Wallboard joints

[OccupantRJ]

I'm preparing to put up 1/2" BC plywood walls, and am mulling over the best way to handle the joints. Right now, planning to run the plywood horizontally with staggered joints, but that is not set in stone. I don't like batten strips on the walls, or the look of OSB. I was thinking of spacing the sheets with a 1/16" or less gap, then using a paintable elastomeric caulk to fill in the joints, to give the caulk somewhere to be, allow for expansion/contraction, and hopefully end up with a relatively smooth-joint surface for paint. Another question I had was whether anyone has used vertical-grooved sheets of exterior masonite siding (about 3/8" thick) for an interior shop wall surface? The half-lap aspect of the joints does at least blend into the rest of the sheet's design, giving a wide beadboard look.
Cost of materials at Lowes here is $20 for the plywood, and 17 for the grooved siding, although cost is not the main factor. Any comments, ideas, suggestions? My shop is mostly for refurbishing machines, fabricating, welding, machining, and some supporting carpentry/woodwork.


Thanks,
RJ

 

[z28snksknr]

Paintable caulk is the best option for the seams. I used drywall joint compound on mine (because I had it) which hasn't cracked YET. Caulk is the better choice.

 

[aim]

Caulking the joints works good. I have done this exact thing several times. (I'm a contractor.)
If you want it to look really nice. Caulk the joints, coat the screw heads, and then spray on a texture and paint it. It's quick, easy, durable and cheap. Sometimes you can hardly tell that it's not drywall. A few of the bars in my area do this due to drunks wanting to punch holes in the wall after they catch their girlfriend flirting with another guy. Usually ends up with a broken knuckle or two and not even a scratch on the wall.

 

[z28snksknr]

Caulking the joints works good. I have done this exact thing several times. (I'm a contractor.)
If you want it to look really nice. Caulk the joints, coat the screw heads, and then spray on a texture and paint it. It's quick, easy, durable and cheap. Sometimes you can hardly tell that it's not drywall. A few of the bars in my area do this due to drunks wanting to punch holes in the wall after they catch their girlfriend flirting with another guy. Usually ends up with a broken knuckle or two and not even a scratch on the wall.

That... is true justice.

 

[snorky18]

Never heard of caulking the joints in lieu of tape/mud/sand, but it sounds a lot easier.

That probably wouldn't work as well with corner joints I imagine??

 

[dodgepolara500]

A few of the bars in my area do this due to drunks wanting to punch holes in the wall after they catch their girlfriend flirting with another guy. Usually ends up with a broken knuckle or two and not even a scratch on the wall.

Where do you live? Sounds like the wild west!