Garage Wall Sheeting

[Strokerswild]

So, one of the many home improvement projects I've been working on this year includes insulating/finishing/heating the double garage that's directly attached to my house. I've been meaning to do this for the near 17 years I've lived there, so it was time. I've got the insulation and vapor barrier plastic done and the heater hung and wired, but I can't decide how to sheet it to finish it off.

The first thought was sheetrock/drywall. I have a deep, triple-stall shop in my backyard that I finished this way, textured and painted; it's where my fun cars and (too many) motorcycles reside. It's heated and dehumidified, and is kept between 40 and 85 degrees at ~50% humidity. The look is great, but I'm not convinced it's the way to go for where the daily drivers sit due to temp/humidity swings here, plus a lot of extra humidity in winter with slop/water falling off the cars. Easily damaged if something falls against it too in the daily use scenario.

The next option is CDX/OSB or plywood. Much easier to do, basically put it up and paint it. Ugly seams though. But you can screw shelf brackets or whatever you want to it. Easiest and most versatile probably, but not good to look at.

The last thought is painted corrugated steel. Put it up, done. Probably the most durable and easy, and is the leading contender at the moment. But, it's trickier for attaching shelving and such down the road due to the corrugation.

Anybody aware of any other alternatives? I'm going to finish this part next spring since I have too many other irons in the fire that need to be completed before the snow flies here, so plenty of time to kick it around. Any ideas and pics welcome.

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[Interceptor]

If you don't mind spending a dime, a step above the OSB is younger and groove 3/4" flooring (4x8 sheets).
Very dense, will not flake like OSB over time. Also stainable
Also if there is a sawmill person near year you could do "old school", 3/4 barn board laid horizontal would age well and be like grandpa's place. Make shelves out of same wood. Put up some old signs high on wall, maybe a neon or two. Couple nic rocking chairs, install screened doors at garage opening. Have a glass of lemonade with neighbors.

 

[Cobra Jet]

Isn’t OSB pretty heavy, like heavier than plywood?

Why not just get 4x8’s of bead-board or some call it wainscot? Home Depot and Lowe’s has it in primered white, this way you can throw it up, it looks decent and you can paint it later.

 

[ChiTownStang26]

If your worried about moisture with drywall then go for green board... moisture resistant drywall used for high moisture areas like bathrooms. It's more pricey but will still give you the drywall finish which will look better the osb

 

[Hack]

I would lean towards steel in the building that gets used a lot as a garage in our climate. Wood and sheet rock don't like water, and green board would be expensive. Steel is expensive too, but you don't have to paint it or finish the seams and it will last virtually forever. My pole barn has steel paneling on the inside. I think it's pretty good and it wasn't bad to put up by myself. I used a drywall lift for the ceiling panels, and the wall panels were light enough to handle no problem. I did it about 9 years ago and it still looks great.

I put standoffs made from blocks of wood behind the things I wanted to hang in order to avoid the corrugation. Very simple to do.

 

[Fordever]

A buddy of mine did his garage with white vertical vinyl siding. He washes his car in his garage and it works great. It’s easy to install. If it gets damaged, it’s easily replaced. It will not rot and if It gets dirty, simply hose it off. Not expensive, just hang it and forget it. He used white, so it reflects light well. Overall he is pleased with it.

 

[DBL-E]

I’ve been looking at installing FRP panels when I redo my garage. You can hose the walls down, etc and they aren’t susceptible to temp or humidity swings. Is just place them over the existing drywall or you can always use thin plywood or OSB as a backer as well. If all of my experience, no matter how good of a tape job, the drywall seams will crack and the tape pulls away over time due to expansion and contraction and I’m tired of dealing with it.

 

[Hack]

A buddy of mine did his garage with white vertical vinyl siding. He washes his car in his garage and it works great. It’s easy to install. If it gets damaged, it’s easily replaced. It will not rot and if It gets dirty, simply hose it off. Not expensive, just hang it and forget it. He used white, so it reflects light well. Overall he is pleased with it.

Love that idea if the siding is decent looking. Vinyl is a natural for being waterproof and it isn't super expensive. I would have thought it would look goofy, but if you find the right stuff it might be really good.

 

[Farisso]

I have painted walls of the garage, every few years I change the color of the walls.

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