Finishing garage

[PikeTipper]

I would like to insulate my garage but I really don't want to sheetrock (mud and tape) it. Any ideas for the interior besides sheetrock that is fairly easy to put up and not too expensive??

Are there any codes I need to be mindful of?

Thanks for any help

[stick]

I used peg-board at my old house, and it was great for flexibility in hanging stuff. I'm wondering if it violated 100 codes, but I liked it.

[heavyduty]

white pole barn steel menards can cut it to length it's clean and bright but a little more money.

[sparcebag]

Try 1 inch styrofoam 4X8 sheets on ceiling (extra insulation and bright & cheep)On the walls use cheapest 4X8 board you can find but sturdy enough not to break through. Ya dont need to tape drywall.If going by code and attached to house then 5/8 X fireboard If not attached I'd go any cheap route.

[Roofer]

I was thinking the same with my garage and pole shed. I wanted steel, but it was about 4x's as much. I ended up using sheetrock, but I never taped it. It's useless to tape it unless it is heated all the time. It is cheap and if any sheets break, they can easily be removed and replaced. I have seen other systems, but nothing is easier to put on and replace than sheetrock.

Pics

Pole barn here. I built a room inside to hide all of my junk.

This was before a party and before I got my lights up, but it shows the sheetrock. I think it looks OK.

[sparcebag]

Wow icicle lites,your quit the decorater

[Roofer]

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Wow icicle lites,your quit the decorater

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Call me a redneck, but they kick arse for party lighting.

[PikeTipper]

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Try 1 inch styrofoam 4X8 sheets on ceiling (extra insulation and bright & cheep)On the walls use cheapest 4X8 board you can find but sturdy enough not to break through. Ya dont need to tape drywall.If going by code and attached to house then 5/8 X fireboard If not attached I'd go any cheap route.

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It is attached and I guess I would prefer to go by code. Do I need to put up a plastic barrier before the sheetrock or can I just attach the sheetrock after the insulation is in place?

[nitrokfa]

you should check local codes for vapor barrier but in most places if you use craft face insulation you install sheetrock over it.

[sparcebag]

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Try 1 inch styrofoam 4X8 sheets on ceiling (extra insulation and bright & cheep)On the walls use cheapest 4X8 board you can find but sturdy enough not to break through. Ya dont need to tape drywall.If going by code and attached to house then 5/8 X fireboard If not attached I'd go any cheap route.

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It is attached and I guess I would prefer to go by code. Do I need to put up a plastic barrier before the sheetrock or can I just attach the sheetrock after the insulation is in place?

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Attached; yes barrier plastic,Then ceiling needs fire rated rock back I think 6 feet( this code recently changed it was total ceiling type X),rest of ceiling needs rock as draft barrier,,,,OR you could install type X rock from floor to top of rafter,truss on attached side only and firewall needs tape one coat mud, does,nt have to be pretty. And craft backed insulation was not considered vapor barrerior even tho package claims to ( I always wondered about that?)

[Roofer]

All of this is good advise.

As for codes...most of these are for new construction. If you want poly, do it, it's cheap. I'm not too excited about poly myself.

There should be 5/8 on the firewall already and the ceiling needs 5/8 anyways, unless you use 1/2" ceiling rock.

[sparcebag]

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All of this is good advise.

As for codes...most of these are for new construction. If you want poly, do it, it's cheap. I'm not too excited about poly myself.

There should be 5/8 on the firewall already and the ceiling needs 5/8 anyways, unless you use 1/2" ceiling rock.

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Hey Ya right there should be 5/8 X on common wall already! Brain Block???? I hate that moisture barrior rule,If your old enough did ya ever see molds mildew growing in walls or anywhere with out that plastic shii.Now days its common if a remodel is being done!Then a barrior on the exterior.Its breathable but why all the molds and growths inside walls?? Makes me wonder!

[walleyeseeker]

The code says you need a vapor barrier, but does not specify poly. Many primers, like Kilz, act as a vapor barrier and are acceptable under today's code. Local officials cannot require more than what the code requires. Unless your trusses are spaced closer than normal, you need to use 5/8 on the ceiling as 1/2 is not rated to span twenty four inches.

[sparcebag]

If ya get the current UBC you'll find vapor barrior,and you'll find by searching else where there is 1/2 rock rated 24"Also the UBC is like laws its the inspectors determination of what is written,If contested it goes back to head inspector for ruling,which is normally set on tough to read(interpret) codes,one of which is vapor barrior and most if not all counties that enforce the UBC call for min 2 mil plastic.

[Surface Tension]

The inspectors around here want to see. Unfaced insulation with 6 mil vapor barrier. 5/8ths sheetrock on the ceiling and common wall with all joints fire taped. Switch, outlet, light boxes, or any point that the vapor barrier is penetrated will leak warm moist air and condense onto the insulation, it can get very wet. So those points have to be sealed.

I don't know how they feel about using osb on the walls but think they might want sheetrock behind it. In an attached garage they might frown on exposed Styrofoam insulation. When it burns it give off killing fumes.

I know one thing, take into account moister content at he time of hanging osb and leave enough space at the joints for expansion or your wall will wave at you come summer.

Old homes have little or no insulation and no vapor barrier. If you've done a large amount of remolding you'll have run into homes insulated with old newspapers, magazines, poster board, or what ever was free and available.

One job I was on they used old panoramic pictures. What a find that was.

Condensation wasn't a problem because the temps are equaled out enough to where the you don't get that warm air condensing. The houses breathed, a lot. You will see paint peeling on the siding as that moister passes though and hits the exterior paint though.

Fast forward to high R values. That thermal break is fast, with that, moister that escapes condenses. The better you insulate the more of a problem you can create if you don't take the time to stop all the moister loss. That isn't easy and IMO can't be done totally, those little leaks will be wet and being in a tight environment won't dry out. Scary! Mold, mildew, and rot. My old standby is, if a surface is wet longer then its dry one of the above will happen.

So before you cover up insulation do all you can to stop that infiltration or moist warm air.

[walleyeseeker]

Minnesota does not follow the UBC, it now uses the IRC building code.

[sparcebag]

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Minnesota does not follow the UBC, it now uses the IRC building code.

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GuReport7C MINNESOTA BUILDING CODES AND STANDARDS DIVISION 11/26/2007

MINNESOTA JURISDICTIONS USING UNIFORM BUILDING CODE, SORTED BY IDCODE

Theres probably 4-5 hundred cities in this list and 20-30 counties besides IBC,UBC,SBC,IPC are all referenced in state codes.You can check this out by going to the Dept.Of Labor & standards

Not all municipalities & counties have adopted the UBC but in 2000 there were only 16 counties and 45-50 cities using it.Soon to be all. ALL comericial and housing over 8 units in the state is now accountable under UBC,besides what you'll find at the Dept.of Standards which I stated above,I'd post it but the list is too long! Thats why I suggest you look it up.

[MNice]

The current MN State building code are the International codes, not the uniform codes. See chaper 1309, most homes, not all are under the IRC.

Chapter 1300 Administration of the State Building Code

Chapter 1301 Building Official Certification

Chapter 1302 Construction Approvals

Chapter 1303 Minnesota Provisions of the State Building Code

Chapter 1305 Adoption of the 2006 International Building Code

Chapter 1307 Elevators and Related Devices

Chapter 1309 Adoption of the 2006 International Residential Code

Chapter 1311 Adoption of the Guidelines for the Rehabilitation of Existing Buildings

Chapter 1315 Adoption of the 2005 National Electrical Code

Chapter 1325 Solar Energy Systems

Chapter 1335 Floodproofing Regulations

Chapter 1341 Minnesota Accessibility Code

Chapter 1346 Adoption of the 2000 International Mechanical and Fuel Gas Codes

Chapter 1350 Manufactured Homes

Chapter 1360 Prefabricated Buildings

Chapter 1361 Industrialized/Modular Buildings

Chapter 1370 Storm Shelters (Manufactured Home Parks)

Chapter 4715 Minnesota Plumbing Code

[sparcebag]

• Permits Issued Before July 10, 2007

Projects for which permits have been issued prior to July 10, 2007 should be required to

comply with the 2003 Minnesota State Building Code. When these buildings are completed

the Certificate of Occupancy should certify to the 2003 Minnesota Building Code. If a

jurisdiction has made an agreement prior to July 10 with a builder who has chosen to build to

the 2006 IRC or IBC, that code would apply as an alternate acceptable to the building

official.

Sorry I was wrong! but it being just last July 10th the change over,and my lisence retired in 2003 along with me in 2000.I'll brush up on new codes being board and cold weather here now I've tooooo much time! Cant wait til summer or thaw anyway

You can find out bout codes here http://www.doli.state.mn.us/buildingcodes.html

[Shack]

I always figured taping was code for a full fire stop. I have an attached 30' x 40' garage with 14' side walls. The builder (well known in area) found out after signing, that the side walls being over 10' high, complete inside of garage need to be fire rocked and taped per code. It had to be a complete fire stop. My house was built in 03. I lucked out. Saved my some ching.

As far as a cheap inside wall covering, my father used 1/4" OSB, back when it was very cheap. I know for ceiling, you always want to go a little thinker to prevent sagging (1/2" rock on walls and 5/8" for ceiling)

JAO!

Good luck!

[sparcebag]

Shack I used 1/4" OSB on my garage walls,Wish I would've gone at least 3/8s,if I dont nail, screw into a stud no holding power for hanging anything.

[Shack]

Sparce,

Key word cheap! .

I also have noticed the 1/4" over time will warp between studs a little, but unless you hold face to wall and look down wall, you never even notice it. I think OSB looks nice (IMO). Kind of gives it that knotty pine look when you are looking out the corner of your eye and squinting.

Down side is for an attached garage, I do not think fire stop quility is good

[Steve Bakken]

Help me out here. What's "OSB"?

[walleyeseeker]

Oriented strand board, mostly known as chip board or particle board.

[PikeTipper]

Does the age of the home effect what is code? My home was built in '86.

So far I've gathered from this that I need to have at least 5/8" Fire rated sheetrock with poly vapor barrier. I'm clueless about all this stuff so dumbing it down as much as possible is greatly appreciated.

What R-value insulation should I get? Do I have to do the ceiling or is just doing the sides a waste of time? I won't be doing much work in the garage so I don't have to go overboard. Studs are 2x4.