Galvanized or White Steel on Ceiling

[IowaRoots]

Hi all.

I am trying to decide on putting either white or galvanized steel on the ceiling of my 30 x 44 shop with a cathedral ceiling. I am leaning towards galvanized but my builder thought it would be too shiny vs the white. I searched through old threads but couldn't find very many galvanized ceilings to see how it looked. Does anyone have pics of theirs? Thanks in advance

 

[bradpac]

Both of them are very reflective. The white will actually reflect more and would provide a better light, at least according to testing for metal roofs. Galvanized is probably cheaper. I'd go with whatever I could get for the best price.

 

[tinmanwpk]

Lunacy hit it, I agree. Let cost dictate what product you use.

 

[BFBOB]

Why steel (or any metal)? It will kill your cell phone reception.
...unless you already have a steel roof.

I have a steel sided and roofed garage, and the cell signal goes away the instant I step through the door.

 

[rburke65]

White metal....hands down

 

[IowaRoots]

Thanks for the replies. Guess I should have added, the price is the same between white and galvanized.

 

[bad_idea]

I plan on white steel for mine. I would think the cell signal dying in the building would be a plus.

 

[PugetDude]

Galvanized for an industrial look, it does bounce the light around a bit more. Looks great with wood/exposed conduit.
White for a more finished appearance, i.e. w/ sheetrock and paint
JMO, YMMV.

 

[labhaven]

I went with white steel on the ceiling and 4 foot down the side walls. The lower 8 feet is plywood painted white. Cell phone reception is fine. Satellite reception in the car dies as soon as I start to pull in the garage. Absolutely love the brightness for working on things.

 

[spudley]

I plan on white steel for mine. I would think the cell signal dying in the building would be a plus.

Here here!

 

[schurtjl]

I just finished installing white metal on my ceiling and am happy with the look. I have metal on my roof as well, and I still get cell reception inside the shop.

 

[MushCreek]

Metal is a great way to get a quick, finished ceiling. I could care less about my cell phone signal; I usually leave it in the house anyway. My shop already has a metal roof, and the signal is pretty good, although I may lose that when I do the ceiling.

 

[Doug Arthurs]

Did white metal on walls and ceiling of my shop. That was 7 years ago. Looks a little dirty now but I use it as a welding and machine shop so it's what I expected.

 

[NUTTSGT]

I put white on the ceiling in the house garage and happy with it. The neighbor put galvalume on the back of his shop. It had a oil finish to prevent premature rusting.

Is this going to be the same as you're looking at ? If you don't clean the oil spray off, will dust stick to it and look like **** ?

 

[b-boy]

I have galvanized. I like the look. It's a bit shiny, but that will go away eventually.

Either way, I'd buy higher-end, standing seam roofing metal.

I bought some cheap corrugated metal sheets. They were a nightmare to install. The pieces did not fit together perfectly because of manufacturing variances. Imagine standing on a ladder or scaffolding, 12 ft in the air, trying to wrestle 12 ft sheets of steel into position that don't quite fit perfectly.

It looks fine, but I'd go with something that snaps together a little easier.

 

[Bluedodge]

duplicate post, deleted

 

[Bluedodge]

I put white on the ceiling in the house garage and happy with it. The neighbor put galvalume on the back of his shop. It had a oil finish to prevent premature rusting.

Is this going to be the same as you're looking at ? If you don't clean the oil spray off, will dust stick to it and look like **** ?

I put up the galvanized Menard's Pro-Rib galvanized. I remember it had the oily sheen on it when I installed it and just assumed it was applied during the manufacturing process to both deter rust and keep the stacked panels from sticking together. Never wiped it off or even thought of it collecting dust/bugs/grime, etc...

At the time, I wanted to go with white, but was afraid of scratching the finish up during install.

The galvanized does not collect any dust (I do a lot of wood working) and looks good with my exposed conduit runs for electrical.

Since putting it up, my garage is brighter than when I had the exposed rafters. It is also a heckuva lot easier to heat with a kerosene torpedo style heater since the heat doesn't all go up to the peak.

Oh yeah - my cell phone still works, wireless internet from inside the house (attached) is fine, but I lost a couple channels on my TV (rabbit ears). Satellite radio quits when we pull into the garage, but it dies when we go under an overpass or by tall trees anyways....

 

[yeldogt]

I just finished installing white metal on my ceiling and am happy with the look. I have metal on my roof as well, and I still get cell reception inside the shop.

Question -- is that product designed for ceilings or is it roofing?

Also... does it come with the screw holes already punched ?

 

[IowaRoots]

Thanks again for the replies. A friend of mine suggested using the galvalume instead of the actual galvanized to knock the shine down. I thought about doing the galvanized on the ceiling then doing a wainscoting look with it on the bottom of the walls too. Rest of the walls will be plywood or OSB.

 

[schurtjl]

Question -- is that product designed for ceilings or is it roofing?

Also... does it come with the screw holes already punched ?

It’s just 29 gauge 3’ wide sheets of metal siding. Holes are not pre-drilled. Originally I was going to pre-drill each sheet prior to placing them. I found it easier to just mark the sheets where the screws should go prior to lifting the sheet in place. The screws easily penetrate through the sheet metal without drilling. I didn’t want to take a chance pre-drilling and then find my trusses off a little bit and the holes not lining up. I built a jig to lift the sheets into place with my forklift so I could move around attaching it.

 

[ogme042]

Just finished with galvanized. Did not have all the lights in these pictures.

 

[Mancino]

I had the same dilemma when I was doing my ceiling...I ended up going with polar white. I picked white because it would reflect more light and wasn't much more $ than going with galvalume.

As others have said, cell reception is impacted. Also my WIFI signal, which is the real bummer. It was never great to begin with being it is a pole barn wrapped in metal outside, but it did get worse once I finished the walls and have all OHD's shut.

Just something to think about...

 

[Bluedodge]

Just finished with galvanized. Did not have all the lights in these pictures.

That looks GREAT!!!

 

[IowaRoots]

Just finished with galvanized. Did not have all the lights in these pictures.

I do like that look. Is that the galvalume?

 

[richs347]

Will these panel work with 24" joist centers or will you need strapping for the installation?

 

[Bert_]

Will these panel work with 24" joist centers or will you need strapping for the installation?

Most will span 4' without problem. I know several carpenters that only screw to ever other rafter when they are on 24" spacing.

 

[richs347]

Thank you..

 

[Zaxxn]

I think it's pretty much personal taste. I did galvanized on my ceilings, and I love the way it looks, but that also may have to do with the rest of the shop's color scheme, which has a lot of grey and hammered silver for equipment. No issues whatsoever for cell/wifi reception, and the acoustic issues I heard a lot about are pretty much non-existing, even with the decent sound system and subwoofer in the shop now. I like it, but I think you'll love white just as much...also, 24" o.c. install without issues.

--Zax

 

[bobj49f2]

I bought a used scissor lift to install my upper walls and ceiling. White on the ceiling and upper walls and plywood from the floor eight feet high. Eventually I'll paint the plywood light gray to help hide dirt. My son installed the metal, I don't like heights plus he's younger than me. I trimmed the insulation and metal pieces and handed them up to him. He ran self tapping screws through the metal. Missed studs a few times but I don't care, they're 15' up in the air and if someone doesn't like the few holes up there they can climb up there and fill them in.

 

[rburke65]

Hands down, go with the white

 

[grinch365]

If you go galvanized ( I did ), no worrying about scratching finish while handling/installing.

Both are great at reflecting light. White will give a much more "finished" look, IF done right with all the trim.

 

[BajaScout]

Galvanized = Industrial look

White = Finished look

Personal preference.

 

[Bottlecapdigger]

I plan on white steel for mine. I would think the cell signal dying in the building would be a plus.


I have steel inside, ceiling and walls,(white) steel on the outside, no issues with cell signal at all. BCD

 

[rust in the eye]

White here. Looks clean and reflects light well. No cell phone trouble.

 

[bradpac]

Just to point out a couple of differences. Post #21 looks like Galvanized in a bit lighter gauge, maybe 29 or 30 based on the dimples by the screws and such. Post #28 Looks like Galvalume (slightly lighter, more blue, different spangle) and probably a 26 gauge or maybe even 24 as you see a lot less dimpling.

Yes, I work for a metal roofing company and just took time studying these pictures because I can't help it.

 

[bobj49f2]

I have white on the ceiling and walls.

I read a post a while back on the HAMB board about brightening taillights. There were a posts that said to paint the inside of your taillight white instead of silver for a brighter light. I had dim lights on my '49 Ford pickup, took them apart and sprayed them white, very noticeable difference. I used white in my shop because I wanted it as bright as possible.

 

[GRivera]

Just finished with galvanized. Did not have all the lights in these pictures.

That looks great. Are walls OSB?