Glued & Screwed or Are Screws Enough?

[BevoZ06]

I am in the planning stage of finally finishing off the interior of a detached garage that was originally built 19 years ago. I have pretty well decided to use plywood on the interior walls rather than drywall/sheetrock.

It has the 16' wide overhead door and a 3' walk-in door. I ran the electrical rough in when we first bought the property and have installed receptacles about every four feet around the perimeter. There are no windows, so I have ordered windows and the window installation will be the first step of finishing.

I need to do one wall at a time because I already have so much in the garage that I cannot clear more than one wall at a time to work on it. I will need to park two of our vehicles inside each night so I can't just clear everything from all the walls and move it all to the center at the same time.

I was planning to use 3/8" plywood because it's lighter and I will be doing it by myself. Plus I can work with wood much better than I can with sheetrock. When I install the plywood sheeting, should I glue them to the studs as well as using screws or will the screws be enough? I don't envision ever trying to heat or cool the garage, so I will not be insulating, if that matters.

Thanks for any suggestions. I haven't done any of this type of work since 1979 when I bought a house that was rough-framed and I finished it off. At that time I contracted out the drywall work, but this garage will be totally do-it-myself. As Toby Keith sings, "I ain't as good as I once was, but I'm as good once as I ever was." (Just a little slower now.)

Thanks for reading and for your helpful suggestions.

 

[Gary S]

Just use screws.

 

[koditten]

No need for the glue. Just make sure the screws are course thread, they seem to resist pulling out a bit more.

 

[NUTTSGT]

Screws, no glue. If you use glue and have to remove it at one time, you'll be cussing yourself up and down.

 

[jamesemery728]

No glue. After you are on this forum for a while you will want to take it all down, insulate it, paint it, heat it, cool it, do the floor over. This will better house the thousands of dollars of tools that you will find that you need and the lift and the lights and..........

 

[BevoZ06]

No glue. After you are on this forum for a while you will want to take it all down, insulate it, paint it, heat it, cool it, do the floor over. This will better house the thousands of dollars of tools that you will find that you need and the lift and the lights and..........

Thanks to each of you for your responses.

James,
I had already planned to paint it and do the floor over. I do not have enough height for a lift or I would stack the Corvettes over each other. That way we could get three of our four vehicles parked inside.

But, you have convinced me to go ahead and insulate the walls now or I will never do it. I won't be finishing off the ceiling immediately until I have a chance to remove a bunch of junk that is stored above the joists and re-route some overhead electrical runs, but once the ceiling is closed I would really regret not insulating the walls when I had a chance.

Thanks once again. I have been spending as much time learning from this forum as I do on the Corvette Forum.

 

[box]

i covered one wall in 1/4 inch ply....no glue, but just make sure all of your edges and seems are secured to a stud or the ply could warp and bow pretty quick. you may want to install horizontal braces in between the stud cavitys as a means of support if you want it to look perfect long term

 

[JimVonBaden]

Like everyone said, just screws.

I actually like using plywood because it gives a firmer surface for hanging stuff if you can't locate it on a stud.

Jim

 

[Lotek]

Maybe put up some pegboard as well

 

[dumper]

only screws- coarse thread if screwing into soft wood, and fine (regular) thread for screwing into hard wood, like well-aged studs. ??? That last one sounded a bit odd!

 

[Jbullfrog]

Use ring shank siding / sheeting nails and just shoot it. I am finishing 1/2 of my pole shed and sheeted it with 1/2" OSB nailed to the posts and 2x's across the horizontal seems.

 

[Torque1st]

I would just use 6D galvanized nails.

 

[mrobins297aaa]

i would use at least 1/2" plywood, 5/8" would be better. just for the ease of fastening things to the walls between the studs............3/8" is a bit on the lite side

 

[camarotoolman]

a cheap dry wallers screw gun will make it go alot faster, or an air nail gun. Me, I would spent the extra mony and time to insolate. I did mine in 1/2" , the thinner ply might not hold nails good, again not that $ more. I used scrap from my jobs. Caulk between boards. Check at a restore place, others are getting deals there.

 

[ratdoggy]

Screws, no glue. If you use glue and have to remove it at one time, you'll be cussing yourself up and down.

This is what I would do.

 

[Thruxton]

I did exactly what you are planning: 1/2 rock (except 5/8 X on the wall shared with the house) over 3/8 plywood, screws, no glue, used a drywall screw tip in my drill which worked OK. Nails are almost as bad as glue if you need to remove any of the sheetrock for repairs, so I wouldn't go that route. I found that 3/8 has just enough holding power for hanging lighter objects, I go to a stud (16 centers in mine) for heavier stuff, makes it a very flexible setup, but 1/2 would be a little better as the previous two posters noted. Walls and ceiling were insulated first (that really is a no-brainer, it's so easy), and finished in white semi-gloss. At 69 I need all the light I can get! I am really pleased with the result. One note: your windows will like come ready to hang in a wall with 1/2 allowance for the sheetrock, and you'll have to do some compensation on yur trim for that. No biggie. Good luck with the project, post a pic or two as you go along!

 

[bazzateer]

Def insulate while you have access. Then screw only, no glue as others have said.

 

[Alchymist]

Use ring shank siding / sheeting nails and just shoot it. I am finishing 1/2 of my pole shed and sheeted it with 1/2" OSB nailed to the posts and 2x's across the horizontal seems.

I would just use 6D galvanized nails.

i would use at least 1/2" plywood, 5/8" would be better. just for the ease of fastening things to the walls between the studs............3/8" is a bit on the lite side

Use the screws - you will thank yourself later....and 1/2" plywood. As stated, 3/8 is a little light, 5/8 is expensive. The 1/2 CDX is probably the cheapest solution.

 

[premierplayer]

Screws only. Coarse thread 1 3/8" - 1 5/8" should work well
If budget will allow, INSULATE walls. You can insulate the overhead later if you have scuttle access.
Mr Bullfrog is spot on, horizantal blocking between the studs to terminate the sheet edges, they will buckle and wave if not secured.
Chalk lines for screw placement (pro pole builders always do this) exposed fasteners all lined up in even rows looks much better than willie-nilly placement.
For a few dollars more per sheet you may consider a composite siding product. It has advantages, ship lap joints, primed, attractive textured finish.
http://www.homedepot.com/h_d1/N-5yc...-1&storeId=10051&catalogId=10053#BVRRWidgetID

Good luck and lets see some pictures.

 

[bczygan]

Good to hear that you will insulate. And normally I would screw and glue, but future owners would hate you if and when they decide to drywall it. So screws alone is my vote. Make sure you have ALL the electrical feeds you think you or anyone else would ever need. Use a Visqueen vapor barrier before installing the plywood.

 

[buzz4041]

Definately insulate now while you can regardless of heating or AC being done. 1/2" plywood gets my vote and I would just use nails. I did mine this way 11 years ago and no problems. Make sure to put a good primer on then paint.

 

[Torque1st]

I agree on using screws on drywall and not nails. The OP isn't using drywall. But for plywood or OSB I use nails. Galvanized nails work better on un-conditioned spaces (no rust) and they hold better than common nails. I agree 3/8 is a little light if you were to be using it for heavy items between studs. However going directly to studs is best for heavy items. A compromise would be to use 7/16" material if in doubt. I have used 1/2 and 3/8" plywood and 7/16" OSB, all nailed, with great results.

Insulate now...

 

[NitroPress]

Even that may not be enough. Our phrase for getting caught at something in high school was "screwed, glued and tattooed"...

 

[BevoZ06]

Even that may not be enough. Our phrase for getting caught at something in high school was "screwed, glued and tattooed"...

Thanks, Nitro -
I thought it was "screwed, blued and tatooed..."