alternative garage interior wall covering

Posted by RicodJour on October 14, 2009, 11:38 am

> > > > > I'm building a garage with some living space above it. =A0I'd lik=

e to

> > > > > insulate and cover the walls in the garage area as well. =A0But I=

> > > > > rather use something besides wallboard since it is so easily dama=

ged.

> > > > > (See the funny but true earlier posting defintion of a table saw =

as a

> > > > > device for shooting lumber into the wall.) =A0Are there any good
> > > > > alternatives beside 1/4" paneling? =A0That won't break the bank.
> > > > *Usually the drywall is required in a garage for fire resistance. =

=A0When

> > > > there is living space above the requirements are more stringent. =

=A0You could

> > > > increase the thickness of the wallboard for durability or install a=

ny number

> > > > of surfaces on top of the drywall. =A0Plywood, OSB or perforated ma=

sonite

> > > > (Pegboard) are sometimes used.
> > > Yes, I knew there was something about fire resistance involved. =A0I =

was

> > > hoping that wallboard on just the garage ceiling would satisfy that
> > > requirement. =A0Do you have to have wallboard on the garage walls as
> > > well for fire resistance?

> > The fire-resistive requirement only kicks in as a separation between
> > the garage and a living space, so the walls don't need to be rated.
> > Doesn't necessarily make sense to me, but that's what it is.

> And =A0that basically just means 5/8" on the ceiling, right?

5/8" Firecode, yes.

> So some sort of cheap plywood, perhaps beaded, is probably the most
> economical alternative to wallboard for garage walls it seems?

Define economical. Does that include your labor? You could go with
T-1-11 and paint it or not, cover 1/2" drywall with 1/8" paneling or
FRP panels (no painting and brighten up the room a lot, though it's
more $), etc., etc.

I do question your thinking about not using wallboard due to stuff
flying around your shop. If that happens more than on a very rare
occasion, you're doing something wrong. You should be more worried
about something going through your chest/face than through some $6/
board drywall.

R

Posted by jamesgangnc on October 14, 2009, 2:25 pm

ote:

> > > > > > I'm building a garage with some living space above it. =A0I'd l=

ike to

> > > > > > insulate and cover the walls in the garage area as well. =A0But=

I'd

> > > > > > rather use something besides wallboard since it is so easily da=

maged.

> > > > > > (See the funny but true earlier posting defintion of a table sa=

w as a

> > > > > > device for shooting lumber into the wall.) =A0Are there any goo=

> > > > > > alternatives beside 1/4" paneling? =A0That won't break the bank=

> > > > > *Usually the drywall is required in a garage for fire resistance.=

=A0When

> > > > > there is living space above the requirements are more stringent. =

=A0You could

> > > > > increase the thickness of the wallboard for durability or install=

any number

> > > > > of surfaces on top of the drywall. =A0Plywood, OSB or perforated =

masonite

> > > > > (Pegboard) are sometimes used.
> > > > Yes, I knew there was something about fire resistance involved. =A0=

I was

> > > > hoping that wallboard on just the garage ceiling would satisfy that
> > > > requirement. =A0Do you have to have wallboard on the garage walls a=

> > > > well for fire resistance?
> > > The fire-resistive requirement only kicks in as a separation between
> > > the garage and a living space, so the walls don't need to be rated.
> > > Doesn't necessarily make sense to me, but that's what it is.

> > And =A0that basically just means 5/8" on the ceiling, right?

> 5/8" Firecode, yes.

> > So some sort of cheap plywood, perhaps beaded, is probably the most
> > economical alternative to wallboard for garage walls it seems?

> Define economical. =A0Does that include your labor? =A0You could go with
> T-1-11 and paint it or not, cover 1/2" drywall with 1/8" paneling or
> FRP panels (no painting and brighten up the room a lot, though it's
> more $), etc., etc.
> I do question your thinking about not using wallboard due to stuff
> flying around your shop. =A0If that happens more than on a very rare
> occasion, you're doing something wrong. =A0You should be more worried
> about something going through your chest/face than through some $6/
> board drywall.
> R- Hide quoted text -
> - Show quoted text -

I don't really have lots of stuff flying around. But in the course of
18 years in our current house that has a garage with wallboard there
are lots of spots that need repair. One big one from the piece of
wood getting away from me in the saw. A mucked up corner where I
pushed the boat into it a bit hard. A spot behind the boat where I
forgot to lower the prop before pushing the boat back. Stainless steel
props go right into wallboard btw, they barely notice it's there.
Lots of general dings and scrapes. Except for the board projectile
thing all of my other mishaps would have been barely noticable had the
wall been plywood. Even the board projectile probably would not have
penetrated a 1/2 piece of ply.

And for what it's worth when I'm using a tool that has a chance of
throwing something I do work from the side. I retired the radial arm
saw via craigs list and got a table saw and compound miter saw.

Posted by John Grabowski on October 14, 2009, 2:07 pm

> > > > I'm building a garage with some living space above it. I'd like to
> > > > insulate and cover the walls in the garage area as well. But I'd
> > > > rather use something besides wallboard since it is so easily
> > > > damaged.
> > > > (See the funny but true earlier posting defintion of a table saw as
> > > > a
> > > > device for shooting lumber into the wall.) Are there any good
> > > > alternatives beside 1/4" paneling? That won't break the bank.
> > > *Usually the drywall is required in a garage for fire resistance. When
> > > there is living space above the requirements are more stringent. You
> > > could
> > > increase the thickness of the wallboard for durability or install any
> > > number
> > > of surfaces on top of the drywall. Plywood, OSB or perforated masonite
> > > (Pegboard) are sometimes used.

> > Yes, I knew there was something about fire resistance involved. I was
> > hoping that wallboard on just the garage ceiling would satisfy that
> > requirement. Do you have to have wallboard on the garage walls as
> > well for fire resistance?

> The fire-resistive requirement only kicks in as a separation between
> the garage and a living space, so the walls don't need to be rated.
> Doesn't necessarily make sense to me, but that's what it is.
> R- Hide quoted text -
> - Show quoted text -

And that basically just means 5/8" on the ceiling, right?

*In NJ it is 1 1/4" ceiling for a living space over a garage. 5/8" on the
walls. A call to your building department will resolve that question.

Posted by cshenk on October 14, 2009, 6:48 pm

"jamesgangnc" wrote
"John Grabowski" wrote:

>> *Usually the drywall is required in a garage for fire resistance. When

> Yes, I knew there was something about fire resistance involved. I was
> hoping that wallboard on just the garage ceiling would satisfy that
> requirement. Do you have to have wallboard on the garage walls as
> well for fire resistance?

James, the problem is none of us know where you are, so most 'code
information' you have so far, is questionable. Even with your location, we
may not have anyone here who's had to check that so knows your specifics.
You'll note John above said *usually* and that's dead on. His advice for
example doesnt match requirements where I am but probably matches much of
the USA for the ceiling portion with above living space. They may not
specifically say 'drywall' but that may be the only product in reasonably
affordable cost that meets the specs.

Usually you can call your county or city office and get a pretty easy answer
for free. Sometimes they give you an email address and ask you to email it
and they get back with you. Other times, you find they have some web site
with a 'common question FAQ' and they tell you where it is (your question
would be apt to be in there).

There are several levels of codes to weed through. Here's my understanding
of them if you live in the USA (not a given, cant tell)

Federal codes. These generally apply mostly to public buildings.
State codes: These tend to also deal alot with public buildings but have a
good bit on private dwellings as well
County codes: Not all have these it seems. All the ones i've seen dealt
with private housing
City codes: generally only applicable is you live inside the city lines.
Mix and match set of private and public.

Because you are asking a specific code question and we don't know where you
reside, *none* of us can give you a definative answer.

I can tell you a plywood ceiling is legal where *I* am and that's inside the
living areas. I'm even allowed to insulate exterior attached garage walls
then cover that with open holed peg board (insane but true as they havent
written rules against it yet, just against the side that adjoins the house).

Posted by RicodJour on October 14, 2009, 8:17 pm

> "jamesgangnc" wrote
> "John Grabowski" wrote:

> >> *Usually the drywall is required in a garage for fire resistance. When

> > Yes, I knew there was something about fire resistance involved. =A0I wa=

> > hoping that wallboard on just the garage ceiling would satisfy that
> > requirement. =A0Do you have to have wallboard on the garage walls as
> > well for fire resistance?

> James, the problem is none of us know where you are, so most 'code
> information' you have so far, is questionable. =A0Even with your location=

, we

> may not have anyone here who's had to check that so knows your specifics.
> You'll note John above said *usually* and that's dead on. =A0His advice f=

> example doesnt match requirements where I am but probably matches much of
> the USA for the ceiling portion with above living space. =A0They may not
> specifically say 'drywall' but that may be the only product in reasonably
> affordable cost that meets the specs.
> Usually you can call your county or city office and get a pretty easy ans=

wer

> for free. =A0Sometimes they give you an email address and ask you to emai=

l it

> and they get back with you. =A0Other times, you find they have some web s=

ite

> with a 'common question FAQ' and they tell you where it is (your question
> would be apt to be in there).
> There are several levels of codes to weed through. =A0Here's my understan=

ding

> of them if you live in the USA (not a given, cant tell)
> Federal codes. =A0These generally apply mostly to public buildings.
> State codes: These tend to also deal alot with public buildings but have =

> good bit on private dwellings as well
> County codes: =A0Not all have these it seems. =A0All the ones i've seen d=

ealt

> with private housing
> City codes: generally only applicable is you live inside the city lines.
> Mix and match set of private and public.
> Because you are asking a specific code question and we don't know where y=

> reside, *none* of us can give you a definative answer.
> I can tell you a plywood ceiling is legal where *I* am and that's inside =

the

> living areas. =A0I'm even allowed to insulate exterior attached garage wa=

lls

> then cover that with open holed peg board (insane but true as they havent
> written rules against it yet, just against the side that adjoins the hous=

e).

It's not quite so mixed up as that. Most states adopt a model code,
such as the UBC or the IRC, and make some relatively minor
modifications.
http://www.iccsafe.org/government/adoption.html

Your point about local codes being more restrictive could be true, and
it would pay to investigate, but I would bet dollars to donuts that
the IRC is the one in effect.

R

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