Shop construction question

[Sean Troy]

Hey all, I'm thinking of maybe doing the interior of my shop (walls) with rough sawn lumber or reclaimed lumber. Does anyone have any idea of how to source this? If I can do it for around the same price as drywall, I think I would lean that direction. Thanks for any help, Sean

[Richard M. Wolfe]

There are two requirments I have for shop walls and ceiling:

1. Slick - I have enough problems with dust sticking to painted drywall
2. White - The lighter the better, and I guess it would be possible to put too many lights in a shop, but I have yet to see one.

[David Duke]

I'd have to agree with Richard on this one.......slick and white.

[Greg Sznajdruk]

Here in the Great White North we pay about $12 A SHEET FOR DRYWALL. Do not suspect that $12 will get you 32 square feet of dimensional lumber used or other wise. Some of the reclaimed material places do on occasion get commercial dry wall from office renos. This is the stuff that has vinyl coated wall paper attached, it is installed by the edge and there are plastic batten that cover the joint. So screw the board install the batten and your done.

Greg

[Scott Loven]

I started to put up 1/2 inch OSB ($5.97 a sheet) on the walls of my shop, plan to paint it white when I am finished. THis way I can fasten things to the wall anywhere I want. A lot easier then putting up boards, a lot faster and hard to beat $.18/sf.

Scott

[Chuck Lenz]

Another concern I'd have about useing wood on the walls and ceiling is fire hazzard, with sheetrock you'd atleast have some kind of fire rateing.

[Cliff Rohrabacher]

Absent your own wood lot and a sawmill - Wouldn't that be very, very, very expensive?
Maybe another three or four "verys" need to be in there

[Bob Wingard]

I have 10' ceilings and used 1/2" drywall to cover the top 2', then Hardi-Panel cementboard exterior siding on the lower 8'. I cut the sheets into 4'X4' squares .. made the upper ones removable .. made sure to run all utilities in that 4' area to facilitate any changes I might need in the future.

The Hadri-Panel won't rot, burn, or soak up any water, and bugs won't go near it .. more expensive than many other materials, but well worth it to me. It looks like board & batten siding so it's also pretty attractive. Comes pre-primed and ready to paint.

[Ryan Bess]

Another vote for OSB. (painted or not) It's cheap, a breeze to install, and you can mount anything on any wall at any time. I also have a bad habit of banging long pieces of lumber into walls and ceilings that would surely dent/damage drywall.
Ryan

[Von Bickley]

The walls in my shop are 3/4" plywood - painted white.:) :) :)

I would consider OSB - smooth side out - painted white.

[Jim Becker]

Sean, I'll be the voice of alternative view...I think that the idea is grand based on my experience with T1-11 in a good portion of my shop. The natural color is comfortable and light enough that it's not terrible for lighting considerations. The slight roughness has not been a problem for dust accumulation, either. If you can source #2 pine or poplar from a local mill, you may be able to get it relatively cheaply...drywall or OSB may be less money, but they have less character.

Do note that vertical installation will require you to run strapping, so consider that cost as part of your project.

[Rob Will]

I vote for 1/2" BC sanded plywood.
Caulk the joints and nail holes.
Roll on a coat of latex sealer such as Bullseye 123.
Roll on a coat of gloss latex house paint.

Now here's where I jump ship.....I like a white ceiling but my walls are a soft pale green with a hint of gray.

Rob

[Wayne Watling]

Hi Sean,

For me a shop is a place that should not only be practical but it also must be a place that I want to be in. I put up OSB throughout with the intention of putting up cedar at a 45 angle on only one of the walls, together with a pine floor will give the whole room just that little bit of ambiance that makes it a pleasure to work in. I intend to paint the OSB an off white.
So you might want to consider using the reclaimed lumber for a feature wall.

Regards,
Wayne

[Roger Bell]

I share the same view as Wayne. I dont really care for white walls, either white-painted sheet goods or drywall, the valid practical considerations notwithstanding. I spend as much time as I can in my shop. I would rather feel like I am in a gentleman's den than in some white-walled apartment. I would have liked to have done my walls in some sort of real wood, but I settled for 1/2" ACX (when it was cheap) with some drywall on some walls. I regret the drywall. You can always increase the amount of lighting to compensate for the somewhat "darker" walls.

In the end, maybe it really doesnt matter that much. By the time you park your machines, benches, upper and lower cabinets. lumber racks, sheet goods racks, pegboard, etc. against the walls, you may end up not seeing much of the walls anyway.

[Chuck Lenz]

I dunno guys, I think we better call in a designer from HGTV on this one. :confused:

[Cliff Rohrabacher]

Now here's where I jump ship.....I like a white ceiling but my walls are a soft pale green with a hint of gray.



Sea foam or Celery is nice too.

[Sean Troy]

I knew I'd get a lot of good suggestions. There are so many of them, I really don't what to do now. LOL What do you think, should I let the LOML decide? OK, now I'm on the floor laughing at myself.

[Chuck Lenz]

Cliff must own a bunch of Grizzly or older Powermatic equipment. Personally I prefer battleship gray, it's light in color and goes with some of the Delta equipment I have. Or maybe a light cream color to match some of my JET equipment would look nice. Or maybe wainscot the walls 30" up with T&G boards and paint the wainscot battleship gray and the upper half cream. I'm so confused now.

[Paul Douglass]

HOLLY COW!! What is this forum coming too??! Better start thinking of coordinating colors with you shop apron and clothes!:rolleyes: