# Help with Shop Walls



## Bureaucrat (May 26, 2008)

I am about to finish the walls in my garage workshop. I am trying to decide whether to use 1/2" drywall or to us 7/16" OSB. The workshop will be smallish at 13' x 21' but has 10' ceilings. Which of these choices would you choose? There is only a small difference in total project cost between the 2 choices.


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## matter (Jan 30, 2008)

Personally, I would go with drywall. It reflects light better for finishing.

I guess a coat of paint wouldn't hurt either…


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## sbryan55 (Dec 8, 2007)

I would go with drywall as well. A little paint and it really lightens up the shop. OSB would not look good painted and it would not reflect light.


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## GaryK (Jun 25, 2007)

I went with drywall also. You can never have too much light. A lot easier to work with also.


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## bbqking (Mar 16, 2008)

Years ago in Iowa I was working out of a garage shop (25'x25') and I finished the 2×4 stud walls with roll insulation and 1/4" luan plywood. I sealed them with a coat of KILS and rolled on a high gloss white finish. Trimmed it out with 1×2 pine stained and varnished to suit. A lot easier than installing drywall and you get the same lightening effect. Plus, if you get right on it you can have it done and good to go in a weekend. bbqKing


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## wateroperator (May 23, 2008)

bbqking has a good idea…......I would go with that or drywall….stay away from the osb, It just doesnt look good as a finish covering…


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## ND2ELK (Jan 25, 2008)

I just finished my new 14' X 21' shop with sheet rock and painted it flat white. Then I put in 4 each eight foot, 4 light florescent lights. The lighting is great! When a guy gets older, you need all the light you can get.

God Bless
tom


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## FatherHooligan (Mar 27, 2008)

I am in the very slooow process of putting up osb on my shop's ceiling. Yeah it is hard to paint but was about 75% of the cost of drywall and lighter to put up. I figure if I want a smoother finish I can trowel drywall mud across the dips and hollows, prime paint and presto smooth reflective surface…in theory anyway


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## dennis (Aug 3, 2006)

drywall should offer some fire protection


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## Catspaw (Dec 15, 2007)

I put 5/8" drywall on the ceiling and 7/16" OSB on the walls of my shop. Where ever you go you have something to fasten into.

I have no concern for any fire protection problems and I'm certainly not concerned about how it looks. If you are concerned about fire it's the ceiling that you have to worry about. It's neat and tidy if not smooth. If my shop catches fire …. it's gone. When the showcase of workshops tour comes through I don't think they'll think too badly of me…..oh….yea….there IS no showcase tour of workshops. But it sure is nice to be able to screw into the OSB instead of using useless drywall anchors.


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## roman (Sep 28, 2007)

I cant stand drywall. My house is full of it and full of dents, chips, popped screws. After a year of re-fastening, patching, scuffing, sanding and painting…...........its done….............ever smelt a home done in drywall that isnt heated. .............they smell musty.

Throw a hammer at drywall, or have a kick back on the TS and see how well drywall stands up or get it wet.

Aside from the fire resistance and perhaps better sound retention, in a shop it just looks like crap in no time unless the shop is for show.

Plywood…......you can bang it, hammer it, nail it, put screws in it, hang stuff from it, paint it, glue it, patch it.

I certainly wouldnt waste my money on drywall for a shop….......been there too many times.


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## toddc (Mar 6, 2007)

I use my shop professionally and I have sheetrock on it. True, it finishes out nicer. True, it also dents easier than OSB. I plan on using sections of plywood to protect the wall in areas that will receive brutal wear, such as a place to hang the clamps. I don't regret using the sheetrock.


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## SteveB (Apr 17, 2007)

I did mine in pre-painted white pegboard. It's nice and bright, and I can move tools stuff around at my whim.


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## odie (Nov 20, 2007)

I didn't take the time to read everyones responses, but check you local fire codes.


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## blackcherry (Dec 7, 2007)

SHEET ROCK SHEET ROCK SHEET ROCK ….ROCK ROCK ROCK ROCKS ROCKS….BLKCHERRY


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## DaveHerron (Jan 21, 2008)

OSB ugly!!! I'd either use exterior plywood T1-11 (painted white) or drywall. I did my shop in drywall. I have a 1000 sf shop with 10ft ceilings and paid a professional $700 to hang, tape, and texture. I provided the materials. Worth every penny. Drywall has a much higher fire resistance than OSB or Plywood. Good chance it you cover the ceiling and walls with OSB and a fire breaks out, it will probably be a total loss. Drywall at least gives you a little more time before the structure burns to the ground.

Fire codes in some parts of the country require some type of fire rated material covering the walls near all electrical outlets.


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## Dadoo (Jun 23, 2007)

Mine is done in OSB, but the future plans are to add sheetrock and prime and paint. One of those walls I'd like to see T&G pine at a 45 degree angle! Dave's idea of T1-11 would look real nice as well. OSB is ugly but very strong and you can hang anything anywhere. What I've also seen is where house manufacturers will put drywall/sheetrock on top of 3/4" OSB where the future cabinets will hang. (Found it in my guest bath!) It's great that you don't have to go stud seeking when attempting to hang things. So I would suggest going with sheetrock but placing OSB underneath where you'll be hanging your goodies.

Also, OSB won't pass any fire codes. So if you're running a proshop you'll have to have something fire retardant on the surface. But if you're just a run-of-the-mill old mad scientist, like me, then do what ya want.


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## gwurst (Nov 28, 2007)

You might try some of the white melanine coated MDF slot board you can get at Lowes or possibly HD. Makes for great wall storage. Will certainly cost more than drywall, though.


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## knothead (Aug 4, 2007)

My Shop is my 2 car garage it has the required drywall ceiling and drywall adjacent to the house for fire blocking code requirements but the other three walls are insulated and covered with 1/2" plywood that I primed and painted. just as bright as drywall but MUCH more durable and the added bonus of being able to hang all but the heaviest items anywhere you want regardless of stud position, my cabinets and heavy items are attached to studs but everything else is easy.

Just my 0.02 cents worth (0.002 adjusted for the weak dollar)


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## motthunter (Dec 31, 2007)

think about what you may hang on the walls and how. If you sheet with ply you can hang anything anywhere.. with drywall you have to find studs to hang you stuff… I have seen nice shops with tongue and groove pine.. kind of costly but nice and functional


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## Bureaucrat (May 26, 2008)

thanks everyone for your input. I decided to go with 1/2" drywall. The slower burn argument won me over. Completed 1/3 of the project last weekend. Hope to get to 1/2 done by this coming Saturday.


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## Taigert (Nov 20, 2007)

you can also get flame retardant OSB and plywood.

That way you don't have to tape it, spay it with primer than finish with as high of a gloss as you want, or use eggshell great paint.

You can easily attach things to the wall.

You don't have to worry about dents.

Bob up in Edmonton Wolf # 2 - just did a blog on his new shop he used OSB, and painted the walls white, now you need sunglasses in the shop.


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