> 
> - Kelly


It's only a problem for people that make it a problem.

Plywood, OSB….is "merely" a convenience. 
Yes, it is more convenient to be able to put a screw anywhere.

But it's not a necessity, 
and doesn't have anything to do with recognizing "a problem" that only exists in your mind. 
How long have people been hanging things from sheetrock walls?

Studs are normally 16" OC. 
If you can't arrange whatever you are attaching to the wall within a stud, then maybe OSB is for you.


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## kelvancra (May 4, 2010)

As to "making it a problem," that could be said to be akin to saying "someone who wants to sit makes a problem, because they could stand."

Many of do not run our hobbies out of large, commercial buildings. Just adding tools may require us to rearrange our limited space shops, their lighting and wiring.

We did create the problem. However, a new or bigger table saw, long bed jointer, a planer, an over-arm pin router, a second band saw and so opens new doors, or makes woodworking more enjoyable.

Many of us prefer avoiding the Festool Systainer approach and want to see tools we use frequently at a glance, As such, we take advantage of wall space to find them much easier than digging through doors. Convenience is far from a bad thing, when working a project.

For me, adding templates and other layout equipment, often, requires rearranging all the other layout equipment. If all those walls had only rock, a few of the items would be on the floor, or I would have had to hide, remove or live with toggles.

People used certain materials and techniques for years, until they invented or learned about better materials and methods. The primary reason builders went to rock is, CHEAP. However, plywood and OSB add FAR more strength, and items can be mounted anywhere on it without pulling through.

Absent specialty hardware, which, generally, cannot be removed, or that requires a lot of effort to hide or remove (now there's making a problem) rock will not support heavy items, be it a mirror, various hammers or what have you.

Those of us who know, from first hand expeience, the differences between using rock and engineered wood, and who are concerned about getting as many inches of real estate possible, may prefer to reduce the problems associated with extra hardware to support often used items, or moving them to another location.

And for future reference, studs are NOT "normally 16". That WAS a standard, so is common, but modern building practices call for 24" centers for buildings of any significance. This is for energy purposes and results in fewer thermal loss points in a given wall. Of course, these centers are also tied to using [at least] 2×6's, so more insulation can be added.



> Merely that you don t recognize a problem does not mean it does not exists.
> 
> - Kelly
> 
> ...


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## LeeRoyMan (Feb 23, 2019)

OK, you get a gold star.


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## kelvancra (May 4, 2010)

Ditto that. I have three electrician friends. Each claimed all I needed was a 100 amp panel. First, they are electricians, not wood workers. Commercial work aside, they know little about wood working equipment. For example:


I have three dust collectors. Two of them are the big, "four bag," three horse units that run at 15 amps. If a buddy is over, that can be two of them running, nibbling at----30 amps of box amp space.


Of course, those collectors are pulling off a bunch of somethings, such as, one of two bandsaws, a planer, a jointer, a couple lathes, a miter, etc. The jointer is good for around---- 15 amps.


I have about 24 4' LED's overhead and will be adding more. That, along with machine lamps, is good for, at least, another-------- 10 amps.


The radio is good for about-----3 amps


As mentioned, there is the cycling compressor (mine is a three horse) and cycles in for----- 15 amps


Battery pack chargers are power hungry little creatures and good for at least----5 amps


I have exterior outlets. They are not often used, but could be running a battery charger, or a weed eater in the hands of a neighbor kid, for------?


I have a plating station that, with power supply, lights, heater and air pump is good for about----5 amps.


The heating/cooling system can range from----- 10 to 40 amps.

Many of these things were far from anticipated, when the shop was built. Obviously, my needs can push a 100 amp panel beyond it's limits. As such, I ignored my expert friends and did it my way (they, grudgingly, admit my shop could be pushing or beyond the limits of a 100 amp service).

Keep in mind, you never know what all you'll have to steal power from a box for. In the old days, 40 amps was plenty. Now we have more lighting, HVAC, computers, bigger fridges and freezers and so on. I can only guess at what else I'd add. It may be a fridge, or a light box to keep finishes and glues warm. We might put a car port up and need to tap power for lighting and battery chargers.



> As for power, I know you said tool load but make sure you are counting on anything that cycles as being part of a max load- air compressor and air conditioner in your case. Lighting shouldn t pull much if you go led but that s another constant.
> of course the size of the tools will vary but you could. Easily use up 30a circuits each on ac, comp, DC and another tool. That s over 100a. Think it through. My home shop also has the well running from it and a refrigerator, I ran a 150a panel to it because of that and have been happy.
> 
> - GrantA


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## Peteybadboy (Jan 23, 2013)

May I ask what is behind the dry wall or osb? Studs or Block? I ask for myself because my new shop will be a block garage.


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## kelvancra (May 4, 2010)

On floors, half the fun of owning a hobby shop is making it fun to be in. My buddy commented on that I spent as much time building things for the shop as I did other things. He has his own shop now, so, now, understands.


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## david2011 (Apr 1, 2008)

> David I think you ll be happy with the French cleats!
> 
> As for power, I know you said tool load but make sure you are counting on anything that cycles as being part of a max load- air compressor and air conditioner in your case. Lighting shouldn t pull much if you go led but that s another constant.
> of course the size of the tools will vary but you could. Easily use up 30a circuits each on ac, comp, DC and another tool. That s over 100a. Think it through. My home shop also has the well running from it and a refrigerator, I ran a 150a panel to it because of that and have been happy.
> ...


I said "tool load" because everything has been addressed. It has been thought through at length. It has been approved by the engineer. There will be a 150 amp box. The Mitsubishi mini split requires a 20 amp breaker but draws much less and with mini splits there is no additional startup load as with conventional a/c systems because of the compressor style and the slow ramp up time. The dust collector is 220V and draws 8 amps. The table saw I have is a 1 hp contractor's saw but will likely be sold and replaced with a 1-3/4 hp cabinet saw that can run on 220v so that's about 7 amps since combined their draw is about 15A.. The saw is currently wired for 110v. I'm comfortable with the saw and DC running on the same circuit. The welder will have its own 50A circuit. My current band saw is only 12" and the jointer is a 6" Craftsman so none of those has a huge load. The cabinet saw only draws about 1300 watts/11.3 amps so it can run on a shared 110v line. The LED lighting will draw 400 watts for the entire shop including the loft upstairs. The air compressor will have its own circuit so it can be shut off from the shop without going into the garage where it will be located. It's 4 "Craftsman HP" but the GE motor in it doesn't have the amps listed. The data plate on the housing says 7.5A so it's 1.15 hp. It's always run on shared circuits since new in 1995 so this is its first time to have a dedicated circuit. I think I've been very conservative with the electrical allocation. I don't anticipate cutting 8/4 hardwood so the tools listed should be adequate for my lifetime.


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## david2011 (Apr 1, 2008)

> May I ask what is behind the dry wall or osb? Studs or Block? I ask for myself because my new shop will be a block garage.
> 
> - Peteybadboy


The walls are 2×6 studs with R-19 batt insulation.


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## david2011 (Apr 1, 2008)

> On floors, half the fun of owning a hobby shop is making it fun to be in. My buddy commented on that I spent as much time building things for the shop as I did other things. He has his own shop now, so, now, understands.
> 
> - Kelly


Yeah, pretty easy to understand once you've been there. Even the little stuff. I need to make a holder for the diamond stones and strop.


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## david2011 (Apr 1, 2008)

FYI, this is my fourth shop build. Been through the planning a few times.


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## drsurfrat (Aug 17, 2020)

I hope this isn't too late, but the original question seems to be about hanging strength. 
Regardless of the type of covering, I had a wise contractor place 2×6's - horizontally, wide face out - between studs across areas he knew would have attachments. 
Now every towel rack and toilet paper holder has a 2x backing behind the drywall. If you have CAD plans, you probably already know where you will hang cabinets and tools…
Mike


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## david2011 (Apr 1, 2008)

Funny how you have to ask the right question to get applicable answers and I clearly failed to ask the right question about the floor. My floor is the concrete slab. I want a concrete floor; not interested in covering it with anything because that would not be compatible with some of my activities outside of woodworking. I expect to add a metal lathe and possibly a milling machine which are heavy and will both throw hot metal chips onto the floor.

Does anyone have experience with any kind of concrete floor sealer that will make it easier to clean up sawdust and other things that end up on the floor?


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## kelvancra (May 4, 2010)

Most of the sealers I played with will just seal the floor. Anything else would be a filler, like we use with wood. Smoothness should be no problem at the stage of laying the concrete. After the concrete has had time to cure, then you can find all kinds of sealers that, to me are a good idea inside and out.

Outside, they keep water out, so cut back on freeze damage. Inside, they might make paint, poly or even coffee drips easier to remove.

Quick question - are you going to lay insulation under the concrete?


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## kelvancra (May 4, 2010)

Good reminder. When remodeled our kitchen, I installed blocking anywhere cabinets would hang. So too it went with towel rack spots or bathtub bars when the bath got made over. It made hanging thing 1000% easier.



> I hope this isn t too late, but the original question seems to be about hanging strength.
> Regardless of the type of covering, I had a wise contractor place 2×6 s - horizontally, wide face out - between studs across areas he knew would have attachments.
> Now every towel rack and toilet paper holder has a 2x backing behind the drywall. If you have CAD plans, you probably already know where you will hang cabinets and tools…
> Mike
> ...


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## kelvancra (May 4, 2010)

On my previous posts, I should have noted, the only places I use solid ply or OSB is like the layout area, posted above, my angle grinder storage (including various cut-off and other disks) area, the drill area, where I display my spades, Forstners, spurs, steps, twists, brads, counter sinks, and so on. They would be a pain to store in drawers.

Obviously, cleats would be all one needs, if you wanted to shuffle cabinets and things. Most my cabinets have no back, but do have about two or three inches of vertical material on the top-back specifically for stiffening AND hanging.

The layout area only has a 4×8 sheet horizontal and just down from the ceiling. The grinder storage is a 3/8"x2'x4' mounted vertically. Everything is rock, with those over them, which allows me to move the entire package, once the stuff is off the wall. Sure makes furniture re-arranging easier.


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## kelvancra (May 4, 2010)

Generally, placed outlets at about waist level.

Another thing I learned is, half the time, I needed two duplexes, rather than one.

For example, a single duplex outlet was enough to allow me to plug both a scroll and a bandsaw in, but I had to add a second duplex, or use an adapter if there were lights involved. Then there was the matter of plugging in the occasional circular saw or router.

On all that, I was VERY glad I made all my lights plug in, on two circuits (so if one tripped I still had light), and on three and even four way switches.

Add to that mix, I installed a few 20 amp circuits so I could drop cords in strategic places for my 240 saw, jointer and collector, and several 120's for hand tool drops.


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## david2011 (Apr 1, 2008)

> Most of the sealers I played with will just seal the floor. Anything else would be a filler, like we use with wood. Smoothness should be no problem at the stage of laying the concrete. After the concrete has had time to cure, then you can find all kinds of sealers that, to me are a good idea inside and out.
> 
> Outside, they keep water out, so cut back on freeze damage. Inside, they might make paint, poly or even coffee drips easier to remove.
> 
> ...


What is this thing, "freezing"? Seriously, it doesn't freeze here every winter and when it does it rarely drops below 32°F for more than a few hours during the night. It is extremely rare that it gets below 28°. Water lines are in the attics and not insulated along the Gulf Coast. Insulation under concrete just isn't done here.

In my specs I included the requirement of a slick finish on the slab so I'm hoping it will be an easy job to seal it before I move anything in.

All of the 110V outlets will be at 48" above the floor except the one for the table saw and they will be positioned every 32" around the room. The 220V outlets can be at normal household height. That's how I wired my last shop and I was happy with it. I will also have 2 lighting circuits and there will be nothing else on them.

My entry door from the garage and the one from the outside are on adjoining corners of the room so only one set of light switches will be necessary.


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## 23tony (Dec 8, 2017)

> Does anyone have experience with any kind of concrete floor sealer that will make it easier to clean up sawdust and other things that end up on the floor?
> 
> - david2011


Why bother with all that work, just go steal Smitty's floor


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## david2011 (Apr 1, 2008)

But then I would have a wood floor. Not good for welding and metal machining. :-(


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## david2011 (Apr 1, 2008)

Construction has begun.

Future location; the overhead door will remain operational for materials and machinery access.










Removing brick veneer










Lots of the old slab, 8" thick in places.


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## wapakfred (Jul 29, 2011)

Have you made all the key decisions yet? We (I) want to know what you've decided!


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## clin (Sep 3, 2015)

> 1/2" Plywood, painted white.
> Only good thing about Drywall is the fire rating.
> 
> - Richard Lee


Tough to argue with plywood painted white. I converted part of a garage so had some existing walls covered in drywall. The one new wall I put up I did the same thing. But I covered the walls nearly floor to ceiling with french cleats. It's very flexible and I can even relocate wall cabinets quickly, which I've done once or twice.

If I were to do it again, I'd probably still go with the French cleats, but plywood painted white would be a very close second. The flexibility to quickly mount things more or less anywhere you want is really nice to have.

Another advantage I can see with plywood is you could unscrew the panels as needed to access the interior wall. For example, to run new wiring.

I'm no expert on this at all, but I think there could be issues with using materials like OSB or plywood on interior walls concerning fire codes. That might at least be worth looking into.

Here's a few pics of me shop as I was still building my shop cabinets and finishing it up.


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## david2011 (Apr 1, 2008)

> Have you made all the key decisions yet? We (I) want to know what you ve decided!
> 
> - Fred Hargis


New key decisions seem to be coming up daily. Today was the start of concrete form building. The only real decision there was how to shape the sidewalk that leads to the exterior man door.

I think the walls will be sheet rock/drywall finished slick with no texture and no baseboards. I can make panels with French cleats to hang wherever I want. A cabinetmaker in Houston sells birch ply at good prices so I'll use his ply for the panels and finish them in satin water based PU. It's nice wood; I've bought from him before. No useful input on a floor sealer yet but YouTube reviews of Eagle floor sealer are good so I may go that route. Home Depot is carrying some pretty decent 3/4" cabinet ply right now. It has at least 7 plies and was about $31 but just took a $3 price hike. It has a B surface so should paint well. The cabinet guy sells 1×12 poplar for $1.95/lf so that will be the door frames. I'm thinking very hard about using 1/4" MDF or hardboard for the door panels because it paints well and is actually 1/4" thick versus ply which is 5mm or 6mm depending on the variety.

The Barrina LED lights seem to have a big following so I'll probably go with those in the 8' variety with 4 rows of 2 lights each and two more in the loft. I think the rest of the electrical is settled unless the electrician thinks I need to change something.

The walls will probably be a light gray so I can use medium and charcoal grays as accent colors on the cabinets and the benches that get painted. The ceiling will be white.


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## david2011 (Apr 1, 2008)

> Here s a few pics of me shop as I was still building my shop cabinets and finishing it up.
> 
> - clin


That looks really nice. The combination of clear finished wood and white might persuade me to go with white walls. There's still time to make that decision. Thanks for sharing the pictures.


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## Knockonit (Nov 5, 2017)

just started a 960 sq ft shop, concretes down, trusses due on 28th, i managed to pick up a few bunks of old yard goods 5/8'' plywood, so gonna cover interior walls with it. it was actually four bunks, so i'm using 5/8s everywhere roof, interior, outside is osb zip wall. 
10 ft walls, std 4/12 pitch,

spray foam insulation, with a heat pump, and an office in one end for misc. items that need to be in a clean room.
shop dream coming true finally after leasing shops and having them for business, now finallly one at home. 
won't be complete till probably end of year or first. building outta my pocket as i go. 
i figure out how to do pictures i'll get some posted. yeehaw
rj in az


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## david2011 (Apr 1, 2008)

Knockonit, all you have to do is save the pictures to your computer and when you make a post click the "img" icon at the top of the message box. It will let you browse to your pictures, select one and upload it. It's pretty intuitive once you give it a try. I'm assuming it works pretty much the same if you're using a phone. I spent 25 years in corporate IT so I still like using a computer over my iPad or phone. Please PM me if you need more help.


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## david2011 (Apr 1, 2008)

Making some progress. We were in the landfall cone of probability for hurricanes Laura and Marco so the builders held off until the storms passed so we lost several days there. I am deeply sorry for the people in SE Texas and Louisiana that were affected. I have friends in that area. The slab is down and curing. We looked out the window this morning and found a big surprise. The lumber company didn't call the contractor or the framers and we didn't get a ring on the doorbell. Never hear the equipment either. My wife has trouble getting into the truck and had a doctor's appointment. It was the only transportation we had available so she had to climb in.


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## EricFai (Sep 30, 2018)

I would say drywall is the way to go. You can have a nice clean finish look. If tool cabinets are an issue on the walls use the french cleats. And it's really not that hard to finish out.

For cost drywall would be cheaper. OSB has been on the rise for the past few months, of course so has just about everything else for that matter. Covid and supply chains.


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## david2011 (Apr 1, 2008)

More progress and decisions have been made. The structure is up and the roof is on. The framers/roofers did a great job of tying the new structure into the existing garage and the shingles matched the existing roof perfectly as it was only 10 months old. The ceilings on both floors will be sheet rock and the walls will be birch plywood finished with clear WBPU. Electrical rough-in starts tomorrow. The upstairs area will be a mix of storage and another work area. Headroom in the center is about 6'4" and I'm 5'8" so I'll have good space available.


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## MadMark (Jun 3, 2014)

Nice. Strange to see rafters without struts, tie plates and hurricane straps like we need here in Florida.

I'm jealous!

Why no windows / skylights?


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## therealSteveN (Oct 29, 2016)

Spirited discussion this…..

potzz, I like your insurance made me rich scheme….  Thing is it really doesn't, those bastiages are tight with your $$$$$ They get their hands on it, they start thinking it's their $$$$$$


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## david2011 (Apr 1, 2008)

> Nice. Strange to see rafters without struts, tie plates and hurricane straps like we need here in Florida.
> 
> I m jealous!
> 
> ...


There will be a 36×48 window on the first floor and a 24×36 window on the upper floor. The upper floor will be used for making small useful items from lead alloys and storing them safely in brass protective coverings so I wanted the structure to be as open as possible. I didn't want skylights because of the potential for leaking. I'll have 8 of the 8' LED lights on the first floor and two of the same lights on the second floor so the windows are just to help remind me of sunset.

The pictures were taken as work was being done. We actually have more stringent wind codes in the City of Baytown, TX than Florida does within 1 mile of the high tide mark. We even have more stringent codes than Galveston, directly on the Gulf. Everything has to be designed to take 150 mph loads where Florida state codes require 130 mph designs. There are 48" tie straps across the ridge beam that tie the rafters together and collar ties were added after the pictures were take. There are LOTS of tie straps and hurricane clips throughout.


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## david2011 (Apr 1, 2008)

Lots of progress has been made. I've been more active than I intended in supervising the work. I just want it the way I want it. The contractor had never hung birch plywood for walls so I was involved there and keeping an eye on things like insulation and gap sealing to keep the climate control both more effective and less costly. The walls are 1/2" birch plywood. The contractor started complaining that it was too much work to drill and countersink for each and every screw hole and to get them accurately aligned. We had a discussion and I decided to put the screws in after the panels were nailed up with a 16 ga finish nailer rather than allow the appearance to be compromised. He told me that he thought he could just hang the plywood with galvanized exterior siding nails. Uh, NO! It took a few hours to put the screws in but I'm happy with the appearance. The finish is Minwax satin WBPU. The lights are Barrina from Amazon. I got a 10 pack of 8' (actually 93") lights for $200. There will be two more rows installed on the first floor and the other two lights will go upstairs. That will me more than enough light. The windows will probably glow like the garage in a Sci-Fi movie at night. The torsion box door is for attic access upstairs. I insulated it before closing it up. The garage to which the shop is attached is full floored and has shelving in it. I'll be able to walk through rather than use the pull-down ladder in the garage. Final electrical, air conditioning, acrylic floor finish and the other little details should be finished next week.


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## kelvancra (May 4, 2010)

Wow


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## DrTebi (Jun 16, 2009)

It's gonna be a great shop for sure 

I like how you are particular about every detail. This will all pay off years later. Taking shortcuts now is just gonna bite you in the *** later.

I haven't read the entire thread, so maybe it has already been mentioned, but I wonder what you have planned for dust collection? In your situation it may have been worth to consider putting it inside the attic, or even the floor.


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## david2011 (Apr 1, 2008)

DrTebi, I have three ways to deal with dust. One is a Jet DC-1200 240VAC 2 hp collector. For the small tools I have a Shop Vac with a Dust Deputy on it. I'm so pleased with the little Dust Deputy that I'm going to install one on the big dust collector. For whole room filtration I got a Rikon air filter to hang from the ceiling. I don't have an attic over the shop; that area is reserved for other technical work. It doesn't work well to put a dust collector in a separate room. I had that option but realized that it would evacuate the cooled or heated air in less than three minutes if the big dust collector was running at full efficiency. April Wilkerson put hers in a separate room or building but the return air is ducted back into her shop so the cooled or heated air isn't lost.

I got another row of lights installed tonight and WOW, is it ever bright. It will be no problem reading 1/64" divisions on the rulers or the vernier on a micrometer.


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## DrTebi (Jun 16, 2009)

Thanks for the quick answer, but I was actually thinking about the duct system, not the dust collector itself. Sounds like you have a good dust collector, but how are you arranging the hoses to your machines?


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## kelvancra (May 4, 2010)

My scheme was to build a box to move my collectors up into my attic inside a box I built there and insulated. The cartridges and bags would vent back into the shop.

That the two four bag/cartridge systems eat a lot of room, especially with cyclones in front of them, makes this worth considering.

I would keep the cyclones in the shop, since they only take the room of a 30/55 gallon drum and need to be emptied regularly.


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## david2011 (Apr 1, 2008)

> Thanks for the quick answer, but I was actually thinking about the duct system, not the dust collector itself. Sounds like you have a good dust collector, but how are you arranging the hoses to your machines?
> 
> - DrTebi


When I bought the dust collector (used) it cam with a huge amount of piping and blast gates. As said, there is no attic for running the ducting. Above the ceiling is a second floor. I got the lights installed in it today and will get a photo posted. I think I may use the Rockler extendable hose and quick connectors instead. It just looks so easy and flexible. All of my machines of any size are on wheels so the flexibility seems to be a big advantage.


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## david2011 (Apr 1, 2008)

> My scheme was to build a box to move my collectors up into my attic inside a box I built there and insulated. The cartridges and bags would vent back into the shop.
> 
> That the two four bag/cartridge systems eat a lot of room, especially with cyclones in front of them, makes this worth considering.
> 
> ...


That sounds like a great system. I don't know how much I'll use the jointer and planer but I do know how much waste they produce. Ease of emptying the collector is a priority.

Since I don't have an attic over the shop, I have planned on putting the dust collector under the stairs from the outset. I messed with the design for 5-6 months in SketchUp before starting construction. Some things ended up almost exactly like my designs and others, like the stairs, are very different. I had a very creative framer that came up with a vastly improved stair design that saved considerable useful floor space.

More lights were installed today; two in line upstairs and two more on the main floor ceiling. I will have more light than I had dreamed. More photos coming.


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## eflanders (May 2, 2013)

Drywall board if not professionally installed is less expensive than OSB. As others have said, building codes may require drywall anyway. FYI the joints do not need to be taped in order to meet fire code rating.


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## ibewjon (Oct 2, 2010)

I was in construction for 42 years. For fire rating, all joints had to be taped. Not pretty, in fact very rough taping in the unseen areas like above ceiling. But still taped.


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## EricFai (Sep 30, 2018)

That is correct for taping, all joints need tape and one coat of mud. And above ceiling in commercial usually does look rough. Also any penatrations need to be sealed. Builders ng code states that any holes in the bottom plate and tip plate need to be fire caulked.


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## david2011 (Apr 1, 2008)

I elected to use drywall only on the ceilings. It was all taped, floated, textured and painted. The walls ended up being covered in 12mm (0.471") birch plywood and clear finished with water based polyurethane. Drywall was only required behind plywood or paneling if it was 1/4" or thinner.


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## stevejack (Apr 5, 2020)

I used Drywall on mine. I am old school so I made a bunch of full 4×8 Pegboard Sheets with a 3/4×11.5 frames behind them and used the top one shaped as a FRENCH CLEAT so I could hang them easy remove them and move them around when I wanted. I painted everything flat white. One would be amazed how much brighter and large your shop is an feels if you paint every stationary surface bright white.


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## kelvancra (May 4, 2010)

100% on that white wall thing, but I went with eggshell or satin for a bit more shine and durability.


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## david2011 (Apr 1, 2008)

The drywall got a final finish of pure white eggshell. Like Kelly, I wanted the durability and also ease of cleaning. I'm happy with the walls being natural birch. If the room were any brighter it would be too bright. Fortunately I had the lights put on two switches so I can choose whether to have two or four rows turned on.


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## EricFai (Sep 30, 2018)

I agree with the drywall finished in white, my preference, maybe a light gray. I like the idea of the french cleats for the peg board, I have those on a few cabinets. May have to incorporate the peg board frames into my shop. Place a strip all the way around to allow me to adjust the work flow if needed.


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## DrTebi (Jun 16, 2009)

> When I bought the dust collector (used) it cam with a huge amount of piping and blast gates. As said, there is no attic for running the ducting. Above the ceiling is a second floor. I got the lights installed in it today and will get a photo posted. I think I may use the Rockler extendable hose and quick connectors instead. It just looks so easy and flexible. All of my machines of any size are on wheels so the flexibility seems to be a big advantage.
> 
> - david2011


I guess it depends on the size of your shop. If you can arrange the machines to be stationary. In a new and bigger shop, I would definitely install piping, blast gates etc. The one thing in my shop I got tired of is moving machines around, and connecting/disconnecting the dust collector hose… With a fixed duct system, you will save time, spend less time doing tedious moving of machines and hoses… just what I am thinking…


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## ibewjon (Oct 2, 2010)

Since you have the duct and gates, why fool around moving equipment and hoses all the time. I ran my duct about 3' high along the walls, easy to get at the gates.


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## david2011 (Apr 1, 2008)

Jon, that's easy to answer. Because of the small size of the shop and the number of tools and benches in it, moving them around is not optional. The only tool that won't move much is the table saw but I expect to have to move it to use the router table unless I can move it to the other (from right to left) end of the saw. It's just going to be easier to use the flexible hose. The table saw, jointer, planer, miter saw, 12" band saw and benches are or will be on wheels. The smaller tools like the drill presses, grinders, sanders and Dremel table saw will be on mobile workbenches. The primary function of the woodworking area is to build radio controlled airplanes rather than general woodworking. I expect that all of the workbenches, infeed/outfeed/assembly tables and the like will be mobile.

If I decided to use the existing ducting it would be run near the ceiling with drops to the tools so as to not interfere with cabinets and workbenches.

DrTebi, this is not a new and bigger shop. It is a new and much smaller shop. I moved from living on a wide open acre in a semi-rural area to living in a suburban neighborhood. My design was constrained by the existing structure to which the shop must be attached and the property size and easement restrictions. The old shop was a 36'x36' building that was well away from the house; the new one is 20'x21' (19'x20' interior) with about 10'x16' of useful floor space upstairs. The upstairs area only has walls on the two ends of the room and one of those is made less than useful by the staircase. The other "walls" are the sloped ceiling.


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## controlfreak (Jun 29, 2019)

In my small shop sheetrock wouldn't stand a chance.


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## kelvancra (May 4, 2010)

In my shop, one of the two three horse (four "bag") units uses gates, but they are all at the intake of the collector and feed to two bandsaws, a drum, spindle and flat sander.

The other three horse pulls through a SDD via an large intake hose. All the items, except for the lathes and router table, have short hoses (planer, jointer, table saw, router and sanding table) all access the collector by hose swaps at the SDD inlet.

Initially, I piped everything with gates, but I could actually not a drop in pull. In the end, since I have to close a gate when opening the next, it just made sense to do it all at one point.


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## rwe2156 (May 7, 2014)

Nothing for now.

Wait for material prices to return to sane levels.


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## david2011 (Apr 1, 2008)

> Nothing for now.
> 
> Wait for material prices to return to sane levels.
> 
> - Robert


This won't work for everything but I'm thinking about making "2×4s" out of plywood strips that are laminated to get close to 1.5"x3.5" pieces, particularly for shop pieces. I've found 3/4" nominal plywood for as little as $32 on Facebook Marketplace. I checked plywood prices at a commercial cabinetmaker's supply place yesterday and their plywood prices weren't outrageous considering that it's much better than big box store plywood. The trick is to get the laminations glued up so they're perfectly straight.


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## david2011 (Apr 1, 2008)

Finally, some interior photos.

Sorta wide shot looking from the garage into the shop. I'm standing in an 8'x8' garage door that leads from the garage to the shop. One more string of lights still to come.









This wall faces the newly poured patio. I wanted a steel door that opened outward. It had to be ordered; still waiting. I put a piece of OSB up every evening in the mean time.









Upstairs facing the existing garage. The opening will allow access to the attic of the garage. Its entire 3 car area in the attic is floored in plywood and has shelving that was installed by the original owner. This will sure beat climbing up the pull-down stairs. The torsion box door I built is in the floor.









The other end of the attic. The outlets on the right will be at the back edge of the workbench. My head just brushes the ceiling when I walk to the location of the front edge of the bench. I have a decent amount of room for walking around. It helps that I'm only 5'8".


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## ssnvet (Jan 10, 2012)

Given the very limited options the OP listed, I'd chose sheet rock (what they call dry wall in New England).

I put tong and v-groove pine, primed with killz and painted with satin sheen paint on the walls of my basement shop.

If I had to start all over, I'd do the same again.


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## david2011 (Apr 1, 2008)

Matt, the builder and I were talking one day (some time back at this point) and I mentioned that what I would really like was birch plywood finished with water based polyurethane. At the price of the plywood he said he could install it for the same price as sheet rock because the labor is so intensive with sheet rock. With that offer, I got my dream of birch ply walls.


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## WoodenDreams (Aug 23, 2018)

With so many things going into the shop, you may need a EXIT sign.


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## david2011 (Apr 1, 2008)

Finally, something more to see. I acid etched the floor yesterday and rolled on the first coat of Eagle solvent based glossy concrete sealer this afternoon. A second coat will be needed because the first one soaked in pretty well in places. The uneven color of the concrete was the result of the concrete guys not ordering enough concrete on the first order and then working it for 2-1/2 to 3 hours to keep it moving while they waited on 4 more yards to arrive. I don't like it but by the time tools and benches are on it I hope it will look like it was deliberately acid stained. Yeah, that's it. Acid stained.

The sealer is based on the xylene/toluene/lacquer thinner family of solvents so there is some strong odor. One benefit to that solvent family is that the cured finish is resolvent; additional application will melt into the existing layer so if it has to be repaired the repairs will bond well. I had two floor fans blowing fresh air in and it was tolerable. Really, it wasn't nearly as strong as I expected compared to having covered and painted airplanes with nitrate and butyrate dopes. The sealer was a little thicker than I expected which I consider a benefit. It's roughly the consistency of natural spar varnish so there is the ability to smooth out minor roughness with a couple of coats.

All of the work, as is usually the case, was in the prep. I washed the floor with soapy water and then acid etched it with Klean Strip Concrete and Metal Prep per the instructions. This product is not nearly as bad to use as muriatic acid. After scrubbing with a stiff broom it was rinsed and allowed to dry overnight.

I expect that the gloss finish will make cleaning the floor much easier.

The white lines are reflections of the LED lights.









Before and after contrast.


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## gerrym526 (Dec 22, 2007)

I'm currently building a standalone shop for woodworking and will use drywall for the wall coverings. Looks great, can paint it any color, and is cheap as a wall material.
To address the "hanging things of moderate weight" challenge, I used a time tested technique that homebuilders use to prepare for kitchen cabinets-i.e. "blocking".
Once the walls are framed, you can use 2×6 (or 2×4) scraps between the wall joists. Just place them at the height you expect your cabinets, tools, jigs, etc. will be hung. And, measure from the floor to the blocking and take notes-it will be easier to find the blocking after the drywall is up.
2×6 blocking will allow you to mount cabinetry and tools that can weigh a lot, with very little effort. You can beef up your mounting through the blocking by using "Ledgerlock" screws (used to hold ledger boards that will support outdoor decks).
Hope this helps.
Gerry


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## EricFai (Sep 30, 2018)

Or just use a french cleat, that way you can adjust cabinet location.


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## DrDirt (Feb 26, 2008)

T111 looks really nice in the woodwhisperers shop


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## david2011 (Apr 1, 2008)

> Or just use a french cleat, that way you can adjust cabinet location.
> 
> - Eric


Definitely going the French cleat route. The new (to me) saw is in place and doing work. First job is to get the dust collector pipes run and connected. French cleats will be made and hung as I collect scraps of ply. I was given a bunch of 5/4 cedar decking scraps a couple of days ago. They'll make nice hangers for small tools.


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