# Advise needed on walls



## TigerFan07 (Jul 17, 2017)

I have an external garage for a workshop and I am going to sheath the walls. I was going to use drywall, but a friend told me drywall would get mold since it is not conditioned (I am in SC). The walls are insulated with fiberglass.

Do any of you have experience with drywall in an external garage in a humid area? I liked drywall b/c of the fire resistance, but will do OSB if the drywall will grow mold.

Thanks


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## Loren (May 30, 2008)

You can get mold resistant drywall.


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## squazo (Nov 23, 2013)

it wont mold, mine isnt moldy my friends arent moldy my parents, brothers, uncles, arent moldy. think about how many garages there are that have dry wall and arent air conditioned. I live in Louisiana. Besides OSB will mold all the same.


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## msinc (Jan 8, 2017)

I would say that if you have a shop that is so high in humidity that the drywall or OSB will mold then you will need to run a dehumidifier or probably not use that building for a wood working shop. Not because of the wood, but because of what it will do to your machines. 
There is dry wall and there is fireproof drywall…the fireproof stuff is good, it's also heavy…it's also about $3.00 or so more a board, but it is what should be in a garage. The other thing is…South Carolina in the summer…trying to do wood working in a shop with no air conditioning????? Humidity would not be my first concern. If I owned the state of South Carolina and hell…I'd rent out S.C. and live in hell!!!!


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## pauljuilleret (Nov 16, 2013)

why don't you use plywood get them with one face sanded and heavy enough that it will allow you to hang stuff where you want it to go. just a thought for you to consider.


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## jonah (May 15, 2009)

Why is it insulated if it won't be conditioned space?


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## hotbyte (Apr 3, 2010)

I did OSB in my standalone shop because it is smaller and I'm always moving things around, shoving them against wall etc. I figured I would be constantly patching holes in drywall. Plus, I can attach/mount smaller things.

Will you also be using garage for cars and needing to move equipment around?


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## Lazyman (Aug 8, 2014)

If there is enough moisture to grow mold, then just about anything you put up may have the same problem, including plywood. Using a mold resistant drywall may actually be better than any of the the alternatives to drywall. You can also get a paint additive that will add a little extra mold resistance as well.


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## TigerFan07 (Jul 17, 2017)

I guess I should say that it won't be conditioned all the time. I plan to use a window unit in the summer and space heater in the winter but just while I'm in there to knock the edge off.

Other than fire resistance, does drywall have any advantages? I do like the idea of being able to hang stuff more places with OSB.

If I go with drywall, is it a mistake to leave it unpainted and not taped/mudded (other than the looks)?


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## wormil (Nov 19, 2011)

When people get mold, it's often because of condensation from improper moisture barrier, assuming it isn't a leaky roof or some other really obvious cause. You want to keep moisture out but the walls still need to breath and let moisture escape or you get mold. So drywall will be fine if the wall is constructed correctly. That aside, my walls are wood and I like being able to hang anything anywhere.


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## TaySC (Jun 27, 2017)

I'm in SC and decided to do OSB in my garage. Sheet rock would look better if you take the time to tape it, paste it, sand it and then paint it, but it is definitely easier to ding up than OSB.

Personally, I like the look of OSB and haven't had any problems with it at all.

Someone else mentioned why insulate it if you aren't using AC….. for me personally, I wanted the potential to eventually AC it if I like and didn't want to have to undo what I had already done to insulate after the fact. Insulation is cheap enough that it just made sense to do it while I was putting the OSB up.


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## bigJohninvegas (May 25, 2014)

Rick M, and lazyman are both right. Anything you put over the fiberglass can mold with out the proper vapor barrier. 
Where I live its dry, and most everyone has stucco and 2X4 walls on most homes. In general, not a lot of mold hear in the desert, but. 
I had mold on the fiberglass insulation when I demoed my shower last year for a remodel. Not a big shock since the shower was falling apart. 
There are some really good mold resistant drywall products, and paint out there.
Taping is as important as the vapor barrier. Seals everything up well. Texture and paint is a good protective barrier for the sheet rock. And it too looks good. 
You should check and see what is needed for your structure in your area. 
Also, you can hang anything from it as long as you find a stud to anchor to. And drywall is super easy to repair and maintain. everything will get a ding and scratch in it. A little mud and paint and it all goes away.
What is your shop constructed from. Block, stucco, etc. Also with unfinished walls. Do you have all the electrical done that you want? My shop/garage was pre finished and insulated. So when I needed to add electical outlets , all the conduit had to be run on the outside of the drywall. 
I tried to buy my house with the garage unfinished, but I just could not get the builder to go for it.


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## patcollins (Jul 22, 2010)

Why insulate even though the garage isn't heated or air conditioned….because it moderates the temperature swings of the garage and reduces sound.

My garage was unfinished, i decided to insulate and put up some cheap paneling (cheapest Lowes had) afterwards the temperature never drops below 50 degrees even on the coldest winter days and on the hottest summer days when I get home from work and open the garage door I can feel the cool air dump out of the garage from 10 ft away.

If drywall is unpainted it will eventually turn a dark brown grocery paper bag color. The ceiling of my garage was not taped, mudded or painted and had turned the same color as a paper bag. Painted it white and now the garage is a lot brighter with the same amount of lights.


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## clin (Sep 3, 2015)

> Why is it insulated if it won t be conditioned space?
> 
> - jonah


Because, even if not heated or cooled, the temperature swings will be much lower through the day. This generally means it will stay cooler in the summer.

I even insulated my storage shed. It probably peaks in the summer 10-15 degrees cooler than the outside. If it were un-insulated, it would be much hotter than outside, due to the sun beating on it. This greatly reduces the temperature swings on the stuff I store in there. So they'll hold up better over time.


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## JBrow (Nov 18, 2015)

TigerFan07,

If I go with drywall, is it a mistake to leave it unpainted and not taped/mudded (other than the looks)?

My understanding is that drywall that is not taped compromises its fire rating to some degree. Taped with one coat of joint compound should seal things up, but over time, the tape could fail and work loose. Therefore, at least two coats of joint compound would be better than one coat of joint compound if you tape the joints.

The reason I would paint the drywall would be to 1) make the surface reflective and 2) to resist staining. While my garage workshop is painted, I wish I had gone with a more reflective semi-gloss or gloss white paint. The smoother surface makes cleaning a bit easier should you ever wish to remove dust and restore the light reflective properties of the paint in the future. A mildicide could be added to the paint to resist mold.

Some ideas that would make installing heavier items on the wall easier, whether covered with OSB or drywall, are to mark the floor on each side of the wall studs. When the time comes to hang a cabinet, locating the studs would become very easy. In addition to marking the stud locations, some 2×6 or 2×8 blocking could be installed in locations where you envision hanging cabinets and other heavy items before covering the walls. The blocking would allow hanging the cabinets without having to locate studs and then determining where to place the screws inside the cabinet. Of course, one would need to remember where the blocking is horizontally and vertically located.


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## r33tc0w (Jan 27, 2017)

Goto atticfoil.com and place a radiant barrier between the drywall and the exterior. You'll be suprised how much cooler it'll be and easier it'll be to cool if you choose to AC the space


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## ArtMann (Mar 1, 2016)

Another problem with drywall is it has no strength. That presents a couple of problems I can think of. First, it is going to be very easy to dent or poke a hole in a shop wall if you work with large and heavy material. The second thing is that mounting even light stuff to the wall is going to require you locate studs to anchor it to.

Drywall has to be finished and painted if you don't want your shop to be drab and dark. I am a do-it yourself-er and I hate finishing drywall. What I did was buy 7/16" 4X8 sheets of masonite exterior grade siding. it came pre-primed with a very light grey color that I found attractive with no top coat. If I want to hang something light to the wall, it is strong enough that I ignore the studs and just screw the mount directly in the wall.


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## JCamp (Nov 22, 2016)

I built a nice big building at the house I just sold and I used OSB on the walls and painted it white. It looked good and I could hang stuff where ever I wanted Plus I didn't have to worry about accidently putting a hole it in.


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## wormil (Nov 19, 2011)

I feel like wood walls are better for moisture control. My yard stays fairly moist because we have a high water table but my shop is raised off the ground and it's all wood. Nothing rusts in my shop unless I spill water on it and don't clean it. (Well things will "eventually" rust, if unused for a year or so.) The air space underneath no doubt helps considerably too. It might be that more than the walls. Never really thought about it before but one or both really help to keep my shop dry.


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## wapakfred (Jul 29, 2011)

May last 2 shops were free standing buildings, one 24×24, the second 24×32, and I put drywall up in both of them. Your question has pretty much been answered, but to me drywall is : cheaper, quieter, looks nicer once painted, and is so easy to repair who cares about the occasional gouges and dents (don't forget the fire stuff mentioned above). As for the hanging anything anywhere, I do it anyway. Yo might have to improvise to span the studs with a french cleat, or piece of slatwall, or whatever…but you can hang anything anywhere you want on drywall. The one thing you can't do is put a nail anywhere and expect it to hold something…that's also OK for me. Frankly, I find the look of OSB to be so bad I wouldn't use it under any circumstances. Of course, all that is just my opinion.


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## ArtMann (Mar 1, 2016)

My opinion of the appearance of OSB is similar to Fred's. Other than that, I believe it would work well.


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## SuperCubber (Feb 23, 2012)

TigerFan,

Judging by your name, I'd guess you're somewhere in the Upstate. I'm in Spartanburg and have drywall in my shop/garage. I have no issues with mold whatsoever, and none my my tools have any sign of rust.


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## TigerFan07 (Jul 17, 2017)

Thanks for all of the replies. I decided to go with the mold resistant drywall.


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## RDan (Jan 14, 2012)

Even with drywall take the time to block between the studs. I have done it in my basement shop and kid game dungeon. In places where I know I may have a counter, I have placed it to hang a shelf or attach your lower cabinets. I use the Kreg HD pocket hole jig and screws to mount the blocking. Makes it easy to hang french cleats or peg board and not worry about the weight. Dan


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## Dark_Lightning (Nov 20, 2009)

> Even with drywall take the time to block between the studs. I have done it in my basement shop and kid game dungeon. In places where I know I may have a counter, I have placed it to hang a shelf or attach your lower cabinets. I use the Kreg HD pocket hole jig and screws to mount the blocking. Makes it easy to hang french cleats or peg board and not worry about the weight. Dan
> 
> - RDan


One of my sons works construction for a high end contractor, building and remodeling multi-million dollar homes. That blocking is something that they do as a matter of course when framing. Seems overkill to have a piece of wood to screw a toilet paper holder to, but the first time someone goes to stand up, and grabs that bracket to keep from falling, and the thing doesn't fall off the wall, they realize the quality. Repeat work and referrals are the lifeblood of that business. Those little extras make it happen.


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## Dark_Lightning (Nov 20, 2009)

> Thanks for all of the replies. I decided to go with the mold resistant drywall.
> 
> - TigerFan07


You might want to check on your local building codes before you do the drywall. Light framing without the extra drywall weight allows for a much smaller header above the garage door, for instance. It has to do with seismic stability.


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