Insulating/Drywalling 100 year old garage?

[coma13]

I'm going to be moving into a new rental and renting a detached 2 car garage (I assume it was a carriage house initially, it's an old farm propery). The house and garage are over 100 years old, but the garage has a modern subpanel for power.

The walls are uninsulated board siding, with studs that are really far (3 or 4 feet) apart. I'm not familiar with construction techniques for farm buildings way back when, but that is new to me. My question is: Can I insulate those giant gaps and put up drywall across those huge spans unsupported?

 

[JoeFin]

Not effectively

Might want to work out an agreement with the property owner to improve the garage, deduct the materials from rent, and not get hit with a rent increase when the work is done

 

[theoldwizard1]

I would get some "house wrap", cut it into strips and staple it between the studs up against the outside wall. Then insulate.

With irregular stud cavities, the quickest and probably the most cost effective way to insulate is with "wet" (actually just damp) blown on cellulose insulation. Almost as good as spray foam and a lot less expensive. It does require some type of wall board to be installed to hold it in place.

If were doing an attic, you would use dry cellulose and it is a pretty easy DIY job.

 

[rippered]

horizontal 1x4 strapping for the drywall ?

 

[Zeke]

horizontal 1x4 strapping for the drywall ?

This. Don't even need 1 x 4, but that would make a good job. Use a little shorter screw and don't plan on nailing any of it. You can place the firring strips 24" OC from bottom to top. The idea for putting house wrap on the inside is good but black paper will do. You can use unfaced batts in the bays.

Put a couple of firring strips up and tuck the insulation behind. Finish the strips and drywall. Use shims behind the strips to level out the strips if you want a nice flat wall. Those old buildings weren't very straight most of the time.

 

[coma13]

Great ideas. Thanks! I'll most likely work something out with the owner for a deduction from rent for the improvements.