Plywood walls vs sheetrock

[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.