stuart in mn wrote: I personally don't get the concern about drywall - how often do you run into the walls in your house and make dents? Shouldn't be much more frequent in the garage. Now, moisture can be a concern. Keep it up off the floor, and of course don't spray it with a hose.
You've obviously never seen me work.
Garage may do double duty for street hockey.....ever seen what a puck can do to drywall?
I thought of one regret. I do regret that I didn't build in a 'dirty' area. Someplace to grind and weld and generally make a mess without making a mess of the whole rest of the building. When I build another one I will have a separate project bay.
I would use plywood, osb, or partical board for the walls. Easy to replace, you don't have to find a stud for most projects and durable
In reply to Flight Service:
I agree. Drywall is fine if you are parking your nice car in it, but if you are working in it something like the options you list would be better, IMO. The downside to those materials is weight when installing, but that's a one time thing.
Well, if you're shooting hockey pucks around in the garage that's a whole different deal. Most people don't have to worry about that.
In reply to bravenrace:
I remember a buddy of mine had plywood up in his shop just 8 feet (12 ft ceilings) He would just screw in holders and organizational stuff. He never worried about the gap at the top.
I have OSB on the walls in mine. I like it. As said, you can attach stuff anywhere.
stuart in mn wrote: Well, if you're shooting hockey pucks around in the garage that's a whole different deal. Most people don't have to worry about that.
You're from Minnesota....you should know hockey is life!
My biggest regret is ever thinking I had plenty of room.
Toyman01 wrote: My biggest regret is ever thinking I had plenty of room.
That will always be the case.
I now understand the concern over drywall. But you need something on the interior walls, especially around here for insulation. Nothing says "barn" like exposed studs.
Did you paint your OSB walls? I was wondering how that would look.
java230 wrote: I have OSB on the walls in mine. I like it. As said, you can attach stuff anywhere.
sachilles wrote: You're from Minnesota....you should know hockey is life!
Not in the garage. Cars and hockey pucks don't mix.
(actually, I'm more of a spectator than a participant - the MN high school hockey tournaments start today; it's some of the best hockey you'll see anywhere, including college or the pros.)
bravenrace wrote: In reply to Flight Service: I agree. Drywall is fine if you are parking your nice car in it, but if you are working in it something like the options you list would be better, IMO. The downside to those materials is weight when installing, but that's a one time thing.
The other consideration is the fire resistance of drywall vs. plywood or OSB.
petegossett wrote:bravenrace wrote: In reply to Flight Service: I agree. Drywall is fine if you are parking your nice car in it, but if you are working in it something like the options you list would be better, IMO. The downside to those materials is weight when installing, but that's a one time thing.The other consideration is the fire resistance of drywall vs. plywood or OSB.
Yeah, drywall doesn't burn. Also, drywalling and painting the garage white makes a HUGE improvement in how bright it is, and more light is always useful.
Definitely a toilet and a sink. I built that room large enough to also put the air compressor in there so that I could close the door to keep the noise down. Plan for a clean prep area separate from the everyday workbench separate from the dirty workbench. They don't have to be huge but was so nice to have a spot I knew would be deadly clean all the time and one where I could deal with grimy stuff.
In reply to stuart in mn: For the record, you back the cars out.
paranoid_android74 wrote: Did you paint your OSB walls? I was wondering how that would look.java230 wrote: I have OSB on the walls in mine. I like it. As said, you can attach stuff anywhere.
nope, just put it "shiney" side out. I like it.
Put everything on wheels and consider nesting work benches.
Things I got right (this is my third garage build):
1) Lots of lighting, ceiling and walls painted white, light color floor. 2) Porcelain tile floor-- low maintenance, and you can't scratch or break it, much as you might think you can. 3) Good sound system and cable TV. This may sound like a luxury or a distraction, but I work better with tunes going and I don't waste time sitting on the couch watching TV 'cause I can work at the same time. 4) Enough ceiling height and high-lift garage doors to use the lift of my choice (there are pros and cons to 2 or 4 posts, so you really have to figure that out for yourself). 5) Rear roll-up door as mentioned by others. 6) DEEP workbench and lots of storage. Tripping over stuff or struggling with a small workbench and a large object are real productivity killers and generally a PITA. 7) Climate control. Air conditioning in this part of the country is not a luxury, but a basic human right. I also have heat, but rarely use it. 8) Dedicated 240v for the air compressor. 9) Sink with hot and cold running water.
Things I wish I could have done better:
1) Walk-up loft or attic storage. I had this in the plan originally, but found that the stairs would take up half a car space, which was unacceptable. As it is, I have attic storage with a long folding ladder for access (see #4 above). I can still get stuff up there, but I have to roll a car out of the way to drop the ladder and then balance whatever on my head while climbing the stairs. 2) I didn't have much choice given where we chose to build, but I'd be happier with a detached garage. There's too much noise transfer from the garage to the house, even with the extra sound insulation we did. 3) A toilet in the garage would be good, it just wasn't in the cards this time. 4) I'd like a man door, as well. To go outside I have to open one of the big doors, which works against my climate control. 5) For similar reasons, I'd like to have separated the daily drivers from everything else. My A/C is often trying to cool down a warm motor and a hot car. However, building a wall around them would have really hurt my flexibility.
In my "dream garage/shop" I have at a pair of 2-post lifts, but cars aren't parked there. We've had many discussions/debates about lifts. While I agree a 2-post lift would be awesome if one can dedicate a space for wrenching, but if the realistic primary use of the garage will be parking, then a 4-post, scissor or Max-jax will be more livable during the other 90% of the time you aren't using the lift. Figure on at least 16' of working width if installing a 2-post so you can walk around the posts.
I have scissor lifts because I have a narrow, 1.5 car deep garage and when not in use, they are out of sight and out of the way.
Budget for engineered beams so you don't have posts down the middle.
Others have already covered my other suggestions.
They do make fire retardant plywood. It ain't cheap!
petegossett wrote:bravenrace wrote: In reply to Flight Service: I agree. Drywall is fine if you are parking your nice car in it, but if you are working in it something like the options you list would be better, IMO. The downside to those materials is weight when installing, but that's a one time thing.The other consideration is the fire resistance of drywall vs. plywood or OSB.
Get a high enough ceiling to have a real lift you can stand under. Do not store junk in your garage. And the one priceless bit of wisdom I have yet to follow, "The floor is not a shelf". Learned that here...
Drywall in top, diamond plate on the bottom? 
my garage is the size you're looking to build. i'm not sure how you'll fit 2 daily drivers and more than one racecar inside if you have any amount of tools and equipemt. i have both side walls and the back wall lined with tools(compressor, blast cabinet, welding table, tire machines, welders, 2 tool chests, a couple chemical cabinets) and i could fit one in front of the other two sideways if i wanted to. otherwise unless you're parking bumper to bumper you will have no room for things on the back wall or have a pain in the rear getting around the cars you're working on. you haven't had a garage for 20 years, leave the DD's outside? it's most comfortable with 2 cars side by side being worked on.
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