# Garage/Shop Ceiling To Texture or not?



## Whiskers (Nov 6, 2012)

My garage/shop has no drywall on the ceiling at the moment, but that will change soon. I'm almost ready. It's a 2 story house so I've insulated up under the floor above and must do it. Texturing the ceiling would be a hassle and I was thinking that finishing it smooth like a wall would help reflect more light down into the work floor, but this seems to not be done for some reason. ceilings are always textured. It also seems that smooth would be better for dust control. Any opinions on this? Should I just finish the drywall I put on the ceiling smooth or is there a really good reason to texture it. I have textured ceiling before, and know there are many ways to do it. To intercept anyone who might be thinking smooth is more difficult, trust me it isn't, at least not for me.


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## roman (Sep 28, 2007)

the only thing better then textured ceilings and dust control is a non textured ceiling ?

people should ask smarter questions


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## Whiskers (Nov 6, 2012)

Huh? Well at least you have fitting screen name, Moron, I'll conclude your a troll and ignore you til the admins eject you.


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## tefinn (Sep 23, 2011)

I've never seen a shop/garage with a textured ceiling that was being used as a real shop/garage. There is no good reason to texture a ceiling ever, especially in a shop.


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## SteveKnnn (Mar 25, 2013)

I was surprised by your comment "ceilings are always textured." As one of my homes have had textured ceilings. One apartment had a textured ceiling and it seemed to grasp dust. My garage (shop) has smooth ceiling and seems to work fine.


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## Picken5 (Jan 12, 2011)

I think texturing a shop ceiling is just asking for dust hassles. I'd keep it smooth. I've lived in several different parts of this great country of ours (east & west coasts - and parts in the middle) and I've noticed that textured ceilings seem to somehow be "popular" in some places. Never could figure out why except maybe the texturing hid some imperfections.


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## roman (Sep 28, 2007)

yo whiskers…….it would appear I am currently a troll with a majority

no health care for you eh ?










messn with ya

sorry


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## roman (Sep 28, 2007)

somethings need texture
others dont

and by the way

just because i love you

i thought a demo of what I do

should render an apology for making fun of my 
name ?




























Life, is neither black or white
Rather shades of Grey


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## moonie (Jun 18, 2010)

Well with all these great anwser's a good flat celling and two coats of a high gloss white paint works good in the shop.


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## wapakfred (Jul 29, 2011)

I would avoid a textured ceiling in a garage and/or shop at all costs. Yep, it's more work to do it smooth, that's why they texture in the first place; hides all the less than perfect taped joints. But you can make the job a little easier by renting one of the PC drywall sanding power units, that's what I did. While it's still work, it 's less work. I think I paid about $40 for the sander and the matching vac for one day. If you're putting up 5/8" drywall, especially the larger 10-12' sheets, doing that will make you look forward to the taping/sanding. Sheesh, what a job that is!


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## bigblockyeti (Sep 9, 2013)

The drywall finisher usually texture the ceiling because it's faster, and thus cheaper than trying to finish it flat which takes more effort and almost always requires that someone be on stilts. Most of the ceiling in my home is textured with a stomp brush, but the ceiling in the kitchen was finished smooth and painted gloss white which really does help with the light in my opinion. It did take them three shots to get it perfectly flat.


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## HamS (Nov 10, 2011)

I used luan for the ceiling in my shop. It is a shop not a living room. If I was doing it over I would use a suspended ceiling for better sound control. I would stay away from drywall and use plywood or osb for the walls. It doesn't have to be pretty and drywall doesn't hold up well to bumps from long boards and the rare flying piece of wood.


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## MrRon (Jul 9, 2009)

HamS, I know Luan plywood is light and easier to put up than drywall, but it does pose a fire hazard.


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## tefinn (Sep 23, 2011)

Plywood is also against code if the garage has a living space above it. If you go to sell the house, you'll have problems.


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## shawnmasterson (Jan 24, 2013)

if you think smoot is easier than textured, thats because you don't know what you are doing. I agree smooth is better for dust control. New construction usually does textured because it is faster and hides more.


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## Whiskers (Nov 6, 2012)

Smooth is easier for me because I've got that process down pat and have the tools to do it. To texture a ceiling I would actually have to pick up a new skill. Did that once when I was a kid, parents bought something we mixed up and rolled onto the ceiling like paint. That was easy enough but quite messy. Much messier than vacuuming and washing out some joint compound dust.


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## donwilwol (May 16, 2011)

Texture is faster and cheaper. Stay away from it. It's a bitch to repaint and as others have mentioned will collect dust. I've never seen it in a garage, but I'm sure builders will put it there if they can.


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## teejk (Jan 19, 2011)

Big Block has it…texture is a cheap solution to mask non-flat surfaces (some a function of the bones that the drywall is attached to, some a function of a sloppy taping job). You want it to look nice so still a lot of work with taping etc. but finish (orange peel seems to be the preferred finish lately) and would probably let you skip the 3rd finishing stage but then again it is a shop.


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## joeyinsouthaustin (Sep 22, 2012)

IMO: Textured does provide sound diffusion (another reason ceilings get textured) and hide imperfections easier.

.....but could be tough for dust collection/cleaning issues. If I was doing it..probably texture for ease and diffusion, clean with air nozzle.


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## DS (Oct 10, 2011)

My entire house has a skip-trowell texture. This is also true for my cielings-yes, even in the garage.

I would avoid a heavy texture or popcorn cieling, (do they still make that). I can't see too much trouble with a light knock-down texture, or, orange peel. It could simplify the job a bit and still not collect dust.

BTW, the texturing hopper is cheap at the local HF store.


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## ClayandNancy (Feb 22, 2010)

Depends on the type texture your talking. You could roll on drywall compound with a thick roller, leaves no little hanging stalactites. Then just paint with a high gloss paint. No dust will stick and if you have to wipe it down you won't wash any plaster off.


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## cutworm (Oct 2, 2010)

My garage ceiling is smooth. But….. I think textured May be better. The door openers cause vibration and there are small cracks in the joints.


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## BentheViking (May 19, 2011)

bought my house and the first thing I did was scrape all the ceilings. never heard anyone say they are planning on texturing there ceilings, but i heard about scraping them all the time.


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## oldnovice (Mar 7, 2009)

Coat it with Teflon … keeps bugs/dust off!

Actually I don't think that is possible but a high gloss white enamel, like Rust Oleum, would be my choice but very expensive. I used that on my garage access door about 8 years ago and it still looks like and cleans like new! White would be my choice for the best lighting.


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## teejk (Jan 19, 2011)

remember…it's a shop and not a castle in Spain! I'd tape/mud it and go through the sanding and another coat of mud (tapering it out of course). If the second mud is applied carefully, a light sanding and then hit it with primer followed by hi gloss white.

I avoided all that by installing bright white ribbed steel in my shop!


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## Whiskers (Nov 6, 2012)

I want to thank everyone for your input, Yall have been great as usual. It interesting to note the textured ceiling thing appears to be regional. Here in my part of the country you never see a non textured ceiling except maybe in a old federal military complex. I hadn't thought of using a gloss paint on the ceiling to enhance the light, but that sounds like a great idea! Something else I have never seen done, lol, gloss on a ceiling. I've also never heard of a area where people might hate it so much they actively remove it. I never would have considered doing that. Closest thing I ran into was one house I bought the joints were so badly done that even even though they were textured they looked terrible. Now that was a mess to fix. I had to get very creative.

As for finishing it, not a problem, I've been working with sheetrock (non professionally) since I was a kid. I'm 56 but the first time I had to deal with it I was like 12. Parents who were avid doit yourselfers and considered children as indentured servants. I can toss a smooth finish on drywall that is 95% ready to paint in 2 passes. The 3rd is inconsequential.

For anyone not familiar with the process, the biggest mistake most make is throwing too much compound up at a time. First layer is just to fill the joint, secure the tape, than kind of cover it a bit. Don't have to Cover it, just secure it. Tape should be visible in spots. 2nd layer is to where the art is. If your using a lot of power sanding tools, your doing it wrong. 2nd and any further layers should not use power tools. The first will but should be quick.


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## teejk (Jan 19, 2011)

whiskers…applying drywall compound is as you say…taking care in the application will save a lot of time in preparing for the next pass (that sanding part is the worst part of the process). And in the initial taping step, I've seen tape actually give into gravity because it was overloaded and didn't get a good bite on the sheetrock. Most pros now use the self-stick mesh tape on the tapered joints (speed) and paper tape on the rest. I'm cheap so I use paper everywhere. As for the 3rd coat, it does make a difference where appearance is really important because that is done with a wide knife to "feather" the mud out further from the joints to disguise any humps or dips and makes corners look nicer. If everything up to that stage is done properly it doesn't take much mud.


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## bbc557ci (Sep 20, 2012)

I used OSB on my garage ceiling and plan to paint it, and the walls semigloos white. However if you have a living area above your garage code will prolly require 5/8 drywall, maybe two layers? Anyways, no texture is better because it will be a dust collector. Just one more opinion…..


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