Homasote?

[Laurie Brown]

I was recently re-watching the NYW episode with the garage shop, and Norm mentioned using homasote for the ceiling. I looked around, and while that material may be plentiful in Boston, I can't find it anywhere here in SW Virginia. Is there anywhere I can get it? How much is it? Is there some other material that's more readily available that I could use in place of it?

[Laurie Brown]

Also, why use strapping? Couldn't I just attach whatever material I want to use directly to the studs and joists?

[Ken Garlock]

Hi Laurie

If you go to the Homasote website (http://www.homasote.com/WhereToBuy/) you can search for the location of stores in your area, be it by state, zip-code, or phone area-code.

Other than that, this is the first time I have heard of the product.:o

[Don Jarvie]

What I am going to use is 1/4 inch luan for the ceiling. 8 bucks a sheet and very light. I have a detached garage so I'm not worrying codes, etc.

As for strapping, this will help hold the insultation up in the ceiling since my ceiling rafters are 24 wide and insultation is 15 wide. The strapping also allowed me to run my wiring along the rafters (perpendicular) so I don't have to drill through them to run the lines. It also allows more area to screw the ceiling in.

Hope this helps.

[Lee Schierer]

Homasote used to be commonly used in lower quality construction as it was pretty cheap. The material I am familiar with can be dented rather easily. My grand parents had their entry way walls done with Homasote and we used to catch grief because we would put dents in it with our fingers. All that was 40 years ago. I don't recall seeing any of their new products other than the covering for over ice rinks, which resembles thick tablet backing type carboard.

[Thom Sturgill]

It also allows more area to screw the ceiling in.

And that's the point with homosote, it tears if you fasten too near the edge.

[Jim O'Dell]

I understood Homasote was supposed to be a substitute for drywall, and added properties of sound insulation. Used mostly in commercial buildings or schools. Where I heard about it, never handled any, was with model railroaders. They would use this as a substrate under the track and it would muffle that toy sound of the train on the tracks when running. Easy to cut with a knife (utility) and the track nails held in it pretty good. Jim.

[Steve Kohn]

Homasote is also commonly used as the base material for pin boards. You cut whatever size you need and use spray glue to cover it with a fabric of your choice. I made a bunch of pin boards for the shop and covered them with very cheap burlap.

I find it at my local Menards store. They sell it in 4X8 sheets. It is approximately 1/2 inch thick. It is gray, since it is composed of fibers (paper pulp?). It cuts easily with a knife or saw. Very dusty on a saw of any type.

[David Kreuzberg]

I would be wary of installing Homosote in a potentially humid location, like a garage. It's a fiber product, with no grain, draws moisture, and will sag over time.

You could try fasteners spaced about 8" apart, but if your garage ceiling joists are 24" O.C., it will probably sag.

Don't put any weight directly on top of it.

Have you considered 7/16" or 1/2" OSB? Not the prettiest when painted, but would fare better with humidity.

[David Prince]

What I am going to use is 1/4 inch luan for the ceiling. 8 bucks a sheet and very light. I have a detached garage so I'm not worrying codes, etc.

As for strapping, this will help hold the insultation up in the ceiling since my ceiling rafters are 24 wide and insultation is 15 wide. The strapping also allowed me to run my wiring along the rafters (perpendicular) so I don't have to drill through them to run the lines. It also allows more area to screw the ceiling in.

Hope this helps.

You are going to end up with MAJOR sag after a couple of years! 1/4 inch is too thin.

[Kevin Mello]

I used Homosote as a sound insulator in my basement shop ceiling. I installed strapping first, then the Homosote, then drywall.

As has been stated, it is a fiber product without much structural integrity, so I made sure that the screws I used to install my drywall were long enough to bite into the strapping and joists.

As far as its sound insulation qualities . . . it did muffle the sound in my living area above my shop. I'm sure there are better methods and/or products for achieving better sound insultion, but Homosote was fairly inexpensive and does a decent job.

[Don Jarvie]

You are going to end up with MAJOR sag after a couple of years! 1/4 inch is too thin.

I plan to screw it to the strapping which will be ~15 inches apart and plently of screws.

[Bob Winkler]

My local Home Depot carries Homasote (Manchester, CT) in 4x8 sheets. I use it for sound deadening in my train layouts. It takes paint well, but is very dusty to cut. Also, not very strong.

Bob

[Rob Fisher]

Homosote as a brand has many products and a variety of applications. The stuff that you are probably thinking of is typically 1/2". It is a 100% (I believe) recycled paper product. And as Steve stated it is a typical base for fabric covered pinup panels. It excels as a sound dampener but really is not that great at be a finish of its own, especially without full support beneath(or above) it (like plywood or gypsum board). It can be painted, and IMHO it does not look too bad in a shop or studio type space. However I would hesitate to use it as a finish that has to span stud to stud or joist to joist as it has the gumption of weak cardboard. And if it gets wet, forget it, mush.

As for where to find it, you should be able to get it at any home center, HD or Lowes or a local lumber yard. When I was a student at VT we used it on the walls of our architecture studios all the time as a place to pinup our drawings. Worked like a charm. I don't remember where we bought it but it definitely was not hard to find, that was back in 98-03 time frame.

Rob

[Chip Lindley]

Havn't heard Homosote mentioned in many years! I figured it was totally obsolete by now.

It was the *track roadbed* of choice among model railroaders when that was my teenage interest back in the '60s. Kind of a denser Celotex, but gray instead of yellow, and without the white surface coating. As far as a legitimate use for Homosote, I never knew it had one.

Upson board was also mentioned back then. It was 1/2" thick, had a pink surface, and was like the gray paper which backs writing pads. It could be pulled apart in layers. Good for *something* in the hobby craft world.

[Laurie Brown]

It's hard to find now. Noplace around here has it, I'd have to drive 40 minutes to get any. After what I've read here, probably not worth it. But Norm did use it for a ceiling in the garage workshop episode, and it looked something like drywall.

I would like to use something not too heavy, since I will have to put it up myself and lift it over my head on a ladder. (My ceiling is only 8' high, but I'm only 5' high ;) )

[Rob Fisher]

Laurie,

It is probably worth your time to at least find some Homasote and see what it is. Then you can judge for yourself if it will be appropriate for your ceiling covering project. It is certainly lighter than drywall, probably weighs half as much or less, but has some negatives as previously mentioned.

Have you checked your local Home Depot or Lowes? I know the HD in my area carries 1/2" Homasote.

Good luck,

Rob

[Van Huskey]

I would like to use something not too heavy, since I will have to put it up myself and lift it over my head on a ladder. (My ceiling is only 8' high, but I'm only 5' high ;) )

Just go to a tool rental (maybe your local BORG has them) and rent a drywall lift makes it an easy one person job whether you decide on drywall, OSB or whatever.

[Denny Rice]

A couple of years back Norm built the "rolling assembly table" with a homasote replaceable top. I liked the assembly table so much I built the same table for my shop. The reasoning Norm said for the homasote top was when using a router on the table if the router bit would accidentally hit the table, it would not hurt the router bit as badly as other materials.

[Michael Whitchurch]

Also, why use strapping? Couldn't I just attach whatever material I want to use directly to the studs and joists?

Norm use the strapping to hold up the bat insulation before installing the ceiling material

[mike stenson]

Norm use the strapping to hold up the bat insulation before installing the ceiling material

It's also a built in chase, which makes running some things much easier in ceilings. I like it along the wall/ceiling joint for crown installation as well.

[Frederick Skelly]

Norm use the strapping to hold up the bat insulation before installing the ceiling material

Hey ummm, Guys? This thread is 10 years old and Larie hasn't logged on since December.....