sheet rock or OSB in garage? NGC

[SED]

The old '50s garage needs some additional wiring, plumbing and insulation and I'm debating the merits of sheet rock or OSB.  Looking for some experience and opinions - WG is the place! 

Sheet rock or OSB - What do you prefer and why?   

BTW, it's not a workshop, just an attached garage with some storage and washer & dryer.  Lots of corners around windows, doors and and holes for electrical outlets.  I like the toughness of the OSB, but the sheet rock must be easier to use and easier to finish.  I also suspect it looks better to future home buyers.

Thanks,
Shawn

[rocker59]

Sheet rock, and paint it a light color.

If you must add some protection to the lower wall, then do something like this with sheets of beadboard paneling:





The added value to the buyers you're concerned about will exceed your effort in making it look good.

Nothing worse for a buyer to see than a garage "finished" in OSB !!!

[rocker59]

Man!  I hate OSB.

If I determined I'd be using some sort of plywood for walls, I'd use regular plywood.

Yeah, you could use strips to cover the plywood's seams and trim it out.  And, painted it would look much better than OSB.

But not as finished as sheetrock and beadboard.

The house is a 1965 ranch, and we used the beadboard on the ceiling of the porch and in one of the bathrooms during the remodel a couple years ago, so it sorta ties in.

[SED]

This is exactly the kind of info I need.      I like that beadboarding.

It is a wet climate (Pacific Northwest), but lots of houses here have sheetrock garages.

[rocker59]

This is exactly the kind of info I need.      I like that beadboarding.

It is a wet climate (Pacific Northwest), but lots of houses here have sheetrock garages.

It wasn't that expensive to do, and it really looks nice.

I didn't "enjoy" working in the garage during the summertime doing this, but the result is fantastic.

When I was active in real estate, I saw a lot of houses with unfinished and semi-finished garages.  They were always a let-down for the clients who were looking at them.

[SED]

Good info guys.  You've helped me make a decision I can be happy with.
Shawn

[Luap McKeever]

Just my $.02 worth....

I finished my entire garage (shop) walls with pegboard.  You can even buy it pre-painted in white.  It's 4X8 sheets like sheetrock or OSB.  So much cleaner, and there are pegs of all sorts and sizes that you can literally hang the world on.

May not be feasible in your situation, but I love it.  It looks nice, is multipurpose and I believe it would hold just as much value as sheetrock or OSB.

excuse the mess

[Luap McKeever]

Oops..Just re-read your post and realized you said it's not a workshop...

[Luap McKeever]

That qualifies as a mess   

  Dusty

Maybe not a mess.  Definitely not the way I like it.  Been crazy around here this year...

[Triple Jim]

That looks like the neatest shop in the world to me.

[Luap McKeever]

That looks like the neatest shop in the world to me.

Thanks.  I could spend days in there and it only feels like hours.

[Muzz]

That looks like the neatest shop in the world to me.

Looks good to me too.

[LeRoy]

I recently faced the same conundrum but chose a different answer: T1-11 plywood. While my garage is partially a workshop, it also has to house two cars and assorted yard tools. When we bought the place early this year, the detached garage -- only about 6-7 years old -- was completely unfinished inside with exposed studs and rafters and limited lighting. We added insulation, a sheetrock ceiling with insulation above, a floor in the attic plus a pull-down stair to accesses the attic storage. The walls are insulated and completely finished in 3/4-inch tongue-and-groove T1-11 plywood. The baseboard is 5/4 x 6 treated lumber and the corners and molding at the ceiling are rough-sawn spruce.

There are a couple things I like about T1-11 in this application:
1.) It's very nice-looking and, if desired, will take paint very well
2.) The tongue and groove fit between panels means you can't see any joints
3.) It's weatherproof in an interior application and, because it's off the floor, it won't be subject to water, snow melt or other environmental attacks
4.) Because I used 3/4-inch stock, I can hang brackets, tool holders and "garage art" without the need to find a stud or use a drywall anchor. And, if I move or change a bracket, the old holes are forgivingly non-visible and don't need repair like drywall would.

Of course, T1-11 is more expensive than either sheetrock or OSB. To counter that, it doesn't require mud, tape, sanding and paint like sheetrock so the finished installation is faster. And it looks a heck of a lot better then OSB could ever dream of looking.

Here's a look at the not-yet-finished project.

[charlie b]

We use beadboard in a lot of places in the house instead of trying to do a tape and texture on top of sheetrock.  Same as the T-11, you can hide the seams.  It is not as strong as the plywood for hanging stuff, nor is it as stable in moisture.  If I were to do a garage I'd use the T-11 stuff.  Consider the cost vs labor of putting up sheetrock and then keeping moisture out. 

I am another that hates OSB, for anything.  Just don't like working with it.

[HardAspie]

Speaking as a retired architect I would strongly suggest X gypsum board for walls and lid if garage is attached to house.

[canuck750]

Sheet rock from underside of ceiling to 1/2" off the slab and then overlay 1/2" OSB sheets to 4 feet above the slab. Seal the base of the OSB to the concrete and then a good high build primer and a cat of epoxy paint. Now it will withstand impact and you can power wash the whole wall.

[SED]

Wow - this is great!  Love the ideas.  Pegboard, T-111 and X gypsum board!   

The X is for exterior?

I've used OSB in the past (needed as a shear-wall between posts in an 80 year old house) and was happy with it, but it was definitely a rougher finish.  I'm leaning toward sheet rock on this one.

[canuck750]

Wow - this is great!  Love the ideas.  Pegboard, T-111 and X gypsum board!   

The X is for exterior?

I've used OSB in the past (needed as a shear-wall between posts in an 80 year old house) and was happy with it, but it was definitely a rougher finish.  I'm leaning toward sheet rock on this one.

" Type X" is a fire rated gypsum board (as  well as Type C). 1/2" Type X has a 20 minute fire resistance rating. If moisture is a  concern you can ask for treated core gypsum (different from aqua board use in wet areas such as in tub surrounds), treated gypsum board is mold resistant. Mold grows off the paper not the gypsum core, treated paper board is a little harder to find but worth the search. Use a polyurethane or silicone caulking at the slab edge.

[SED]

Thanks Canuck - good info.

[wyrtyr2]

Sheetrock upper half.  I used aspen plywood from Bessemer Plywood.  Check out their site.  Way nicer than OSB and not that much more $.  That said, place a treated 6" baseboard all around floor contact.