Interior Walls, What to Use?

[Olympus]

We just built a 30x36x12 shop. It's a studded/framed building like a house. I thought we already had the interior walls decided until I started pricing the materials. I had initially planned to use beadboard or that exterior plywood siding that has the V notches cut length way through a 4x8 sheet, but those are $30/sheet. I'll come down from the ceiling 8ft and then the rest of the way down use 4ft of corrugated metal. So I figured I would need about 30 sheets for the 4 walls (36ft, 30ft, 36ft, and 12ft on the wall with my overhead door). So that's $900 before tax. The I figured I would need 68 sheets to do the ceiling (30x36). So counting the ceiling, that's $4380 before tax just in beadboard, not counting the corrugated metal.

Are there other options that won't be so expensive? I want the inside to look finished, not "shoppy" with the exposed chipboard or unfinished OSB panels.

 

[Mark118]

Drywall or Particle board?

 

[ADSR]

I know you said no OSB, But 7/16 OSB is only 7 bucks a sheet for now. I did OSB in my shop and at 7/sheet for 32sq/ft is pretty unbeatable.

 

[Olympus]

Drywall or Particle board?

I've never hung drywall. I have zero experience with mudding or taping. I'd be a little nervous tackling a project this size for my first job.

 

[Olympus]

I know you said no OSB, But 7/16 OSB is only 7 bucks a sheet for now. I did OSB in my shop and at 7/sheet for 32sq/ft is pretty unbeatable.

I just don't want the unfinished look of OSB. I know I could paint it, but I've never seen it in person so I have no idea what it would look like.

 

[ADSR]

I just don't want the unfinished look of OSB. I know I could paint it, but I've never seen it in person so I have no idea what it would look like.

Smooth side out, looks chippy. There's no getting around it. Go pick up a sheet paint it, and stick it on the wall to see if you could live with it. I just couldn't pass up the 7 bucks for 32sq/ft.

 

[Olympus]

Smooth side out, looks chippy. There's no getting around it. Go pick up a sheet paint it, and stick it on the wall to see if you could live with it. I just couldn't pass up the 7 bucks for 32sq/ft.

I'd like to explore other options first. Something that's less than $30/sheet but a little more refined looking than OSB.

 

[ADSR]

G1S plywood is pretty tough to beat then. It's sanded and any flaws are filled with bondo.

 

[abachman]

Go ahead and drywall it. It's a shop, and you can do the taping yourself. Watch a video or two, it's not that hard to learn. You also get the benefit of some fire protection with drywall. Worst case, pay someone to do the taping of the drywall.

 

[brownbagg]

plywood

 

[Mark118]

Go ahead and drywall it. It's a shop, and you can do the taping yourself. Watch a video or two, it's not that hard to learn. You also get the benefit of some fire protection with drywall. Worst case, pay someone to do the taping of the drywall.

^This.

 

[Geek]

I'm in the same boat and I'm looking forward to dry walling mine.
What better place to learn before I start messing things up in the house?

 

[Leaflessshadetree]

Drywall. Don't worry about tight joints. Mudding and taping isn't that hard. Just don't go too thick.
A little texture will hide a lot of imperfections.

 

[Falcon67]

If you are putting in a bar and a pool table, some couches and going to watch TV and polish the car, then drywall. If you are going to work in there and bang into things, pull engines, fix lawn equipment, park 4 wheelers and stuff - OSB. Paint it or not. I didn't. And I've already banged it hard enough to require replacing part of a panel. We've banged it many times hard enough with race cars/quads/mower/golf cart/engine hoist/floor jack/etc to wreck the hell out of normal drywall but the impacts didn't bother the OSB. I can also unscrew it from the wall for adding power or plumbing. I've seen it painted and it looks fine IMHO. I didn't because I just didn't want to spend that much time on it.

 

[JimVonBaden]

Go ahead and drywall it. It's a shop, and you can do the taping yourself. Watch a video or two, it's not that hard to learn. You also get the benefit of some fire protection with drywall. Worst case, pay someone to do the taping of the drywall.

I agree! The shop is the perfect place to learn drywall. You can make mistakes and it will not show much. You will have shelving and stuff all over the walls anyhow.

 

[JimVonBaden]

If you are putting in a bar and a pool table, some couches and going to watch TV and polish the car, then drywall. If you are going to work in there and bang into things, pull engines, fix lawn equipment, park 4 wheelers and stuff - OSB. Paint it or not. I didn't. And I've already banged it hard enough to require replacing part of a panel. We've banged it many times hard enough with race cars/quads/mower/golf cart/engine hoist/floor jack/etc to wreck the hell out of normal drywall but the impacts didn't bother the OSB. I can also unscrew it from the wall for adding power or plumbing. I've seen it painted and it looks fine IMHO. I didn't because I just didn't want to spend that much time on it.

I suppose some people can't control themselves, but mostly drywall is fine. If you have a high use area where you might bang into stuff put up some galvanized sheet with construction adhesive. Looks good and durable.

 

[Ohio Auto]

I put my own drywall up and paid to have someone come in and tape/mud/sand.

Also would look at putting metal up on the ceiling. It's refelcts light very well.

 

[Blk88GT]

I did 1/2" plywood in my shop, no regrets here.

 

[phred]

I hate drywall.
Plywood all the way!

 

[K'ledgeBldr]

Drywall has two major benefits-

Clean smooth surface in which to apply a coating that can be both light reflective and washable/cleanable. The other is FIRE PROTECTION! Especially if you bump your budget for "X"-type drywall- your insurance company will give you a better rate for the building.

 

[aar0s]

We sell a yellow pine beaded paneling that measures 3/8th thick. I used it in my old garage with some half inch aluminum j channel trimming out the edges and pole barn rat guard to keep it from wicking off the floor and to give a trimmed look at the bottom. It's paintable, stainable and you wouldn't have to look for a stud to hang wall art or some light weight shelves. Much more durable than drywall.

 

[kamlung]

many have already said it... its a shop and what better place to put some taping and spackle learning to work... it will insulate the space a bit better and will come out alot cleaner with paint...

 

[Cjk]

My shop is 16' high and I will be doing the bottom 8' in plywood and the top 8' and ceiling in white steel.

 

[Kevin54]

Drywall all the way. If you don't want to learn how to finish it, pick up a remodeling book at Lowes or one of the other box stores, and learn how to hang it. Then you can hire someone to tape, mud, and finish it.

 

[Diesel_D]

I used 4 X 8 sheets of fiberboard from lowes. I believe the main use of fiberboard is to make round forms for concrete work. It comes in 1/8 and 1/4. About $12 a sheet and brown in color. I painted the ceiling white to brighten it up a little.

 

[ADSR]

I used 4 X 8 sheets of fiberboard from lowes. I believe the main use of fiberboard is to make round forms for concrete work. It comes in 3/16 and 1/4. About $12 a sheet and brown in color. I painted the ceiling white to brighten it up a little.

That doesn't look bad at all!

 

[92GreenYJ]

I used pegboard in my garage. I know a lot of people it's a love heat thing, but I love the flexibility and that it allows me to store all kinds of stuff from it.

 

[Saw]

I used 4 X 8 sheets of fiberboard from lowes. I believe the main use of fiberboard is to make round forms for concrete work. It comes in 1/8 and 1/4. About $12 a sheet and brown in color. I painted the ceiling white to brighten it up a little.

I think it's called hardboard, possibly tempered hardboard, sometimes called Masonite but that is actually a brand name. Dirty, dirty, dirty to cut. It does have it's places where it works great.

 

[Nowater]

I used OSB which I primed and painted with a heavy coat of paint. It is a shop.

 

[K'ledgeBldr]

I used pegboard in my garage. I know a lot of people it's a love heat thing, but I love the flexibility and that it allows me to store all kinds of stuff from it.

I think I saw a spot or two- are you sure the "whole" wall was done? LOL!!!

 

[92GreenYJ]

I think I saw a spot or two- are you sure the "whole" wall was done? LOL!!!

Lol, actually the bottom three feet of that wall wasn't cause I was too lazy to do the cut outs around the outlets I added to that wall. But it ilustrates my point nicely.

Few more including the wall of workbench

And yes the back wall is drywall. Fire code mandated that one as it is attached to the house

 

[Falcon67]

LOL - as above, after a while - if you're like most of us - you won't even be able to see the walls anymore. In my tool room, there is very little exposed OSB to see.

 

[Kevin54]

Lol, actually the bottom three feet of that wall wasn't cause I was too lazy to do the cut outs around the outlets I added to that wall. But it ilustrates my point nicely.

Few more including the wall of workbench

And yes the back wall is drywall. Fire code mandated that one as it is attached to the house

Looks to me like someone either worked in assembly, telemarketing, or worked in a cube farm

 

[jonzer12]

I vote metal. My shop is a mix of drywall and metal. I wish I would have put metal everywhere. I put material behind the metal so it would have zero give but if you didn't it is actually cheaper than drywall when you figure in the paint.

 

[amatouring]

I'd like to see a photo or two of the metal walls in your garage if you have any.

 

[Kevin54]

Drywall with metal wainscoting.

 

[jonzer12]

I'd like to see a photo or two of the metal walls in your garage if you have any.

http://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=146930

 

[92GreenYJ]

Looks to me like someone either worked in assembly, telemarketing, or worked in a cube farm

None of the above. I worked on all my various hobbies and projects on one small workbench for years in my moms 1.5 car garage. When it came time to buy our house and build out my garage I spent a lot of time thinking about my design and I decided a sectional workbench would be terrific. Each section dedicated to specific hobbies and or tasks. I hoped it would alleviate the bench being buried under fifteen miscellaneous projects all the time. So far it has. First section closest to the wife's department (washer/dryer) is my electrical bench. Anything to do with soldering, electronics, home or auto electrical, etc lives there. Second down is my gun bench. Cleaning, maintaining, and hand loading ammo. Biggest wood bench is just a general catch all bench for whatever else I am working on. Steel top at the end is my welding table.

 

[bazzateer]

I just don't want the unfinished look of OSB. I know I could paint it, but I've never seen it in person so I have no idea what it would look like.

This is mine, painted OSB on the walls:

 

[RogueFab]

My vote is Sheetrock or OSB if you want to save money. Unless you get material from a special deal or used, nothing else is close in price that I know of.