To Paint or Not to Paint?

[71blackcheyenne]

Just finished my workbench, mezzanine and office, cant decide if i should paint it all or not, kinda like the woodsy look lol, what do you guys think?

 

[JimVonBaden]

Just finished my workbench, mezzanine and office, cant decide if i should paint it all or not, kinda like the woodsy look lol, what do you guys think?

The wood looks nice, for now. But, in the long run, it will have stains and dust and spiders, etc. IMHO, paint it. If you don't, painting it later will be much harder, and cleaning it nearly impossible.

Jim

 

[Nowater]

I have OSB in my garage and I painted it with a heavy gloss paint just to keep the dust down.

 

[oil man]

I say paint it to seal in the dust and brighten the shop up some too

 

[NUTTSGT]

I'd prime and paint it white. It'll look bigger and brighter.

The shelf tops, I'd paint a dark color (black) to hide the dirt and scuff marks.

 

[nine4gmc]

I'm with NUTTSGT on this one.

 

[jlckmj]

I painted mine, it is now much brighter and cleaner looking.
But with that said, it is a garage or shop, the paint on the walls does not make the work any better,, just a little easier to see while doing it.

Jim

 

[JTSmithson]

I'm going to be in the same camp, OSB walls soon, hopefully pending some money trees dropping early than fall....

Will be painting it out when the time comes. Great job on the whole thing!

 

[71blackcheyenne]

Thanks JT!
I think I'll probably paint it all, i know if i don't do it now I'll be pissed off at myself, and once all junk is back in there it pretty much makes it impossible to do it later.

 

[RW-7]

See Sig.

 

[bgarrett]

Putting paint on wood is a losing idea. You will be trapped into repainting it every so often because wood breathes and shrinks/swells, rejecting paint. Paint is for metal. The chemical companies have brain washed people into thinking wood should be painted to 'protect' it. Ever see an 80 year old barn thats never been painted? Still there, no need to 'protect' it. Looks good

 

[JimVonBaden]

Putting paint on wood is a losing idea. You will be trapped into repainting it every so often because wood breathes and shrinks/swells, rejecting paint. Paint is for metal. The chemical companies have brain washed people into thinking wood should be painted to 'protect' it. Ever see an 80 year old barn thats never been painted? Still there, no need to 'protect' it. Looks good

Jim

 

[rob in nh]

i would paint it, it will make it easier to cllean, be brighter and protect the wood

 

[pepi]

Like woodsy ? Stain it, you are leaving the particle board natural, paint would be to much of a contrast, stain would compliment.

 

[JC23]

Paint = less chance fer mold, too.

 

[NUTTSGT]

Putting paint on wood is a losing idea. You will be trapped into repainting it every so often because wood breathes and shrinks/swells, rejecting paint. Paint is for metal. The chemical companies have brain washed people into thinking wood should be painted to 'protect' it. Ever see an 80 year old barn thats never been painted? Still there, no need to 'protect' it. Looks good

I've seen plenty of them and whats inside of them because the boards are rotted.

I think I'll probably paint it all, i know if i don't do it now I'll be pissed off at myself, and once all junk is back in there it pretty much makes it impossible to do it later.

You have that correct. Do it now, I've been there already and it ***** having to move stuff, once, twice, three times . . .

 

[John in OH]

Paint it .... for all the reasons previously given. If you don't paint it now, before you've moved in, you never will.

 

[CNGsaves]

Looks like you're in Canada so hopefully you've got plenty of insulation behind those walls and ceiling !!

+1 to paint white, but only after sealing areas that could leak in cold air. Thus actually caulk in gaps along floor, windows, ceiling, etc. Paint first coat with primer as OSB will just keep soaking up multiple coats of paint.

If you want some wood look to remain, you could stain the wall portion ABOVE the shelve and everything else would be white. That's your call.

Add racing stripe as desired and you're good to go !!

 

[lowbucktruck]

You could paint the OSB walls and stain the wood uprights/supports and shelves with a urethane-based product, some contrast would look good. Maybe white walls and dark stain on the shelves and uprights. Only problem with using urethane sealer/stain in a shop area is flammability.
Some paint on the walls would help cut down on the dust and make cleanup easier, as others have said.

 

[taumac]

I paint everything it garage. Get yourself some cheap flat or semi glass white. It also brightens place up.

 

[zcar751]

Paint the walls to stabilize the OSB other wise in a few year it can start to delaminate. Poly the shelves to prevent oils from soaking into the wood.

 

[Jay Sco]

Paint, for sure.

 

[Kevin54]

Putting paint on wood is a losing idea. You will be trapped into repainting it every so often because wood breathes and shrinks/swells, rejecting paint. Paint is for metal. The chemical companies have brain washed people into thinking wood should be painted to 'protect' it. Ever see an 80 year old barn thats never been painted? Still there, no need to 'protect' it. Looks good

Those huge 80 year old barns at one time were painted. As they age, the people also age, then it gets pretty much cost prohibitive to some to hire someone to paint them, or the cost of the paint and doing it yourself can't be done. Once the places start falling apart, then they don't want to spend the money to have the barn repaired.

As to the OP's question....I'm in the "Paint it" category with the others

 

[Dan in Pasadena]

I'd prime and paint it white. It'll look bigger and brighter.

The shelf tops, I'd paint a dark color (black) to hide the dirt and scuff marks.

EXACTLY.

It truly looks great now....but it won't in awhile and then there'll be a ton of...stuff...all over it.