Finishing interior - does this make sense?

[trjlangdon]

Long-time lurker here, and this summer I plan on finishing a detached garage that came with the home I purchased in 2013. The garage has concrete block walls, which are unfinished on the interior and exterior. The garage walls are above grade.

I don't really have any grand plans to have a shop. I'll basically be parking a car in here, have a small workbench, and the rest for storage.

I have the plan down for how I want to wire it electrically, and since I am doing that I also plan on finishing the interior walls. Does this make sense?

- Rigid foam insulation glued to the concrete block wall
- Frame out 2x4 stud walls
- Fiberglass batts in the cavities after I run the electrical for additional insulation
- Drywall on top

I've read so much on vapor and moisture barriers, do you need one, you don't, make sure you don't have two to trap moisture, etc. Will the rigid foam insulation suffice as a vapor barrier, or do I need to use faced fiberglass batts?

Also, should I use drylok on the interior of the walls? Or exterior? Or both? I have monitored the garage since I've bought it and have seen no evidence of any water issues.

I can post pictures later if anyone thinks it would help, but again the walls literally are bare concrete blocks. Any advice is appreciated!

 

[drmarkr]

Fill out your profile so we know where you live? Step one...

Arizona is a tad different than Florida or Maine. ...

 

[trjlangdon]

Fill out your profile so we know where you live? Step one...

Arizona is a tad different than Florida or Maine. ...

Done. Sorry about that. I live in eastern PA (Lehigh Valley)

 

[Rex_A_Lott]

Seems like an awful lot of time, trouble and money for what is going to be a storage building. I'd just paint the walls for that.
If you follow through with your plan you will have a nice space, and you'll have to actually do some work there, so you can get your money's worth out of it.
Good Luck!

 

[Jlbc212]

As Rex suggested, insulating a garage to only park cars in it is a waste of effort and money. Paint the concrete blocks with cheap latex paint. However, if you want to make it a place where you can work, a shop, then do all the things you suggested. For your location the vapor barrier should go directly under the sheetrock. I like to use unfaced fiberglass covered with 6 mil poly.

 

[trjlangdon]

As Rex suggested, insulating a garage to only park cars in it is a waste of effort and money. Paint the concrete blocks with cheap latex paint. However, if you want to make it a place where you can work, a shop, then do all the things you suggested. For your location the vapor barrier should go directly under the sheetrock. I like to use unfaced fiberglass covered with 6 mil poly.

Great, thanks for all the suggestions. As it stands now, the garage will be used for mostly storage, etc but figured while I am out doing the work I might as well finish it up. Whether that be for myself later, or to make it look more attractive whenever I decide to sell the place, I think the investment is worth it.

However if I calculate everything $-wise and decide to go with just painting the walls, do you guys suggest a coat of drylok or concrete blocker first, then the latex on top?

 

[Jlbc212]

Great, thanks for all the suggestions. As it stands now, the garage will be used for mostly storage, etc but figured while I am out doing the work I might as well finish it up. Whether that be for myself later, or to make it look more attractive whenever I decide to sell the place, I think the investment is worth it.

However if I calculate everything $-wise and decide to go with just painting the walls, do you guys suggest a coat of drylok or concrete blocker first, then the latex on top?

If you not having any water seepage issues, just use the latex. The drylok may act as a vapor barrier which could trap moisture in the wall if you did decide later to insulate.

 

[Super Sport]

Great, thanks for all the suggestions. As it stands now, the garage will be used for mostly storage, etc but figured while I am out doing the work I might as well finish it up. Whether that be for myself later, or to make it look more attractive whenever I decide to sell the place, I think the investment is worth it.

However if I calculate everything $-wise and decide to go with just painting the walls, do you guys suggest a coat of drylok or concrete blocker first, then the latex on top?

You might want to talk with a local Realtor, but I highly doubt an insulated garage will command a higher price or draw in buyers.