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Thread: Plywood walls vs sheetrock

  1. #1

    Plywood walls vs sheetrock

    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?
    .
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    "I love the smell of sawdust in the morning".
    Robert Duval in "Apileachips Now". - almost.


    Laserpro Spirit 60W laser, Corel X3
    Missionfurnishings, Mitchell Andrus Studios, NC

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Oct 2008
    Location
    Webster Groves, MO
    Posts
    261
    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...

  3. #3
    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.

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Apr 2009
    Location
    Knoxville TN
    Posts
    65
    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.

  5. #5
    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.

  6. #6
    White paint on walls and ceiling is is a must.

    Gray epoxy on the floor.
    .
    "I love the smell of sawdust in the morning".
    Robert Duval in "Apileachips Now". - almost.


    Laserpro Spirit 60W laser, Corel X3
    Missionfurnishings, Mitchell Andrus Studios, NC

  7. #7
    Quote Originally Posted by Stephen Musial View Post
    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.
    .
    "I love the smell of sawdust in the morning".
    Robert Duval in "Apileachips Now". - almost.


    Laserpro Spirit 60W laser, Corel X3
    Missionfurnishings, Mitchell Andrus Studios, NC

  8. #8
    Join Date
    Mar 2003
    Location
    Monroe, MI
    Posts
    11,896
    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.


  9. #9
    Join Date
    Jan 2004
    Location
    Lewiston, Idaho
    Posts
    28,504
    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.
    Ken

    So much to learn, so little time.....

  10. #10
    Join Date
    Jan 2006
    Location
    Grand Forks, ND
    Posts
    2,336
    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.

  11. #11
    Join Date
    Aug 2007
    Location
    Fort Wayne, Indiana
    Posts
    197

    osb

    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.

  12. #12
    Join Date
    May 2009
    Location
    Northwest Indiana
    Posts
    167
    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!

  13. #13
    I was thinking of using that Chinese stuff, actually.

    <kidding>
    .
    "I love the smell of sawdust in the morning".
    Robert Duval in "Apileachips Now". - almost.


    Laserpro Spirit 60W laser, Corel X3
    Missionfurnishings, Mitchell Andrus Studios, NC

  14. #14
    Join Date
    Dec 2006
    Location
    Toronto Ontario
    Posts
    11,248
    Quote Originally Posted by Mitchell Andrus View Post
    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.

  15. #15
    Join Date
    Nov 2007
    Location
    Milwaukee, WI
    Posts
    900
    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.

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