finishing OSB interior walls

[that-guy]

I am in the process of insulating and putting up walls in my 24 x 24 garage and have decided I would rather use 1/2" OSB for my interior walls and ceiling since it is slightly cheaper and not as messy. I would also like to paint it to make it actually look somewhat decent. this shop will be used for fabrication and engine work, so I'm not out to make things pretty

my question is, what do you do about any screws that are sunk into the wall, or the seams where the panels meet? is it just a matter of making sure the seams are so tight they aren't noticeable, or actually going through with using wood putty to finish over it all?

 

[laser3kw]

If you use a thick primer like Kiltz the screw heads will be unnoticeable - at least mine aren't from 5 ft away, you really have to look for them to see them. But if you want to, use a wood putty and sand to suit (before primer).
As far as panel gaps, most agree that there should be 1/8" between them. All wood products will expand over time. Most of mine are tight and I don't see any real problems three years later. I do see a gap or two if I look around, but it doesn't bother me. If you want to fill the gap, before priming, use a good urethane, paint-able caulking. The caveat here is that the urethane caulking must be fully cured before you paint. Allow up to 7 days of average temperature days for it to cure. You can't paint over it immediately, the curing agents in the urethane will not work properly and the paint will not stick and peel away over a short time.

 

[bzinsky]

a lot of guys just use drywall mud

 

[Streetbu]

I didnt use any, just a tight **** joint. Be careful putting the screws in, set them flush instead of allowing them to rip half way thru.

 

[wagspe208]

I used a nail gun to attach OSB to perlins or whatever they are called.
I used Kilz primer... oil based... one coat.
Over that with behr paint... the good stuff.
IF you really want to hide the seams, caulk them with painters caulk, use a paint brush to smooth while caulk is wet, roll over it with main coat... it looks pretty good.
Wags

I didn't caulk seams. I just fit it tight.

Oh, the first pic... I rolled on paint.
The second pic... a different wall... I sprayed on the paint. SEE the HUGE difference?

 

[that-guy]

I used a nail gun to attach OSB to perlins or whatever they are called.
I used Kilz primer... oil based... one coat.
Over that with behr paint... the good stuff.
IF you really want to hide the seams, caulk them with painters caulk, use a paint brush to smooth while caulk is wet, roll over it with main coat... it looks pretty good.
Wags

I didn't caulk seams. I just fit it tight.

Oh, the first pic... I rolled on paint.
The second pic... a different wall... I sprayed on the paint. SEE the HUGE difference?

wow, that's a massive difference. I was intending on spraying the walls and using a roller to even everything out...never used painters caulk before

 

[NUTTSGT]

I caulked mine and any nail/screw holes that were obvious, same for the gaps between the sheets. I used a average grade painters caulk followed by two coats of Kilz oil based.

My garage, I top coated with a Kilz latex and the house garage was a Glidden exterior paint since it's not heated/cooled. I thought that would be worth the few extra bucks a gallon.

I used OSB on my ceiling and put up ribbed metal siding on the house garage. Use a drywall lift, put it up, screw it and done. The osb will finished like the walls. Price the complete ceiling metal vs. osb, paint, primer and labor/time. I think the metal ceiling looks so much better.

On a side note, is this an attached garage. If it is, you should really consider a fire barried between it and the living quarters. Put up some drywall and cover it with osb for the ruggedness.

 

[cabranch47]

On plywood and osb I generally just take my 7" sander and bevel the edges slightly. Makes the seams look better and not uneven. I am of the belief that if you can't hide it, emphasize it.

 

[nh_yota]

Caulk and paint make you the carpenter you ain't.

 

[k-os]

I also got mine tight together, caulked seams, and then sanded the whole wall with 180 (I think). Two coats of Kilz Oil Based Primer and two coats of Exterior Latex.



The line above the door is the wiring for the door opener switch. Forgot to run it behind the wall before I put them up.

 

[nh_yota]

I wouldn't use drywall mud because it will crack when the OSB expands and contracts. Don't cheap out on the caulk either - get good paintable caulk not the cheap painter's caulk. I've used the DAP Painter's Caulk before and it seems to dry out and crack after a couple of years.

 

[Highbeam]

SHeets of OSB are different in thickness from others and thickness even varies across the sheet. Don't be surprised to find that the seam gaps are just part of the problem.

 

[brownbagg]

its a shop, why finish anything, just leaves the screw alone

 

[Bib Overalls]

its a shop, why finish anything, just leaves the screw alone

Unpainted OSB ***** in light. White on the ceilings and walls makes a big difference. I spend a lot of time in my shop and having good light is important to me.

 

[NUTTSGT]

Unpainted OSB ***** in light. White on the ceilings and walls makes a big difference. I spend a lot of time in my shop and having good light is important to me.

I agree, painting it a light color definetly brightens the work area.

 

[laser3kw]

Unpainted OSB ***** in light. White on the ceilings and walls makes a big difference. I spend a lot of time in my shop and having good light is important to me.

I agree, painting it a light color definetly brightens the work area.

First thing I noticed too. My inside is all white. I can work in my shop with just the door open on nice days. It really helps reflect and spread the light out. Well worth the effort.

 

[kbs2244]

If it is a working shop just nail it up.
But do paint it white.
I just had it sprayed on with cheap latex.
It isn't living room pretty, but it isn't my living room either.

 

[Slednut]

I put OSB on the ceiling of my covered patio, to cover the seams I ripped pieces of OSB 2 inches wide and put a small relief on them. It covered the seams and the screws, I used my finish nailer to attached them

I wouldn't do this on the walls but it would make finishing off the ceiling a lot easier.

 

[fastbike02]

I plan on just painting mine white, not that it will stay clean for long! anyone wants to talk about my seams or screws showing I will just ask them what they used in their shop

 

[Falcon67]

Unpainted OSB ***** in light. White on the ceilings and walls makes a big difference. I spend a lot of time in my shop and having good light is important to me.

Not to me, didn't paint one square inch.

 

[that-guy]

it seems that the common consensus is to use a quality caulking that will expand as the wall does, which is all very understandable. I think this is the approach I will be taking

 

[Falcon67]

That I did do on the ceiling panels and it made a lot of difference in sealing up the OSB and allowing the air conditioning to work.

 

[Dan in Pasadena]

I didn't take this picture to show it but I ripped thin strips off 2x4's to cover the edge-to-edge seams where the OSB sheets met. I did this because I thought it looked neater and because I was re-using a BUNCH of OSB I got after wind blew down a block wall on my property and my homeowner's insurance put up a temporary wall with it.


The paint lines on my much-less-than-aesthetically-perfect OSB came out very good:


Just found this shot. Here you can see the strips a littel clearer: