[N00b alert]
Hello, SMC waders. My shop is coming together in our backyard. Framing is signed off, roof is on, sheathing is complete (needs wrapped), most electrical boxes are hung, and half the windows are in.
In a week, I'm heading a couple of hours down the road to pick up a small truck load of 1x8 shiplap to close in the walls. The stock is beetle-kill pine, AKA "blue pine" (I think Canadians call it "denim pine").
My question to the group is how best to finish this for shop walls? I'd like to preserve the blue and/or bring out more color, as opposed to ambering it up to look more "normal." Any suggestions on finishing this stuff, preferably based on experience? The walls rise around 12 feet, eleven feet of which is studs and the rest is stub wall.
Also interested in lighting solutions. Current (heh) plan is to run four rows of LED lights below the trusses, with another two rows to run along the bottom side of a planned loft. The main lighted area is ~600 s.f., and the (future) loft will be ~180 s.f., extending from the back wall at around eight feet AFF.
Thanks in advance for sharing any relevant wisdom. This is likely the last shop I'll have, but it's the first one I've had a chance to make right (FSVO "right"). I'd like it to be flexible and useful for the remainder of my working time.
Cheers,
Jack