Drywall or OSB ?

[CanuckGT]

Hey all, new to the site ,tons of good info here so I'm sure I will be here for a while as I am just planning my build for the spring here in Alberta,Canada.
My build is a over sized garage 32x40 (ish) ...haven't decided on the length yet..
My question is should a guy finish the interior with drywall/tape/mud paint or slap some 3/8 OSB and paint. Just curious what everyone has done as ?Im looking to save a few steps (taping/mudding/sanding... Garage is going to be insulated and heated..

Thanks

 

[jasonreck71]

I sheetrocked...I had pros do it and they did a GREAT job. However I wish I would have done OSB...I mean you can put screws and stuff anywhere and it is way more durable. I would do 1/2" rather than 3/8' though, just a bit more durable

 

[Scott65]

Blueboard on the ceiling and common wall with the house for the requisite fire break and 1/2 inch OSB on the garage walls. More forgiving than plaster, don't need to hit a stud for light duty hanging, and it is easy to finish with paint. Most people do not notice that it is not plaster.

 

[RV77]

I have osb on my walls and ceiling and its painted white....couldnt be happier.plus you dont have to worry about somthing breaking thru it in the garage.

 

[Buford T. Justice]

I sheetrocked...I had pros do it and they did a GREAT job. However I wish I would have done OSB...I mean you can put screws and stuff anywhere and it is way more durable. I would do 1/2" rather than 3/8' though, just a bit more durable

I did OSB in mine as well. One of the big reasons is this ^ plus I bang around with "stuff" and didn't want gouges in the walls. Just my 2 cents

 

[Older'n dirt]

I'm finishing up a 30 x 40 detached from the house. I used 7/16 OSB on the walls but opted for 3/4" rigid foam on the ceiling strictly because of the weight. I used R19 bats in the walls and will put R30 between the trusses.

 

[Perryk]

In your neck of the woods I would built with 2x6 construction, 5/8" drywall and insulate it as well as you can. You can always install sheets of OSB over top of the drywall where you want to hang stuff. Nails or hooks screwed directly to osb walls looks unfinished. IMO.

 

[Daniel Dudley]

?Im looking to save a few steps
Thanks

There is your answer. Make sure you have fire rock on the wall next to the house, even if it is under wallboard.

 

[K'ledgeBldr]

Instead of asking what everybody did...


You should be asking what will be allowed in Alberta, Canaduh. Most building authorities stipulate D/wall for fire protection- but sometimes differ when it's a stand alone building.
However, you should also check with your insurance provider. They may not cover a claim if it were found that the walls had only OSB on them.
The subject has been covered (That means trashed, hashed and rehashed, cussed and discussed), in several other threads- just do a search!

 

[Iroc-Z]

I just did dry wall in my garage that is attached to my house. (Fire code). When I build my detached I want to do sanded plywood. Guy on the forum here did it and it looks great. Plus you don't have to worry about damaging it.

 

[Colonial Cobra]

I just got the paint on my OSb and love it. Drywall the ceilings and above the 8' gable ends. Two coats of kilz primer and then semi-gloss white. Looks awesome.

 

[Gary S]

S---E---A---R---C---H!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Didn't we do this discussion yesterday, last week, last month, and about 100 times last year?

 

[K'ledgeBldr]

S---E---A---R---C---H!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Didn't we do this discussion yesterday, last week, last month, and about 100 times last year?

Yeah, I believe I mentioned that!

 

[Camper]

Any reason not to do it the other way around....OSB with Drywall on top.
That way you can do a finished wall that will have plenty of support behind it and can hang things where ever you want.....just a small amount more work and expense but you only do it once.....just thinking out loud.....

 

[CanuckGT]

Did a search but came up empty....must be a Canaduh thing ...eh?

Will look into codes,insurance,etc...btw it is detached from the home by about 300ft....thanks.

 

[GRX]

OSB walls - drywall ceiling. Painted bright white. Wouldn't do it any other way.

 

[rwreuter]

osb all the way

 

[PeterT]

Drywall is inexpensive but isn't very strong. Drywall is easy to mud, sand and paint, but you cannot hang anything very heavy w/o going into the studs. Drywall doesn't take banging into very kindly.

OSB is stronger, a little more expensive (but not much), harder to cut and harder to mud (if you choose to hide the seams). It requires more paint to make it smooth - if you don't paint it, it holds dust and dirt easily. Unpainted OSB is very hard to clean (or keep clean).

Plywood is a great choice but its too expensive.

 

[VolksDragon]

I was thinking about this very issue the other day, and I'll probably go with OSB walls, drywall ceiling. Currently looking for tips on painting it, but it sounds like 2 coats of heavy primer with whatever color you want on top is the way to go.

 

[Falcon67]

Thought about drywall ceiling and OSB walls - decided that my neck and back wasn't going to like all that tape work on the ceiling. OSB and drywall are the same price here, so it's a toss up. A friend has OSB around the office in his shop. He's a pro painter and I never knew his office walls were OSB until I mentioned using it. He used a latex and didn't get any particle lift - interesting.

 

[nmanitou]

There is much debate in this board on this topic, but my choice was OSB.

Before...

During...

After...

 

[NUTTSGT]

This is probably the most debated topic on this site. I have OSB on my garage walls. Some where in another thread I posted up pros/cons of different wall coverings.

 

[NUTTSGT]

I copied where I quoted myself once before on wall coverings.

Originally Posted by NUTTSGT Steve, my friend you have asked one of the biggest debated items on this site.

Interior wall coverings. You will see a wide array of posts for and against each one. Take each post with heed and follow the building codes in your area (if you have any) especially if you have to get your garage inspected.

Drywall, meets code and fire resistant, labor intensive to hang/finish, looks good when finished yet susceptible to dings and dents. If you live in an area with seasonal temp changes, an unheated/cooled garage drywall joints may crack.

OSB doesn't meet code and will burn. Hangs just like drywall, yet joints don't need finished or may be caulked to look seamless. Resistant to dings and dents, and some people say it's easy to hang "stuff" on. Some people do not like the slight wavy appearance.

Plywood shares many of the qualities of OSB, but generally at a slightly higher cost. Smoother finish than OSB.

Metal siding can be bought in a wide array of colors and various lengths. It's available in corrugated or "squared ribs" ribs like a pole barn.(for a lack of better term) Gives a clean appearance when completed yet can be difficult to find a smooth surface to hang shelving on. It can be dinged and dented but does provide some resistance. An interior covered in metal siding may have a tinny echo and/or no noise absorption.

Those listed above are generally some more of the prevalent choices here on GJ, but not all. Some others have used other materials like Hardi-board or had a metal bldg just spray foamed and left as is.


While I may not be totally correct above, I have tried to provide an unbiased opinion of the most popular choices and pros/cons. Take it for what's it's worth and enjoy your garage. Feel free to post up a thread in the gallery.

 

[Jackfre]

How about Melamine sheets? My wife has selected the location for my new garage, and I've been thinking of this. No paint necessary, easy to clean. Easy removal. On a remodel I did at our old house I knew there was going to be a wall with a ton of photos etc hung on it so I put 1/2" plywood on the wall and then covered that with drywall. Worked out really well as far as strength and location of hangers.

 

[rwreuter]

Melamine sheets look nice but it's particle board.....get it wet and it is done with. also they hard to repair (put a screw in it and remove it and you have an unsightly hole) they are also quite a bit more expensive than either osb or sheetrock

 

[thammel]

For me, drywall wins hinds down primarily because of the fire issue. I put a ton of labor and effort into my garage and don't want it to burn down!!!

Tom

 

[thammel]

HANDS down!!!!

 

[chevy.stroker]

I put a cement board/porcelain 3 foot wainscot around the base of my garage so I didn't have to worry about water issues (washing, splash, etc). I only did a 3 foot, rather than a 4 foot, so the electrical plugs would not have to be mounted through the tile. From there up it is your choice. I prefer OSB because pegboards are easier to mount.

 

[MrJoshua]

How about T111? Not sure where to get it or how much it costs but I have seen a garage with this on the wall and it looked great with no paint.

 

[Blue One]

Instead of asking what everybody did...


You should be asking what will be allowed in Alberta, Canaduh. Most building authorities stipulate D/wall for fire protection- but sometimes differ when it's a stand alone building.
However, you should also check with your insurance provider. They may not cover a claim if it were found that the walls had only OSB on them.
The subject has been covered (That means trashed, hashed and rehashed, cussed and discussed), in several other threads- just do a search!

Everyone should thank you for your excellent help and contribution to the thread.

And your wonderful class and wit. Oh wait, strike that last part, you have none

 

[TheShrine]

Dry wall is for sissys who want their garages to look like their living room and kitchens and OSB spontaneous explodes!


There...I said it! Any other opinion is just a variant of the above.

 

[spaulman]

How about T111? Not sure where to get it or how much it costs but I have seen a garage with this on the wall and it looked great with no paint.

I'm considering this option for my build. Seems like the best of both worlds. Looks nice without finishing and is durable like OSB or plywood.

 

[jack anderson]

I used BC 1/2 inch plywood finish sanded on the exposed side on the walls... I went with a white sheet metal liner panel for the ceiling and I am so glad that I did.... Not a big fan of OSB and I don't like sanding mudding and taping especially ceilings.

 

[MrJoshua]

I'm considering this option for my build. Seems like the best of both worlds. Looks nice without finishing and is durable like OSB or plywood.

Have u goren a price on t111? I'm curious weather or not it will be feasable.

 

[JD in DFW]

Here are a couple of pics of a garage I did this past fall that was OSB on walls and the ceiling. We also did overhead storage racks and the floor as well. At first I was not a real fan of the look, but it actually came out great and the look goes well with the house and the rural area the house is in.

 

[LennyTheLizard]

Here are a couple of pics of a garage I did this past fall that was OSB on walls and the ceiling. We also did overhead storage racks and the floor as well. At first I was not a real fan of the look, but it actually came out great and the look goes well with the house and the rural area the house is in.

What paint is that on the floor? That looks awesome!

 

[rwreuter]

ditto on the floor...

 

[NUTTSGT]

For me, drywall wins hinds down primarily because of the fire issue. I put a ton of labor and effort into my garage and don't want it to burn down!!!

Tom

If you think that drywall will keep your garage from burning down, you have a false sense of security. If fire want's your property, it'll happen. Open the book of Murphy's law, I believe Chapter 13 covers fire.

 

[rwreuter]

also, if you paint it, it reduces (small reduction) the chances of fire, at least from the side that is painted.

try and set osb on fire.....you practically have to pour gas on it to get it started....it is not like wood paneling....now that stuff is a fire hazard!!!!

 

[Phuckin' Jim]

I went with OSB. Around here ("Canaduh"), it is less expensive than Gyp-rock. I didn't use it because it was cheaper, I used it because it is more durable. I couldn't imagine having gyp-rock in the garage....
A few coats of white paint, and it looks fine.
You can see the wall behind the compressor in this pic: