Plywood walls vs sheetrock

[Mitchell Andrus]

If all goes according to my sinister plans, I 'll be closing on a shop that's 22X40 soon. (There's a house on the property too - man's gotta eat and sleep sometimes...) The house has 2, 2 car garages.

It's currently bare studs and I'm torn between sheet rock and it's low cost and 1/2" plywood and it's ease of installation (no spackel) and the ability to hang stuff just about anywhere.

The floor is concrete, the ceiling's likely to be sheet rock.

All tallied up, it'll be 30 sheets +-. The difference in cost can be considerable. On the other hand, plywood takes a beating and there's zero taping.

Thoughts?
.

[Stephen Musial]

My whole garage/shop is 1/2" OSB (and R-13 insulation) - no worries about where to hang anything.

Someday it will have a drywall ceiling and insulation up there as well...

[Prashun Patel]

If you can afford it, I'd go with plywood over OSB or sheetrock. I have OSB and I love it because I can screw anything up anywhere. It also takes banging way better than 'rock.

Plywood can do everything OSB can, but looks a lot better.

Of course, it costs a might more too.

[Richard Gibson]

Mitchel:

I am in the process of doing exactly what you are. My garage is 20x30 and had stud walls and insulated. Right or wrong, I am using 3/8' plywood to cover the walls. Fairly cheap and will take a beating. Afterall, it's a shop, not a Home & Garden display. My ceiling is floor joist (2nd story above) and insulated. I'm actually putting .5mm sheeting on it. It'll keep the dust out, cover the exposed wires and duct work, and keep the insulation in place.

Happy with it so far.

[Daryl Henderson]

On my metal shop, I framed between the beams with 2x4, insulated and used 4x8 sheets of 3/8" engineered wood siding that was primed and resembled wood. This was the panels with the lapping groove.

I put it up without any assistance with a pneumatic nailer and painted it the brightest semigloss white I could find.

It worked out nicely.

[Mitchell Andrus]

White paint on walls and ceiling is is a must.

Gray epoxy on the floor.
.

[Mitchell Andrus]

My whole garage/shop is 1/2" OSB (and R-13 insulation) - no worries about where to hang anything.

Someday it will have a drywall ceiling and insulation up there as well...

Hmmm. OSB.
.

[Matt Meiser]

OSB here too, at least on the walls. Ceiling is steel panels like used on the outside of a barn--easy to install, large pieces, prefinished, and very reflective. Sound hasn't been bad.

[Ken Fitzgerald]

Mitch,

I put plywood on the walls and sheetrock on the ceiling. I should have put plywood on the ceiling too! It was cheaper. I've already had to repair some dings and I have 9'8"ceilings.:o

[Jeff Monson]

Sheetrock for me, 10' light gray walls and a darker gray epoxy floor. I agree osb or ply. is more durable, but its hard to beat the clean look of finished sheetrock.

[brett gallmeyer]

My father just built a 40x30 workshop this year. Since I've moved back into the area I have helped him sheet the whole interior in 5/8 osb. way cheeper that plywood, but still allows you to screw in fixtures anywhere. plus its alot more durrable than sheetrock. I'll be posting some pics soon, as we just completed a norm inspired mitersaw/ras workstation.

[Jason Strauss]

Only because I work for the maker of Sheetrock Brand drywall, do it all in Sheetrock. Business hasn't been too good lately. We could use your help!

[Mitchell Andrus]

I was thinking of using that Chinese stuff, actually.

<kidding>
.

[Rod Sheridan]

I was thinking of using that Chinese stuff, actually.

<kidding>
.

Well then, you can choose between Chinese plywood and Chinese sheetrock. Which lasts longer?

(Just Kidding)

If I was going to do it, I'd go with Plywood.......Rod.

[George Bregar]

1/2" OSB is my choice for the walls...sheetrocking the ceiling. All the materials are stacked in the garage, will be starting this weekend running the wiring and insulating.

[Tom Hargrove]

I would do it in sheetrock, painted white. You can put strips and/or panels of plywood up to mount things, but I would not do all of the walls in plywood or OSB.

If you install plywood or OSB, I strongly suggest that you paint it white. (OSB will really suck up the paint!)

[Matt Meiser]

If you install plywood or OSB, I strongly suggest that you paint it white. (OSB will really suck up the paint!)

Priming first will help some. I installed smooth side out and painted all the walls in my 30x32x12 shop area with a full 5 gal of a stain block primer. Then it took about 3-4 gallons of paint. I used the 5 gal pails, and a big roller, wore a tyvek suit and one of those socks that goes over your head and went at it. I wasn't worried about the floor and the ceiling wasn't yet installed so it went very fast.

You'll get some flakes that lift. I either knocked them off and repainted, or just stock them down with paint depending on the situation.

[Mitchell Andrus]

I would do it in sheetrock, painted white. You can put strips and/or panels of plywood up to mount things, but I would not do all of the walls in plywood or OSB.

If you install plywood or OSB, I strongly suggest that you paint it white. (OSB will really suck up the paint!)

I've got an airless sprayer on a stand and a 25' hose. Painting goes quickly with one of those.

I'm figuring w/sheet rock, 10 - 15 hours just to tape and spackle if I want a nice job. I'm pretty sure I can hang most of the OSB with an air nailer in that much time and forget the mud. Won't be as pretty as sheet rock, but the walls are going to be 50% - 60% hidden anyway.
.

[glenn bradley]

I used OSB and sheetrock. Not over one another just different panels different places. The OSB is 7/16" and I wouldn't consider it suitable "to hang stuff just about anywhere" if it were of any weight.

I used a cleat system mounted to the studs behind the OSB or sheetrock. This has worked out quite well although I can't hang anything "anywhere" as there are specific cleat heights but, I can hang anything from a pegboard panel to an enclosed cabinet.

Just food for thought.

P.s. CONGRATS!

[Ron Jones near Indy]

Check with your insurance carrier--in some places it must be sheet rock in you want insurance for the structure even if it is detached.

[Roger Jensen]

I will use both the next time I put up walls. I would orient them horizontally and have plywood or osb on the bottom half and sheetrock on the top half.

The bottom half of the wall gets all the abuse from carts and tables. However, I would hate to drill that many holes for outlets in plywood or osb. The outlets are easier to access if over four feet up anyway, so they would all be in the sheetrock half.

I put long runners on the walls to hang stuff so I don't need the ability to drill holes anywhere on the top half to hang things.

You will need to install some molding along the seam between the plywood and sheetrock.

Roger

[Glen Dickey]

I used 1/2" plywood on the walls and celing, the put sheetrock over it for better fire protection. That way I can hang stuff on the walls, and dents and gouges are easy to fix, if you wanted to.

Glen

[Joel Goodman]

+1 on sheetrock over ply. This way you get the smooth white walls and can put stuff up anywhere.

[Scott T Smith]

I recently built a new shop, and in arriving at the decision of sheetrock versus wood the following factors applied:

1 - fire prevention.
2 - practicality
3 - appearance
4 - cost.

With respect to number 1, I opted to run all of my wiring inside of conduit, reducing the need for sheetrock for fire prevention.

With respect to number 2, wooden walls are emminantly more practical with respect to attaching things to.

With resepct to number 3, finished sheetrock looks best, followed by plywood, followed by Zip board, and lastly OSB

With respect to cost, plywood was the most expensive, followed by zip board, then sheetrock, then OSB. However, the time/cost to tape, float, sand sheetrock brought it's cost above the Zip board.

I opted to use Zip board on the upper walls and ceiling, and sheetrock on the bottom 5 foot of the main shop. The mechanical and generator rooms received full sheetrock for fire control reasons. The reason that I opted for sheetrock on the bottom 5 foot of the shop was that I reasoned that this was the area most likely to be exposed to a fire from the inside.

Zip board has a vapor barrier built into one side, and the treatment tends to cover most of the ugly OSB stranding. In fact, when painted up on the ceiling (15' 5" ceiling) you can't tell the difference between it and the more expensive plywood. You can also mud the joints if you prefer, and they will be fairly well hidden after painting.

[Dave Wagner]

I used 7/16 OSB and painted it white. Works great and about the same cost as Drywall at the time and easier to hang stuff.

[Chris Kennedy]

I went for sheetrock. I strongly considered OSB, but opted for the more finished look of sheetrock. Painted it a leftover neutral we had from painting the house. So far, I have loved it, and no damage.

I also had the advantage of two of my students helping me, both of whom were experienced sheetrockers.

Cheers,

Chris

[Tom Godley]

That looks like a nice shop building - good luck with it.

I am not too fond of OSB. I was shocked by the odor of the product when I had an addition built last year. They used OSB to close up the hole in my house. I was glad they did because I was able to change the contract to plywood before anything was ordered.

I have an out building that is insulated panels - made with OSB on both sides. The previously owner built it so any odor is long gone - but he covered most of it with rock. I like the sheet-rock areas better. To hang anything real heavy you would still have to go into a stud - the OSB does not hold like plywood.

I saw a blog where a guy built a shop using MDF (I think) panels on the lower portion of the walls and sheet-rock above and for the ceilings - I thought that was nice.


You can always run a row of blocking or install the band for metal studs used in kitchens under the rock for a continuous nailing surface.

[Bill Houghton]

If all goes according to my sinister plans, I 'll be closing on a shop that's 22X40 soon. (There's a house on the property too - man's gotta eat and sleep sometimes...)

I recollect a great column by Peter Egan, who writes for "Road and Track" and "Cycle World," when he and his wife were moving back to Wisconsin from L.A. The real estate agent asks what they're looking for, and Egan launches into his needs: two-car garage at least, 220V to the garage, running water in the garage would be good, etc. This goes on for most of the column, as he expands on why each of his needs are important; after about five minutes, the agent asks, "Um, and how many bedrooms?" To which Egan responds, "Oh, yeah, one would be nice."

[Steve Clardy]

OSB here. Its a shop, not a house.

[Tony De Masi]

I'm with you on this Steve. Just finished my shop and went with OSB walls and ceiling. Primed and painted white. If you spend your time looking at the seams between the sheets then you aren't woodworking.

Tony

[Donald Hofmann]

My 30 x 45 shop walls are 7/16" OSB. OSB allows you to hang nearly anything anywhere. Someday I may paint the walls- no, on second thought I like the look of wood in a wood shop.:)

[Mitchell Andrus]

My 30 x 45 shop walls are 7/16" OSB. OSB allows you to hang nearly anything anywhere. Someday I may paint the walls- no, on second thought I like the look of wood in a wood shop.:)

The sawdust on the walls blends right in. Schmart!
.

[Alan Trout]

Ron brought up a good point. If any of you have attached garages the walls that separate the garage from the living space should be fire rated. That includes if they have a common attic the ceiling should also be fire rated.

In detached buildings if there are any livable spaces such as guest quarters in that building, the walls that separate those quarters should be fire rated.

Good Luck

Alan

[Phillip Bogle]

I have all of the options in various out buildings. White paint is a must if you need light. The natural color is a real room darkener which you do not notice until it is painted. I gained 3 F-Stops on one building, (sorry I have a photo studio so I measure kind of differently). The other issue is the dust. If you have any sawdust floating at all, it will find the OSB and Plywood walls and stay there -- until you need to lacquer a nice project. Just a thought. You may not want to have any surface that collects dust, and if you must use OSB or ply, then paint with gloss. Just my two cents worth.
Congrats on the shop!

[Rich Engelhardt]

Hello,

W/self adhesive joint tape & the new low dust mud, hanging rock is so much easier now than it used to be.

I just used some of the new low dust mud & the stuff is marvelous.
It knifes easy and sands extremely well.

If you really want maximum strength against damage, simply alternate two layers of drywall. Hang one layer horizontal, and the other vertical.
I highly doubt anything/normal shop activity could damage a double layer of even 3/8" drywall, let alone two layers of 1/2".

[Paul Greathouse]

One ceiling treatment I haven't seen in this thread is Vinyl Soffit, the common kind that looks like individual 3" wood panels. Its very light to handle, easy to install and can be taken down if necessary without destroying it. Down here in the south, you see it used alot for carport and porch ceilings.

For the walls, I would go with either plywood for a smoother finish or OSB if you don't mind the rougher look. I was lucky enough to have several pine logs available. I had the logs sawed into 2X12's and 2X10's and installed them vertically on the walls after running 2X4 stripping for them to nail to. As others have said, it's good to be able to hang almost anything, almost anywhere.

[Wayne Wheeling]

Paul, I have given much thought to doing something similar with my walls. Is your T&G. Got any pics to share?


I was lucky enough to have several pine logs available. I had the logs sawed into 2X12's and 2X10's and installed them vertically on the walls after running 2X4 stripping for them to nail to. As others have said, it's good to be able to hang almost anything, almost anywhere.

[Paul Greathouse]

Wayne

I used a router with a wide shop-made base and a 1/4" grooving bit. I routed grooves in both sides of the boards and then I cut strips from 1/4" plywood for floating tongues. I like the way it turned out and have left it natural for now.

Here's a link to a thread I had posted previously. You can see the wall in the background in the first two pictures. Sorry, but I didn't take and pictures of the install.
http://www.sawmillcreek.org/showthread.php?t=98520

[Mike Delyster]

In my 24'x48' shop, I went with 3/8" plywood six feet up the walls then white tin the rest of the way up the wall and across the ceiling, works for me good lighting easy to take apart if you need to change anything wiring etc.

[Jim Becker]

Were it me....I'd do 'rock and then a universal cleat setup (French cleats) that provide infinite flexibility with where you hang things on the wall without having to drive new screws all the time. But I'm not one to just put a nail or screw in and "hang something" randomly. At Wood ONLINE, look up Idea Shop #5 to see what I mean about using a cleat system.

[Mark Bosse]

If my memory is right, ceilings over shops where there is living space above require 5/8 rock.

That may be for garage conversions. If zoning requires a "garage" and you do a shop conversion then I think you are stuck with 5/8 fire rated rock if you have anything classified as living space above. Actually, I think it applies to any wall or ceiling in common with a "garage."

I did not see in your post what the room-over was rate for.

Rock hangers are really cheap right now and a call to your building office will clear it up. You don't have to tell them who you are. All they need is your zoning type.

[Dave Houseal]

I gotta go sheetrock just for the fire resistance. Sure its a worst case scenario, but IMO anything that slows down a fire is a good thing. Especially since my shop is only about 5 feet away from the house and is attached by a breezeway.

[Maurice Ungaro]

First of all, I INSULATED my workshop (er....um...garage) with Isonene spray foam insualtion. For the walls, I installed OSB (smooth side out), from the floor to 4' up the walls. Above that, I installed pegboard to the ceiling. It gives unlimited opportunities for configurations.....if that's important.

[Larry Wadman]

Detached shed and garage. Spray foamed walls and ceiling then 1/2" plywood. Someone ;) made a mistake when taking off the quantities for the shed ......... Walls were up and painted in two days.

[Gary Radice]

Were it me....I'd do 'rock and then a universal cleat setup (French cleats) that provide infinite flexibility with where you hang things on the wall without having to drive new screws all the time. But I'm not one to just put a nail or screw in and "hang something" randomly. At Wood ONLINE, look up Idea Shop #5 to see what I mean about using a cleat system.
This is exactly what I'm about done doing. I have an attached garage so it had to be sheetrocked. I had sprayed in cellulose insulation first (very slick, highly recommended). I'm painting the sheetrock now, using a white semigloss which makes things nice and bright, to be followed by cleats all around. So far I like it. I'll say, though, that the hard surface drywall makes a nasty echo. Don't know if OSB or plywood would be quieter but that might be a consideration.

[phil harold]

how about 0sb coverd with sheetrock

You get the best of both screwablity and a fire resitance with paintable surface

[Vincent Nocito]

I used 3/8" plybead over 1/2" sheetrock for the walls. Used caulk on the sheetrock seams and tape on the walls. Used sheetrock for the ceiling and added 1x4 pine and caulk on the ceiling seams.

[Duane McGuire]

Nice looking shop! Looks like a nice setting too.

By the way, I went with OSB. Not much more expensive than drywall. As to looks, well eventually every square inch of wall space will be covered with jigs, clamps, shelves, cabinets, lumber and good junk.

Here's to a smooth closing!

[Steve Kohn]

When I finished out my shop a couple of years ago I decided to go with 7/16 beadboard. Instead of nails I screwed it to the walls so I can take if off if I need to change anything. It's a good thing I did, since I have had to pull off several panels to do electrical work.

Where the shop is common to the house there is fire rated drywall behind the beadboard. This was a code issue and not optional. The 11 1/2 foot ceiling is drywall.

Since the walls are greater than 8 feet I put the first sheet starting at the floor and used a 1X4 french cleat at the top of the sheet to cover the seam. This cleat is continuous around the shop.

Then I rented a sprayer and 10 gallons of builders white semigloss paint later was done.

[Dan West02]

One ceiling treatment I haven't seen in this thread is Vinyl Soffit, the common kind that looks like individual 3" wood panels. Its very light to handle, easy to install and can be taken down if necessary without destroying it. Down here in the south, you see it used alot for carport and porch ceilings.

For the walls, I would go with either plywood for a smoother finish or OSB if you don't mind the rougher look. I was lucky enough to have several pine logs available. I had the logs sawed into 2X12's and 2X10's and installed them vertically on the walls after running 2X4 stripping for them to nail to. As others have said, it's good to be able to hang almost anything, almost anywhere.

I second the soffit for the ceiling. I have built 4 shops (was transferred a lot in 37 years) and all of them have had the soffit panels for the ceiling. One good reason is I worked for (and retired from) Certainteed Corp. where one of the products they make is the triple four vertical panel. It can be used as that (vertical siding), but the main use is for soffits. Each time I bought it for a new shop, I got it at a good discount :D.

I installed 1/2" J channel around the perimeter of the room and around the light fixtures. The panels come in 12 ft. lengths, so where I had to butt them end to end, I ran a double J (two J channels back to back). I then nailed up the soffit going perpendicular to the trusses and laid in the insulation batts as I went. It is bright white and does a great job of reflecting the light so it helps brighten up the room.

I used OSB painted white for the walls and together they reflect enough light to help out these old eyes.

[Robert Jones in NC]

My whole garage/shop is 1/2" OSB (and R-13 insulation) - no worries about where to hang anything.

Someday it will have a drywall ceiling and insulation up there as well...


I went with osb on mine also. So far I love it.

[Rich Aldrich]

The old part of my shop is drywall (20 x 28). It is OK, but I hate finishing drywall. I also have a number of dings in the walls and ceiling. Since most of my rough work will now be done in the added area, I decided to go with 7/16 OSB. This area is 20 x 24, but I combined it with the old area as one room - no partition walls. It should be great when I get a cabinet job going - room to work on cabinets and work with sheets and rough cut lumber.

I am painting OSB now. I am using Royal Stain Blocking primer, an acrylic latex. This stuff is really thick, but it seals so the black paint used in the writing on the OSB (smooth side). With the black paint sealed, it no longer bleeds through and does not show through the top coat paint. I tried the top coat on a wall tonight to make sure it covered and it cover nicely.

[David Freed]

OSB here. Its a shop, not a house.
That was exactly what I was thinking.


Plywood can do everything OSB can, but looks a lot better.
I think OSB looks better than plywood in a workshop. The grain of plywood is distracting.


Someday I may paint the walls- no, on second thought I like the look of wood in a wood shop.:)
No paint on my OSB walls.


...... white tin ........ across the ceiling. works for me good lighting easy to take apart if you need to change anything wiring etc.
I used white metal also. Although Mike didn't say it, I am sure he used screws to install it. That is why it is easy to take apart.



There are several posts that mention finishing the drywall. Like Steve said; It's a shop not a house. If you want drywall, slap it on and forget it. If you are going to try to keep "pretty" walls, you will be patching all the holes you poke into it instead of woodworking. That is why I wouldn't consider drywall for the walls. I don't care about "pretty", plus holes in the walls are not a good thing. If it was an insurance/code issue, I would put the sheetrock under the OSB.

[Kent A Bathurst]

.........I'd go with Plywood.....

Yeah, me too. I put 3/8" ply (whatever's cheapest at Borg) on the walls wherever I would want to hang tools, then slap a couple coats of the age-old spar-BLO-turp varnish on it. I can put stuff on it and move stuff wherever my mood takes me, with just some wood screws. Of course, after a few years looks like 12ga buckshot hit the walls from the screw holes, but I don't mind, and anyone else doesn't matter. I just like the versatility and strength of the attachment.

[Dave Westover]

Im smack in the middle of hanging plywood myself. I got a great deal on it so I couldnt pass it up. My vote is ply or osb.

[Pat Caulfield]

I am still in the process of putting in a 1/2" OSB lining to a 30x42 pole building. At this point I am not going to paint it, but who knows that may change in the future. You can see the process of the work at: http://patcaulfield.blogspot.com/2009/09/reverse-osmosis-but-first.html

Hopefully, I will get it done in the next couple of weeks. I am doing this by myself, and the balancing of sheets (~50#) on my head while attempting to drive a screw was pretty comical. I finally relented and borrowed a sheetrock lift, which has made a big difference.

I am also installing flourescent fixtures while doing this. I purchased the OSB and fixtures off of Craigslist. Got the OSB for $3/board and the three tube com'l fixtures for $12/piece including the tubes. I am always amazed at what can be picked up on CL.

The wood smell in the shop is wonderful, I hope it lasts a while.

My next shop project is going to be a workshop wood heater. I see these advertised in the UK for burning cutoffs and sawbust, but I can't seem to find them over here.

Pat Caulfield
Colorado

[Faust M. Ruggiero]

I forgot what I used on my shop and the walls are so covered with clamps, jigs, patterns and other assorted paraphernalia, i decided to move some stuff aside and look. Yup! Sure enough under the congestion there is sheet rock. I always wished I had made the shop rustic feeling instead of modern. I think wainscoting and double hung windows with a wooden floor. Then I remember how dust fines attach themselves to my smooth painted ceiling and walls and how little time it requires to brush it off and I am very happy I chose as smooth a wall surface as possible. Whatever you choose, make sure the texture is not conducive to holding dust. The best dust collector in the world will not keep fine dust from accumulating on the walls and ceiling over time.
butch

[Howard Bessen]

Just came across an old thread about "plywood vs. drywall" for garage walls. I'm putting up a wall to divide my 3 car garage into 2/3 - 1/3; 2/3 will be for a woodshop. The door from the house enters the "1/3" area. Deciding on plywood vs. drywall for the wall, and the contractor told me that using plywood on the "shop side" isn't a great idea because dust will get through the seams between plywood sheets. He says that to prevent this you'd have to use caulk or tape, which would look terrible. Is he correct? (He wants to do drywall over plywood, which would look the best, let me put things on the wall anywhere I want, and would be the most expensive option. (The side of the wall facing the house will be drywall over studs). Thanks, Howard

[Mel Fulks]

He is right about some dust could get through with out tape or caulk. So I would use caulk. Stuff can be hung on drywall
or plywood. Refuse to look at his wall paper samples !

[Bill Dufour]

I would hate to have to remove a sheet of plywood nailed as a shear wall. I would be hundreds of nails to remove. I believe current code is 2" spacing on the edge. Still one per foot in the field?
Bill D

[jeff norris 2011]

Just to be different. - sheet rock. Looks clean and tidy. Easier to damage, but also easier to repair and cheaper. The only down side is hanging 'anywhere'. But is that really a big deal? Most things I have - I hang once and leave up for 10 years or longer so finding a stud is a very minor issue and cleat walls are often a better solution given their future proofing for areas that you may change up.

[Doug Dawson]

Just to be different. - sheet rock. Looks clean and tidy. Easier to damage, but also easier to repair and cheaper. The only down side is hanging 'anywhere'. But is that really a big deal? Most things I have once and leave up for 10 years or longer so finding a stud is a very minor incipience and cleat walls are often a better solution given their future proofing for areas that you may change up.

I agree, sheetrock. It's easier to get it to "look good", and it's more easily paintable which makes a huge difference re lighting. But be sure to do all your wiring first. ;^)

[Tom M King]

Painted plywood looks like painted plywood, to me. Painted sheetrock looks like painted sheetrock, to me. I don't care for either, but that's just my opinion.

[Doug Dawson]

Painted plywood looks like painted plywood, to me. Painted sheetrock looks like painted sheetrock, to me. I don't care for either, but that's just my opinion.

Sheetrock doesn't burn so good, is cheaper, more easily paintable, and is easier to repair. If that matters at all.

[Jeff Caulk]

I used 1/2 sheetrock with 3/8 beadboard on top.

[ChrisA Edwards]

On this separator wall, why not plywood on the shop side and sheetrock on the car side.

I have T-111 on my garage walls, painted white, it looks fine to me. It also overlaps on the edges, so that would stop the tiny amount of dust that may get through a joint area.

For hanging heavy items, shelves, etc., I still go into the studs.

[Zachary Hoyt]

If I was putting plywood on the walls of a shop I would use screws, not nails. I think it would be faster and more secure. My current shop has drywall, someday when I build a shop I think plywood or OSB would be better for me. Not only for hanging things, but if I needed to add or change wiring at some point it would be easy enough to take out the screws and take the panels down where needed, and to put them back up again without damage. If the plywood joints are spaced correctly so that the edges are all on studs I would think that not much dust would get through.

[mike stenson]

All this wiring talk.. I'm in the process of building a shop, the wiring will all be surface mounted EMT. It's so much easier to deal with when you want to change things than pulling walls apart.

[Tom Dixon]

All this wiring talk.. I'm in the process of building a shop, the wiring will all be surface mounted EMT. It's so much easier to deal with when you want to change things than pulling walls apart.

When I built my shop I had 2 runs of 3/4 conduit from every square box run up to the attic so I can change whatever I want. I also had the electrician run conduit up from the panel box so changing things is easy. My walls are drywall and look great. Reflectance is excellent.

[Jack Frederick]

I, too, down-fed all of my wiring in the shop but I used the plywood set vertically for the walls. I did not use the conduit as a result. In the four years I've had the shop I have only opened a section of wall once, but with the screws it took me about 20 minutes to get into that section of wall and that was mostly getting to the wall, not into it. Once the gas line was run the wall was buttoned back up to look like new. I would use plywood again

[Jonathan Elliott]

Tom, what do you like to use? I don't necessarily like them either but not too sure of other options so just wondering. Did you use sheetrock on the homes you built but still just don't like it or did you do something else? Thanks!

Jonathan

[Mike Heidrick]

I did diy slat wall in plywood I painted. I can put anything I want anywhere. I like it lots more than my drywalled other shop walls. I used marine grade plywood from craigslist. Got the wood deal first before that was a wall option.

[Jerry Olexa]

I reco Ply for walls and sheetrock for ceiling after insulation....

[Charlie Velasquez]

Wayne

I used a router with a wide shop-made base and a 1/4" grooving bit. I routed grooves in both sides of the boards and then I cut strips from 1/4" plywood for floating tongues. I like the way it turned out and have left it natural for now.

Here's a link to a thread I had posted previously. You can see the wall in the background in the first two pictures. Sorry, but I didn't take and pictures of the install.
http://www.sawmillcreek.org/showthread.php?t=98520

mmmmm.. link says I don’t have permission to view. Did I neglect to say, “pretty please”?

[Steve Clardy]

mmmmm.. link says I don’t have permission to view.

Same here.

[michael dilday]

I opted for sheetrock walls and ceiling. If I need to hang anything I either find a stud, use wall anchors, make something to attach to the wall or install the Wall Control pegboard panels.

[kent wardecke]

This thread is from fall of 2009. I tried to contact the OP to find out what he used to finish his shop. No luck so we're left hanging.
For my own $0.02 I'd use low value hardwood from a a sawmill that makes railroad ties $200-$300/1000bdft. Then hang the boards barn board style. To stretch my wood i might try and find pallet mill that will run my 1" x's through a resaw

[mike stenson]

This thread is from fall of 2009. I tried to contact the OP to find out what he used to finish his shop. No luck so we're left hanging.
For my own $0.02 I'd use low value hardwood from a a sawmill that makes railroad ties $200-$300/1000bdft. Then hang the boards barn board style. To stretch my wood i might try and find pallet mill that will run my 1" x's through a resaw

Those would be great, if available locally :)

[Günter VögelBerg]

Does putting plywood on the walls raise any issue with fire code?

[mike stenson]

Does putting plywood on the walls raise any issue with fire code?

That will depend. I know in many jurisdictions if the building is attached to the house, it would. In my case, I have a detached building and in my jurisdiction it's not an issue.

[Günter VögelBerg]

That will depend. I know in many jurisdictions if the building is attached to the house, it would. In my case, I have a detached building and in my jurisdiction it's not an issue.

Interesting.

When I built my garage one wall was within two feet of my neighbor's garage and the inspector told me I cannot make any holes in that wall and have to use type x drywall on it, but that I could use regular drywall on the rest of the building because it was more than ten feet from any other structures. It actually is only 8 feet from another neighbor's house (I measured after the inspection) so I probably got away with one there.

[Roger Feeley]

Basement shop.
OSB on the walls.
Nothing on the ceiling. I store lots of stuff up in the truss joists.
Additionally, I built up the web of the I-beam going across the basment with 2x4s and then screwed OSB there. I hang all sorts of oddball stuff from the beam.

[Barry Roitblat]

When I built my shop, I used sheetrock, but didn't bother to finish/spackle/paint. It's easier to cut around outlets and other obstacles, and I didn't really care the much what it looks like. The sheetrock was more to hold the insulation in place than anything else...

[Andrew More]

When I built my shop, I used sheetrock, but didn't bother to finish/spackle/paint. It's easier to cut around outlets and other obstacles, and I didn't really care the much what it looks like. The sheetrock was more to hold the insulation in place than anything else...

I mudded mine, mostly because I wanted the practice, and I'm starting to get good at it. The advantage is a little better air sealing. I also painted a bright white, with a high sheen to increase the amount of light in the room. However, I've now got most of it covered various ways..... :)

[Mike Kees]

5/8" plywood on the bottom 8' feet and white tin on the top 8'.My ceiling is tin. I did not want to paint. A guy I know built a farm shop and lined his walls with OSB then decided to paint it white. 3-4 coats later and $4000 in, it still is not really white. So I used tin.