Sanity check

[symbebekos]

Hi all, joined to ask about this. I have a detached garage in SoCal, built in 1941, redwood studs (I believe) with stucco exterior. It's in cosmetically rough shape inside, and I was thinking of just priming and painting everything, then sanding and sealing the concrete floor. This would be instead of going whole hog with rerunning the electrical, insulation, vapor barrier, drywall (and flat ceiling drywall).

Is there anything wrong with just priming, painting, and making the floor a little nicer? I'd like to have a simple workbench in there and store some furniture, that's about it.

 

[ddawg16]

Sounds like you live in the LA area.....

Those studs are not redwood....just real old Douglas fur.

I bet it looks something like mine did.....before I tore it down and built a new one....2-story (link to the build in my signature)

Yeah, you could just paint and prime....but....ever hear the phrase 'lipstick on a pig'?

With not too much effort, you could install some additional rafters....make some storage space for light bulky items....drywall the ceiling and walls.....and you would have a lot less painting...and it would stay a whole lot cleaner....the the temps would be a whole lot better....both summer and winter.

 

[Shiftless]

My house with its attached garage was built in 1951 so it’s not much newer than yours. I have exposed studs and ceiling joists and have no plans to “upgrade”. I have seen garages where they painted the exposed studs and IMHO, it looks worse than bare wood. I ran new electrical from a new sub panel for lights and receptacles in EMT.

If you just want a workbench space and storage, why paint? When the rough painted surfaces get dirty and full of cobwebs, I think they’ll look worse than bare wood.
Some people use their garages for entertaining, watching games on TV, etc. then it makes sense to insulate, drywall, finish the concrete floor, etc.

 

[symbebekos]

John, you nailed it, I'm in the San Fernando Valley and my garage does look similar to yours. Temps are a concern and definitely in the 'don't put lipstick on a pig' column. Part of my hesitation is I don't have time to do the work myself and don't want to too much over the value I can derive from the space.

 

[symbebekos]

If you just want a workbench space and storage, why paint? When the rough painted surfaces get dirty and full of cobwebs, I think they’ll look worse than bare wood.

Great point, and I should have mentioned that there's old tar paper on the walls that is totally shot, I was thinking of a vapor retarder primer and paint to at least have some kind of vapor barrier.

 

[Shiftless]

Great point, and I should have mentioned that there's old tar paper on the walls that is totally shot, I was thinking of a vapor retarder primer and paint to at least have some kind of vapor barrier.

Why do you need a vapor barrier in such an old garage that likely has more than a few places where drafts can come in? How are the doors and windows?
If you have a good coat of paint on the stucco, water shouldn’t come through the wall. If not, that’s where I would put the paint.
I bet there is no vapor barrier under the slab.

 

[symbebekos]

Why do you need a vapor barrier in such an old garage that likely has more than a few places where drafts can come in? How are the doors and windows?
If you have a good coat of paint on the stucco, water shouldn’t come through the wall. If not, that’s where I would put the paint.
I bet there is no vapor barrier under the slab.

No doors or windows other than the big door. My thinking with the paint was, there's this old tar paper which has to go, I doubt it's going to look good underneath. So if I paint, why not use a vapor barrier paint. I think I have to do something to the walls - I may be wrong in thinking paint is even possible.

 

[ddawg16]

John, you nailed it, I'm in the San Fernando Valley and my garage does look similar to yours. Temps are a concern and definitely in the 'don't put lipstick on a pig' column. Part of my hesitation is I don't have time to do the work myself and don't want to too much over the value I can derive from the space.

You can't look at it from a 'value' perspective....

When you buy a car, is it for future value? Or is it because you like and and want to drive it?

It's not as much work as you think. You will almost spend more money on beer than materials.

You will actually save money on paint...it's a lot cheaper to paint drywall than the inside of that garage.....and if you just paint it....you will still be stuck with the cold/hot and ton of spiders.

 

[Shiftless]

You can't look at it from a 'value' perspective....

When you buy a car, is it for future value? Or is it because you like and and want to drive it?

It's not as much work as you think. You will almost spend more money on beer than materials.

You will actually save money on paint...it's a lot cheaper to paint drywall than the inside of that garage.....and if you just paint it....you will still be stuck with the cold/hot and ton of spiders.

Good advice!
As I said earlier, my garage is unfinished. But about 90% of the wall space is covered with shelving or the pegboard over my 2 workbenches. Putting up shelves is quick and easy and you’ll get lots of space to store those 12 gallon plastic boxes with all of your Xmas decorations, camping gear, sports equipment etc.

 

[symbebekos]

Fellas, thank you for the advice! Much appreciated and plenty to think about.

 

[kaymccampbell]

It sounds like a plan. I worked in a white painted concrete n open studs shop for years. It'll get you a nicer, brighter environment to play in. It made working there a joy for me.

 

[ZRX61]

Just line the interior walls with T1-11, ya should be able to find the time to do that. Plus it looks a lot better painted than the old studs etc, or just leave it bare (which is what I did)

 

[nadogail]

IMHO, an airless spray rig and a couple of buckets of Kilz will make a very big difference.

 

[ddawg16]

IMHO, an airless spray rig and a couple of buckets of Kilz will make a very big difference.

And still look like a pig with lipstick

 

[CraigStu]

And still look like a pig with lipstick

I disagree. Shooting it all in a light color will make a much nicer, brighter place to be. Wait until HD or Lowes has a paint sale, buy a 5 gal bucket and rent a sprayer. Do it on the first day of a sale so you can get another bucket at the sale price if you need it. For me pure white is too bright so I'd go w/ a nice light tan.

 

[ddawg16]

I disagree. Shooting it all in a light color will make a much nicer, brighter place to be. Wait until HD or Lowes has a paint sale, buy a 5 gal bucket and rent a sprayer. Do it on the first day of a sale so you can get another bucket at the sale price if you need it. For me pure white is too bright so I'd go w/ a nice light tan.

But it does nothing for the spider webs and dust...or hot and cold temps.

I'm a lot closer to the beach than the OP and before I did my rebuild, the garage was miserable in the mid summer and mid winter.

 

[Charlie51]

That tarpaper is an important part of the stucco exterior. It keeps the wind-blown water out of the structure. https://askinglot.com/what-kind-of-paper-goes-under-stucco

 

[Tduby]

If you have dreams of some day finishing it just to a wall or a partial wall behind where you want a work bench. I agree the painted stud will look worse than bare and will kill their value if you ever want to salvage them.