What to cover the ceiling with?

[Woodworking Garage]

I have a bare naked garage interior, detached. I'm running electrical now and am trying to weigh my options for covering the ceiling, on the cheap. I'm thinking plastic sheeting might be a way to go, to contain insulation. How thick should the plastic be to contain the insulation. Or am I heading in the wrong direction? Apologies if this has already been addressed.

 

[Corndoggeh]

Is unfinished drywall an option?

 

[NUTTSGT]

Plastic sheeting ? you'll get what you pay for. I'd suggest metal ribbed siding. One sheet at a time if need be.

 

[twistedstang]

Wow. Yeah......drywall, OSB, or metal siding. Why even waste your time with plastic sheeting?

 

[Whitworth]

Might try rigid foam board insulation.

Don't know what "on the cheap" means.

But plastic sheeting? There's cheap and then there's trailer park cheap.

 

[nadogail]

There is a reason why builders choose drywall, IMHO it gives them the biggest bang for the Buck.

 

[Woodworking Garage]

The cheapest OSB will cost over $200 and 6mil plastic will cost $75. I do intend on putting up OSB, plywood or sheet rock at some point. My intent is to get ready for winter and next year finish the ceiling. Need to get the walls insulated and sheeted this summer.

 

[karoc]

Plastic I think would last couple yrs then start to fall apart,I don't see where you had said how far apart your joist are which is a factor. I know about trying to find something on cheap been doing that a long time.But plastic with insulation on top just would not hold up even if your joist are 16"OC If your joist are 16"OC 1/4 sheet rock may work for you,but also check your local CL's under material may find what will work and cheaper than big box stores

 

[Leaflessshadetree]

What type and how much insulation are you using? When I bought my current house a previous owner stapled faced batts in the ceiling. I don't know how long it was up but it was all sagging and pieces would fall loose occasionally. I strung wire every 2 ft It held for several months until I could sheet it.

For a new building I'd sheet it now then blow in insulation when budget allows.
You can leave it open and do the walls. Or you can do the ceiling and then do the walls later.

 

[Innovate1]

I am putting up painted, ribbed metal for the ceiling of my 30 x 40. It's about $1200 to have someone install it and about $900 for material. It's like metal pole barn siding but thinner gauge since it has no snow load. Seems like a better deal than drywall which would need to be taped and painted and at 14' high they would charge extra for all that. If you do it too cheaply you are just going to end up doing it twice. Why not just do it well the first time?

If you are thinking of plastic for vapor barrier I was told by a reputable local insulation company that in the midwest a vapor barrier is not needed with metal and is, in fact, not recommended at all because the location to prevent condensation is different in the winter and summer.

 

[Innovate1]

Plastic I think would last couple yrs then start to fall apart,I don't see where you had said how far apart your joist are which is a factor. I know about trying to find something on cheap been doing that a long time.But plastic with insulation on top just would not hold up even if your joist are 16"OC If your joist are 16"OC 1/4 sheet rock may work for you,but also check your local CL's under material may find what will work and cheaper than big box stores

If you are going to consider 1/4 sheet rock it's not much of a step down to 2 layers of corrugated cardboard. You can probably get that for free. I say that joking but it might hold up until you can get something over it. 1/4" sheet rock is meant to bend and used for curved walls and such.

 

[Bert_]

Get the reinforced plastic sheeting. It won't stretch or tear through as easy.

 

[930dreamer]

What about house wrap?

 

[spudley]

There is a reason why builders choose drywall, IMHO it gives them the biggest bang for the Buck.

Yep. OP, do you have a Menards nearby? If so, drywall is about 1/2 the cost of OSB right now, so it's getting close to your 6ml plastic cost. Finished or not, it'll look better and last longer.

 

[Kevin54]

You didn't say how big your garage is, but if money is tight right now, put up a drywall ceiling then insulate the ceiling next year. You'd be surprised how warmer things will be with just a ceiling. Then you could always blow in, or drop batts in later on. I would get the walls insulated though for sure.

 

[bdbecker]

The cheapest OSB will cost over $200 and 6mil plastic will cost $75. I do intend on putting up OSB, plywood or sheet rock at some point. My intent is to get ready for winter and next year finish the ceiling. Need to get the walls insulated and sheeted this summer.

Insulating the ceiling will make way more of a difference than insulating the walls. If its not in the budget to do everything at once, I'd leave the walls bare for now and sheet and insulate the ceiling instead.

Along with that, doing the ceiling while the garage is still empty will save you a bunch of time and frustration. Take it from someone who did it the wrong way. If I'd been working in an empty space, I bet sheeting my ceiling would have been a weekend project instead of one that took me weeks.

 

[rburke65]

Metal ceiling liner. Ant get much easier than that.

 

[CraigStu]

I would be concerned about plastic meeting fire code in a garage ceiling. I am not sure of the cost comparison vs drywall, but a metal roofing/ceiling material has one big advantage over drywall- no joints to screw around w/ taping and mudding and sanding. Usually it's available at the box stores in 8 and 12 ft sections and at least some is in stock. So you could ask which is their standard in stock model and buy it as you can afford it.

 

[Miss the Pontiacs]

If you want cheap for the time being criss cross light wire and set with shingle nails. Tap up the nails and when you run past them tension up the wire twist around the nail and hammer it in. It will keep the insulation in place for the time being until you can afford a properly done ceiling.
I did this years ago for a friend of my Mom’s and it is still in place but a little dustier.

 

[ROBZ71LM7]

Drywall is used for a reason, it's cheap and cost effective and a fire barrier. If you need something stronger you're looking at OSB or metal siding or roofing, but it will cost more.

 

[Falcon67]

Just staple kraft backed batts between the ceiling joists until you can cover it with something like drywall or OSB.