Shop Interior Wall Panel choices

[kneedeep]

5/8 BC plywood on the walls, paint the ‘B’ side with primer.
The doors and windows should be trimmed after walls installed.
Metal will be noisy, hard to cut plugs/switch boxes and difficult to attach wall hangings.

 

[farmboy666]

I had a drywall business for 25 years. Don’t have an inch of it in my house. Tongue and groove everywhere. By the time you buy the drywall, hang the drywall, tape it, coat it, skim it, sand it, and paint it, and then clean up the mess. You’ve got a lot of time and effort involved. On the other hand, tongue and groove put your finish on it before you hang it, put it up and you’re done. Any scrapped you can burn in your wood stove, you can hang pictures, etc. anywhere you want and it has a nice cozy feel to it.

 

[Pinecrest]

I think the code will require fire-resistive construction on the walls/ceilings between the "shop" (which they will consider to be a garage) and the living space. This will probably need to be gypsum board.

CHAPTER 3 BUILDING PLANNING - 2024 INTERNATIONAL RESIDENTIAL CODE (IRC)

ICC Digital Codes is the largest provider of model codes, custom codes and standards used worldwide to construct safe, sustainable, affordable and resilient structures.

codes.iccsafe.org

See Table R302.6.
You can attach whatever you want over the gyp. board.

Cutting holes for outlet and fixture boxes into steel panels is a pain. If I were lining my shop with steel panels, I would think about surface mounted conduit for the wiring.

If I already had to have gyp. board walls ceilings, but wanted a more durable surface down low, I might just apply OSB or plywood over the gyp. board as a wainscot.

If you have a Sawyer cut untrimmed logs for walls and trim

 

[Rctex]

I am building a "barndominium" ( I hate that term but it's what they are called I guess) and need to start thinking about the final solution for the shop interior walls.

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I have trimed out all the OH door openings with white steel so that no lumber will be showing when the walls are finalized.

For the garage and lower workshop area where there is living space above, the walls will be drywall.

For the shop, my initial thought was white corrugated steel from the floor to the ceiling. However, I started to think about a plywood wainscoating that I would paint white. Otherwise there would be 18 ft tall white steel panels that if the bottoms were to get damaged from pushing workbenches/cabinets/equipment against them, fork truck etc, they would be hard and costly to replace. The plywood is not going to dent like the 26 GA steel.

Initial thought was sideways plywood for a 4ft tall wainscoatinng matching the outside wainscoating height. But then I got to thinking that 4ft high might be enough to mount outlet boxes above workbenches, but then no room to mount racks to hang tools etc. If I go vertical with the plywood and have an 8ft wainscoating that is the height of some of the interior doors and would look wierd. Going to 10ft long sheets of plywood would fix the 8ft door opening height issue but then there would be more plywood on the walls than the steel and might look even weirder...

My initial goal was to not have to paint anything on the inside of the shop, hence the full height steel panels.

I'm wondering what others have done, and what they like/don't like about their choices.

Pegboard 8’ tall what I used. I gotta lot of wall hanging so it’s nice. I run pvc conduit first for plugs. Build work counters 36” H screwed to the wall. My shop walls are 12’

 

[walnutman]

My shop is a metal building here in East Texas. It was a bear figuring out how to frame it with lumber without the walls protruding. Long story.. we were still in PA when the shop was being built. I should have planned better and had it built to accommodate framing but I didn't. Initially I had the whole shop spray foamed but that in itself was another story. Sprayfoam guy was inexperienced.. sprayed on a 100 deg day. Nothing but issues. Foam didn't expand well.

So for additional insulation, I got two open cell DIY spray kits... enough to do the lower 8 feet.. adding additional inches to the first spray.. Then on top of that I installed 3-1/2" fiberglass insulation to bring it flush with the studs.

Installed plywood vertically... yes i know it's not as rigid this way.. I should have gone with two, staggered horizontally but i like the look of this better. I really don't like the idea of metal walls. I would be super hesitant to drill holes in it and then change things up.

To do the initial framing, I glued and screwed 4x4 blocks under the girts for something to shoot the top plate into and keep the framing flush with the verticals. Shot the bottom plates with a .22 nail driver. Didn't bother with pressure treated there as it is sitting on epoxy.

This is just a stiffening member across the backs of the top of the plywood as the plywood extended higher than the horizontals.

 

[rbrown225]

I put "Trex" decking against the floor with silicone and 8' of 3/4" plywood above that. The Trex won't rot when water/oil gets against it. The plywood works great for hanging tools & other from, and it takes paint good.

 

[mechanic123]

I am building a "barndominium" ( I hate that term but it's what they are called I guess) and need to start thinking about the final solution for the shop interior walls.

View attachment 5506072

View attachment 5506073

View attachment 5506067
View attachment 5506068

View attachment 5506069

I have trimed out all the OH door openings with white steel so that no lumber will be showing when the walls are finalized.

For the garage and lower workshop area where there is living space above, the walls will be drywall.

For the shop, my initial thought was white corrugated steel from the floor to the ceiling. However, I started to think about a plywood wainscoating that I would paint white. Otherwise there would be 18 ft tall white steel panels that if the bottoms were to get damaged from pushing workbenches/cabinets/equipment against them, fork truck etc, they would be hard and costly to replace. The plywood is not going to dent like the 26 GA steel.

Initial thought was sideways plywood for a 4ft tall wainscoatinng matching the outside wainscoating height. But then I got to thinking that 4ft high might be enough to mount outlet boxes above workbenches, but then no room to mount racks to hang tools etc. If I go vertical with the plywood and have an 8ft wainscoating that is the height of some of the interior doors and would look wierd. Going to 10ft long sheets of plywood would fix the 8ft door opening height issue but then there would be more plywood on the walls than the steel and might look even weirder...

My initial goal was to not have to paint anything on the inside of the shop, hence the full height steel panels.

I'm wondering what others have done, and what they like/don't like about their choices.

We just set up and moved in a new-to-us auto repair shop. Used 5/8 plywood on the walls, vertical 8 foot, set up a quarter inch off the floor. Clear coated for easier cleaning... so far it seems like a good choice... It is easy to attach anything on the walls, if you want to attach shelving be sure to locate wall studs for support brackets!

 

[Gord Baker]

I am building a "barndominium" ( I hate that term but it's what they are called I guess) and need to start thinking about the final solution for the shop interior walls.

View attachment 5506072

View attachment 5506073

View attachment 5506067
View attachment 5506068

View attachment 5506069

I have trimed out all the OH door openings with white steel so that no lumber will be showing when the walls are finalized.

For the garage and lower workshop area where there is living space above, the walls will be drywall.

For the shop, my initial thought was white corrugated steel from the floor to the ceiling. However, I started to think about a plywood wainscoating that I would paint white. Otherwise there would be 18 ft tall white steel panels that if the bottoms were to get damaged from pushing workbenches/cabinets/equipment against them, fork truck etc, they would be hard and costly to replace. The plywood is not going to dent like the 26 GA steel.

Initial thought was sideways plywood for a 4ft tall wainscoatinng matching the outside wainscoating height. But then I got to thinking that 4ft high might be enough to mount outlet boxes above workbenches, but then no room to mount racks to hang tools etc. If I go vertical with the plywood and have an 8ft wainscoating that is the height of some of the interior doors and would look wierd. Going to 10ft long sheets of plywood would fix the 8ft door opening height issue but then there would be more plywood on the walls than the steel and might look even weirder...

My initial goal was to not have to paint anything on the inside of the shop, hence the full height steel panels.

I'm wondering what others have done, and what they like/don't like about their choices.

 

[Gord Baker]

You might try WTF Farm Girl or This Life We Lead sites. They are nearly complete with their Barndominium.
You will need the maximum Insulation under the Living area and consider heated floors. So much wasted overhead space.

 

[Gord Baker]

My shop isn't nearly as nice as yours, so I went cheap but it works well. I had some salvaged T-11 paneling I used for wainscoting and put up OSB above it. I didn't paint it because benches and shelves cover most of it and with a white ceiling, the light is good.

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When you can't put a case of beer on the bench, you have too much stuff. It takes me 1 hr. per foot to clean mine up.

 

[KennyG]

When you can't put a case of beer on the bench, you have too much stuff. It takes me 1 hr. per foot to clean mine up.

I know what you mean. Every time I start to clean up I find one of my projects I'd rather do than clean.

 

[WinterDeere]

Late to the thread, and I didn't read all four pages, but every garage or shop I've ever owned has had either plywood or OSB wall board, painted a light (off-white) color to enhance lighting brightness.

And as silly as it sounds, the paint is absolutely crucial. I had one shop with un-painted OSB for several years, and it was like working in a dark dungeon, no matter how many shop light fixtures I hung in that place. Just about impossible for doing any detail work.

Here's the current shop:

 

[Engineer42]

I put "Trex" decking against the floor with silicone and 8' of 3/4" plywood above that. The Trex won't rot when water/oil gets against it. The plywood works great for hanging tools & other from, and it takes paint good.

I did the same thing with Trex, leaving a 2" gap from floor to osb, but with Horizontal OSB FOR 9'. I ran a 2"x12" at the top all the way around.

Don't know what you're doing for lights but these have worked great.

 

[turbo36]

I used sanded three-quarter inch plywood for the first 8 feet and then metal to the ceiling. I set the plywood on Azek trim to keep the water from wicking into the plywood. The joints were chalked before painting, but I left the screw heads visible in case I need to pull a sheet off to get behind it.

 

[walnutman]

I used sanded three-quarter inch plywood for the first 8 feet and then metal to the ceiling. I set the plywood on Azek trim to keep the water from wicking into the plywood. The joints were chalked before painting, but I left the screw heads visible in case I need to pull a sheet off to get behind it.

That minisplit handles that?

 

[EscapedSuburbia]

I'm not to the interior stage of my pole barn build but I've told my GC that I want white metal for the walls and ceiling. I like the idea of being able to take a hose to the walls every now and then. I also like the idea of mounting stuff with magnets. For example, Amazon sells magnetic shelves sized for aerosol bottles. Screwed on metal also gives me the option of simply unscrewing panels if I need to get inside a wall for some reason.

 

[Runner]

I'm not to the interior stage of my pole barn build but I've told my GC that I want white metal for the walls and ceiling. I like the idea of being able to take a hose to the walls every now and then. I also like the idea of mounting stuff with magnets. For example, Amazon sells magnetic shelves sized for aerosol bottles. Screwed on metal also gives me the option of simply unscrewing panels if I need to get inside a wall for some reason.

For hanging things like pictures, clocks, etc., you can also just unscrew a panel mounting screw and use that. I also have a number of shelves, etc., mounted using the existing screws/screw holes.