Ceiling joists 4’ apart, help on adding drywall?

[Chuynh22]

Hello everyone,

New member here and I apologize for any ignorance in advance.

I am in the process of finishing my garage and adding drywall to ceiling/walls.

Currently there are joists that are roughly 4’ apart and from briefly reading I wouldn’t be able to hang drywall from that.

I don’t have any help so I am requesting any suggestions/advice on how to get enough support on my ceiling to hang drywall. I’ve seen suggestions for adding 2x4’s perpendicular to the joists every 16” or so and screw the drywall to that.

I would love to add joists but as I would be doing everything myself I am not sure if I am able to do that. Any suggestions greatly appreciated

P.s. is there a purpose for the X cross beams in my garage? It goes from corner to corner and overlap causing it to be a bit lower in the middle.

 

[rburke65]

Welcome to The Garage Journal. Pictures and joist dimensions would be real helpful.

 

[Bert_]

Tin it. Will span 4' without a problem. No extra framing, no taping, no painting, goes up fast. What isn't to like.

 

[Chuynh22]

Hey, again my apologies in advance but what do you mean by tin it?

 

[The Cobbler]

corrugated sheet metal panels

 

[matt_i]

X cross beams made of wood? That's to help keep it square and not racking. I think you could probably replace it from 16ga metal strapping in an "X" pattern that would hide between the existing joist bottom and the new framing you're about to put up.

Check Simpson CS-16 for an idea of the product I'm envisioning.

 

[pbon]

Use strapping, which are bundles of roughly 3/4” x 3” x 12’ wood. Screw those perpendicular to the rafters at 16” on center intervals. Drywall screws into the strapping. That is how ceilings are usually done when renovating older homes.

 

[The Tool Tyrant]

The 2x4's you mention are NOT ceiling joist, they are WALL TIES. They are the bottom horizontal of the structural triangle, which makes up your roof system. They are NOT designed to carry a vertical load, but rather are designed to be in tension, holding the exterior walls from bowing out from the roof load.
The "X" bracing is designed to help keep the building square.

There are many 'span charts' available online. Just measure your span and look-up C/J spans for Doug-Fir (since you're in Ca.)

 

[pbon]

You can always add more rafters if you need more structural support to hang drywall from. You can also use lighter weight material. I don’t know what it is called but have seen it. If there is no weight on from above, you could span the existing 4’ with thin melamine and cover the seams with trim wood. The 2nd floor ceiling of my carriage house has that as a modern addition. It’s OK. If there is any insulation on it you will need something stronger like strapping with drywall.

 

[Superwilly]

Use strapping, which are bundles of roughly 3/4” x 3” x 12’ wood. Screw those perpendicular to the rafters at 16” on center intervals. Drywall screws into the strapping. That is how ceilings are usually done when renovating older homes.

THIS... 1x4 pine or spruce strapping... super cheap, attached just in the way described... cheap, easy, and strong!

 

[Chuynh22]

THIS... 1x4 pine or spruce strapping... super cheap, attached just in the way described... cheap, easy, and strong!

Cheaper/easier than metal furring channels ?

Only reason I ask is that I do not have any assistance with this. Not sure how I would be able to nail/screw in 10’ boards vs 10’ metal channels

 

[pbon]

You can buy a drywall lift from HF for about $175 on sale. Check the HF Coupon Database fit a sale coupon.

 

[Chuynh22]

You can buy a drywall lift from HF for about $175 on sale. Check the HF Coupon Database fit a sale coupon.

Thank you for that tip! I will definitely look into that for the drywall.

Still wondering about the difficulty in installing the wood rather than metal

 

[Bert_]

Hey, again my apologies in advance but what do you mean by tin it?

Also called corrugated metal roofing or liner panel. Most styles will span 4' no problem.

 

[spudley]

See above.

By the time you add rafters (cause you can't span 4' with 3/4" strapping) then buy and hang heavy drywall alone, then mud, then paint, you're money and time ahead with metal.

It also can be ordered to size eliminating any extra cutting.

You can hang this yourself with a drywall lift.

 

[Chuynh22]

See above.

By the time you add rafters (cause you can't span 4' with 3/4" strapping) then buy and hang heavy drywall alone, then mud, then paint, you're money and time ahead with metal.

It also can be ordered to size eliminating any extra cutting.

You can hang this yourself with a drywall lift.

So strapping would not work? I was also given the advice of using a metal furring channel.

 

[spudley]

So strapping would not work? I was also given the advice of using a metal furring channel.

You didn't post dimensions (or I didn't see them) so it's tough to answer accurately but normally drywall needs to hang from supports every 24" (for 5/8" drywall) or 16" (for 1/2"). The dimensions of the supporting members is based on the distance of the span.

Those structural supports should span the width of the building to carry their weight and the drywall weight to the side walls.

Your existing ties on 4' center are most likely as Tool Tyrant noted and aren't "joists" as no one places joists on 4' center, so doubtful they can support any additional weight, so strapping is a real crapshoot as drywall is heavy.

You have two choices, go with a lightweight ceiling (metal) or strengthen your support system.

 

[Chuynh22]

You didn't post dimensions (or I didn't see them) so it's tough to answer accurately but normally drywall needs to hang from supports every 24" (for 5/8" drywall) or 16" (for 1/2"). The dimensions of the supporting members is based on the distance of the span.

Those structural supports should span the width of the building to carry their weight and the drywall weight to the side walls.

Your existing ties on 4' center are most likely as Tool Tyrant noted and aren't "joists" as no one places joists on 4' center, so doubtful they can support any additional weight, so strapping is a real crapshoot as drywall is heavy.

You have two choices, go with a lightweight ceiling (metal) or strengthen your support system.

Thank you for the response! My garage is 20’x20. 2 car garage. I wouldn’t be storing anything above the ceiling. It is just for aesthetics and to hold some recessed lights.


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[The Tool Tyrant]

http://www.cityoflivermore.net/civicax/filebank/documents/4613

2X8 @ 19.2 span 21'

This is not too difficult of a task.

 

[Chuynh22]

http://www.cityoflivermore.net/civicax/filebank/documents/4613

2X8 @ 19.2 span 21'

This is not too difficult of a task.

Thank you for that. I’m not sure if I am able to lift and nail in a 21’ 2x8 myself. That is why I am looking for other solutions if possible that would allow me to finish this myself or avoid hiring someone to do it.

 

[spudley]

http://www.cityoflivermore.net/civicax/filebank/documents/4613

2X8 @ 19.2 span 21'

This is not too difficult of a task.

Good job on the research! How far is San Diego from Monrovia?

Thank you for that. I’m not sure if I am able to lift and nail in a 21’ 2x8 myself. That is why I am looking for other solutions if possible that would allow me to finish this myself or avoid hiring someone to do it.

It would be slightly less than 20' and you'd be lifting one end at a time. If that's too much, you'll have big trouble with drywall.

 

[Chuynh22]

Good job on the research! How far is San Diego from Monrovia?


It would be slightly less than 20' and you'd be lifting one end at a time. If that's too much, you'll have big trouble with drywall.

It’s about 2 hours away, I’m originally from San Diego. Kearny Mesa area.

Not that I can’t lift it, I’m not 100% comfortable with it as it’s a large piece of lumbar is all.


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[sreeb]

Is this garage attached? If it is attached, you probably have code limitations on ceiling construction which may prohibit metal.

 

[Chuynh22]

Is this garage attached? If it is attached, you probably have code limitations on ceiling construction which may prohibit metal.

Detached


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[SGKent]

Monrovia is LA County, at the foothill of the tall mountain peaks that surround LA. Older homes from the 30's to 50's in a good part of it, some from the 60's. Suggest you talk with an engineer. 4' is too much to hang drywall. The garage was probably not built to be drywalled since it is detached and has 4' apart rafters. Maybe it had a dirt floor when built, and a minimal structure to hold a shake roof. Just a guess based on 5,000 appraisals I saw in that area in the 70's and 80's. Best appraisal I saw in that area was one with an external ladder to reach the 2nd story. The guy told my staff appraiser - don't step there.... .

 

[Chuynh22]

I believe to save time, effort, and money I will be using aluminum soffit panels. As others have mentioned they’re much lighter than drywall.


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[spudley]

I believe to save time, effort, and money I will be using aluminum soffit panels. As others have mentioned they’re much lighter than drywall.


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An air stapler will make your project easier.

 

[metlmunchr]

I believe to save time, effort, and money I will be using aluminum soffit panels. As others have mentioned they’re much lighter than drywall.

For a 4 ft span I'd stay away from aluminum soffit panels. For 2 pieces of metal, one aluminum and one steel, with the same cross sectional profile and thickness, the steel panel will be 3 times as stiff as the aluminum one.

Once you add in the additional stiffness provided by the deeper V's rolled into liner panels, the liner panels can easily be 10 times as stiff as aluminum soffit panels.

A 3ft X 12ft 29ga steel liner panel only weighs about 29 lbs ,or slightly more than half as much as a standard 4 X 8 sheet of drywall, so its not hard to handle. You can easily build a couple deadman supports from 2 X 2 pine and lay a sheet on them, and then raise it the last few inches for screwing to the joist or truss without bending or kinking the panel.

Aluminum will be lighter, but when working by yourself, you'll find trying to install long sheets of aluminum will be about like trying to handle cooked pasta without bending it.

Based on pricing I've seen, you can also do the steel for less than half the cost of aluminum soffit panels. Best source is a place that roll forms the panels to order, and most any decent size town has a place like that now. Here in our town of 90,000 there are 3 such places, and all of them will beat the box store prices by a significant margin.

 

[Bert_]

I believe to save time, effort, and money I will be using aluminum soffit panels. As others have mentioned they’re much lighter than drywall.

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I'd check how far those soffit panels can span. I'm not sure if they'll go 4'.

An air stapler will make your project easier.

Real fast, until a few years later when the staples start to pull through. Seen it happen way too many times. Usually it's outside but most of the time guys have to go back and nail them or they end up blowing off.

 

[Chuynh22]

I'd check how far those soffit panels can span. I'm not sure if they'll go 4'.



Real fast, until a few years later when the staples start to pull through. Seen it happen way too many times. Usually it's outside but most of the time guys have to go back and nail them or they end up blowing off.

Thank you,

After some consideration and speaking with Spudley via dm, I have decided to just go with a metal liner panel over the aluminum soffit.

 

[spudley]

Real fast, until a few years later when the staples start to pull through. Seen it happen way too many times. Usually it's outside but most of the time guys have to go back and nail them or they end up blowing off.

Agreed, and roof panels I would screw in place, but I'll bet you a shiny new nickel you've never seen soffit I put up with staples blow off.