Garage Build - Interior Walls

[E55 Bulldog]

Hey everyone. I'm getting ready to start my 30x30 detached garage build and wanted to see what your thoughts are on finished interior walls.

Currently I'm planning on having unfinished (no insulation and no drywall) walls since I'm not heating and cooling the garage. Past garages have all been drywalled and look finished no I'm really torn on this.

Do you see any pro's or cons with that. Are there any alternatives you like?

 

[lakeroadster]

Our current garage was unfinished when we bought the house.

Hotter than the hinges of hell in the summer and crazy cold in the winter on cloudy days.

It really depends on what you'll be using the space for. Ours is just for parking the daily drivers since I have a barn for projects and shop stuff.

We ended up insulating the garage and placing LP Smart Side 4x8 sheets on the walls and ceiling. Wow, what a huge difference.

 

[bob54]

I have a 24 x 24, and I insulated with rolled r-13 and covered with 1/2 OSB, World of difference on the inside temp

 

[MrBalll]

I have finished walls with insulation and enjoy it. Really helpful in the Texas summers.
Not sure how weather is in NC, but if it goes high or low it may be worth it to have insulation. I also like the finished look. Makes me feel like I'm working in a 'dirty' environment when I'm in unfinished which makes me not at 100%.

You said you are used to finished walls so you could try not finished and if your work doesn't suffer then save the money.

 

[Powderm0nkey]

I'm in the same boat. Unfinished right now, which is nice for storage in all the stud bays. But dang is it cold in the fall and winter. When I redo the roof and siding I'm going to insulate inside and out I think. Same thing on the house when we redo it. One for temperature and to help keep it more tolerable when I'm in there, but also for sound deadening since I like to work late and the neighbors are close. It's expensive, but I'm going to use roxul r15 24" batts in the stud bays and the roxul comfortbatt on the outside. R8 per 2", water resistant, vapor permeable, won't rot since its rock wool/slag, and it's burn temp is like 2100°. Less toxic and i like it better than the pink stuff and eps or xps. Just a little piece of mind for me.

 

[James-W]

Well, if you have insulated and finished walls and ceiling, the garage will be warmer in Winter and cooler in Summer. If you don't mind what the temperature is in the garage or how it looks, then leave everything unfinished. You can always do it later if you decide you want the garage to be "nicer".

 

[Copymutt]

I'm in cold country so lots of insulation. As far as interior walls I went with OSB which makes attaching anything to the walls a simple matter. Also doesn't punch through if I accidentally bang a tool or loose control of some stock. Taped and skim coated.
Jim

 

[Augus7us]

Honestly that is a broad question.

At the end of the day if you are not going to insulate and climate control the building then I would say its pretty much aesthetics at this point. You might be able to argue for OSB or plywood if you like to hang things off the walls with nails. Other than that I see no functional benefit to it.

I'm going drywall on the walls and metal panels for the ceiling, but I'm insulating mine. If I wasn't I'd just leave the walls open until I did insulate it, too cold here to work in the shop in winter.

Maybe I'm missing something but that is my 2 cents.

-Clint

 

[HotrodHR]

Do yourself a favor --- insulate, Sheetrock, finish and paint. As has already been mentioned it will be cooler in summer and warmer in winter. I'm in northern Alabama and it gets hotter than heck here. NC is hot in the summer too.

Paint the walls a light color and it will help you see better... you won't regret it!

My shop is 24x24 with 12.5 foot ceilings. At the moment I have a 110 window ac unit and it cools it down nicely in the summer. Goal is to put in a split unit ac/heat pump.

 

[FANTM58]

Do it as soon as you can, I just finished my new house and garage build
I have not yet insulated the shop yet, and it’s filling up now.
So doing it later will be a pain !
Also I have a toilet and water I cannot turn on because heating it
Is not an option without insulation.
I have in floor radiant heat I have not fired up yet because of the insulation issue.
Just do it !

 

[rburke65]

I like wall paper on my interior walls. It makes NO difference what I like. What do you like?

 

[ddawg16]

My original garage was just bare studs with Stucco on the outside.

My new one does not have insulation.....but the drywall traps enough air such that it's a hell of a lot better on the temp swings.....and a lot quieter....as in, the noise I make does not get out as much....translation, I don't piss off the neighbors.

But the bigger thing....bug and dust control. Open studs means spider hotel....and you have a harder time keeping it clean.

And then there is the light reflection.....your typical vapor barrier is going to be tar paper....it and the wood studs **** up the light.

And....if you want to hang ****....even light ****...it has to be on a stud unless you put a ledger board up.

Here are 2 pics.....you decide which one you want

 

[Redraptor]

Honestly that is a broad question.

At the end of the day if you are not going to insulate and climate control the building then I would say its pretty much aesthetics at this point. You might be able to argue for OSB or plywood if you like to hang things off the walls with nails. Other than that I see no functional benefit to it.


-Clint

Considering his location, no extreme cold to insulate. No mention of other uses. Unless it's got plenty of windows, covering the walls and painting would help the light situation.

 

[lakeroadster]

Considering his location, no extreme cold to insulate.

But Jun, July & August average high is upper 80's and lower 90's outside means well over a hundred in a garage without an insulated ceiling.