Drywall/insulation in a garage.......
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Mark W.
Nut house of the Universe
I see no idea why you would have any more risk of mice or pests then in the walls of the house afterall they like warm places.
I built a lot of houses when I was younger (my uncle is a framing contractor) and I think everyone of them from entry level duplexes to multimillion dollar homes had insulated and dry walled garages.
My own shop has fiberglass insulation and 1/2" thick chip board walls (required for bench mounting etc.) and I don't think I have ever seen a mouse pellet in the shop. In the oldest unisulated parts of the house yes but not the shop!
I built a lot of houses when I was younger (my uncle is a framing contractor) and I think everyone of them from entry level duplexes to multimillion dollar homes had insulated and dry walled garages.
My own shop has fiberglass insulation and 1/2" thick chip board walls (required for bench mounting etc.) and I don't think I have ever seen a mouse pellet in the shop. In the oldest unisulated parts of the house yes but not the shop!
thisOne
Listen...
It's what I'm going to do this summer. I'm an architect and have not heard any particular problems with drywall and insulation in the garage. Lots of people do it. Fiberglass insulation is an irritant and I don't think a favorite of mice. I also think you'd have to have a pretty severe pest problem before the pests attack the drywall. When I insulate and finish my garage I'm going to use the green board drywall (commonly used in bathrooms under tile) only because it's more durable to moisture (for the times when I'm not heating the space). It's a bit more expensive, but to me it's worth it.
Also, once you insulate and sheetrock the walls you have a wall sandwich similar to that in a house, and providing there are no holes into the wall (from outside or inside the garage) nothing should get in. The other recommendation I can offer is that if you run electricity you should use the armored (BX) electrical cable. Squirels like to eat the plastic insulation off the ROMEX (plastic covered) cable. BX is about three times the price though.
In essence, if the garage is kept clean and dry there should e no pest problems. The only time you want to watch out for pests (mostly squiriels) is during a very bad winter, because they'll find a way in and will eat anything leather or plastic they run accross (like my kid's plastic toys and a softball mitt that was left in our garage during a harsh winter some years ago)
Also, once you insulate and sheetrock the walls you have a wall sandwich similar to that in a house, and providing there are no holes into the wall (from outside or inside the garage) nothing should get in. The other recommendation I can offer is that if you run electricity you should use the armored (BX) electrical cable. Squirels like to eat the plastic insulation off the ROMEX (plastic covered) cable. BX is about three times the price though.
In essence, if the garage is kept clean and dry there should e no pest problems. The only time you want to watch out for pests (mostly squiriels) is during a very bad winter, because they'll find a way in and will eat anything leather or plastic they run accross (like my kid's plastic toys and a softball mitt that was left in our garage during a harsh winter some years ago)
sump pump
Active Member
Most new homes today that have an attached garage are required by buiding codes to have R-11 to R-13 insulation (usually Kraft paper faced) and at least 1/2" or 5/8" drywall hung and fire taped. Some city codes require double drywall hung and fire taped (1/2" + 1/2" = 1" total) - walls and ceiling
also - most building codes today require regular conduit for electrical applications - some older homes may be grandfathered for bx/romex
this is based on my experience with building codes in the Chicagoland area :yes:
also - most building codes today require regular conduit for electrical applications - some older homes may be grandfathered for bx/romex
this is based on my experience with building codes in the Chicagoland area :yes:
Wornears
Age & Treachery
All of the above are solid points, but as a typical DIY homeowner I've insulated and sheetrocked a couple of garages of my houses, and helped friends also. IME, I would recommend you do the insulation install and pay for the drywall work -- particularly if any of it is overhead/ceiling.
Might be because I am now 50-plus, but guys that do that work for a living can accomplish it so much faster than I can -- and I'm only sore from writing the check.
Might be because I am now 50-plus, but guys that do that work for a living can accomplish it so much faster than I can -- and I'm only sore from writing the check.
slow_jazz
Lunatic Member
i love my garage with drywall and insulation. i installed a small gas heater and a 3 inch insulated garage door. my garage has a drain and even though i live in michigan i'll wash my cars out there and wax them in the middle of winter.... i have a cheap stereo out there and spend way too much time out there....
Heck, some friends of ours not only had the garage drywalled & insulated, but they
also installed wayne's coating halfway up the walls, wallpapered the other half with
an oak chair rail around the center.
They even had sconce lighting in the garage with painted floors.
So I don't see any problem with drywall and insulation!
Scott
also installed wayne's coating halfway up the walls, wallpapered the other half with
an oak chair rail around the center.
They even had sconce lighting in the garage with painted floors.
So I don't see any problem with drywall and insulation!
Scott
It wouldn't hurt to put a couple of boxes of DeCon under things where only mice can reach them. Also if you don't go out to the garage frequently I'd toss some moth balls in under all the counters shelves etc. This smells slightly but it sure discourages pests. I also put a few on the intake manifold of any vehicle that isn't driven much. They evaporate but help keep mice from rewiring your rig. I suppose if you live in the city this isn't a problem, they just steal your rig 
My attached garage is drywalled and insulated, and even the joists are drywalled so it looks like a regular room.
When we had that fire 2 years ago out there, all the drywall got torn out and redone and I saw no evidence of mice in the walls, so I wouldn't sweat that.
I run a torpedo heater out there to keep it warm to work in winter, but even with 2 warm walls and the insulated space above it doesn't get t-shirt warm out there; 50 would probably be normal and warmer if I run the heater longer. It does cool off pretty quickly and I would guess that the leaks around the 1" insulated door help that out.
IIRC, your garage is NOT attached, so unless you plan on spending a lot of time out there, I'd think twice about it. FWIW, you also need a pretty serious kerosene heater to warm the place up too. I tried one of those 11,000 BTU jobs and it got it warm enough to work but not for long. My 55,000 torpedo does warm it up to light jacket temps, but is noisy when it runs and I don't like running it when I paint out there.
So I guess it depends what you want to do out there? It will pay off if you plan on spending some serious time out there in the winter, but it will cost a couple hundred to do and that will buy a lot of heat if you only plan on a couple of hours a month.
When we had that fire 2 years ago out there, all the drywall got torn out and redone and I saw no evidence of mice in the walls, so I wouldn't sweat that.
I run a torpedo heater out there to keep it warm to work in winter, but even with 2 warm walls and the insulated space above it doesn't get t-shirt warm out there; 50 would probably be normal and warmer if I run the heater longer. It does cool off pretty quickly and I would guess that the leaks around the 1" insulated door help that out.
IIRC, your garage is NOT attached, so unless you plan on spending a lot of time out there, I'd think twice about it. FWIW, you also need a pretty serious kerosene heater to warm the place up too. I tried one of those 11,000 BTU jobs and it got it warm enough to work but not for long. My 55,000 torpedo does warm it up to light jacket temps, but is noisy when it runs and I don't like running it when I paint out there.
So I guess it depends what you want to do out there? It will pay off if you plan on spending some serious time out there in the winter, but it will cost a couple hundred to do and that will buy a lot of heat if you only plan on a couple of hours a month.
outlawmws
On the Run
Garage sheetrock and more:
I did both to my garage 20 years ago before moving in, and had done the same to a previous house.
Depending on your local codes, double sheetrock is required between a garage and the living quarters, to provide fire and explosion resistance. Remember, the idea is that a car, with its gas tank and fuel lines, will be stored inside. They want the garage door to blow out, not your interior walls to blow in, in the event. This is also the reason your water heater should be a minimum of 18” off the ground, and the vents are near ground level, so the garage won’t fill with fumes.
The extra thick sheetrock also provides additional time for a fire to burn through to the dwelling.
So much for the safety aspects.
Rodents won’t be anymore attracted to the garage than the house, same dif to them
Insulation: Kraft faced is fine, IF you rock over it. If you are going to do the roof (assuming a sloped roof not a ceiling with living quarters above) and not rock it, (Rock is not really required…) you will probably have to do so with foil faced insulation. Why? Because exposed paper is tinder for any fire in the garage.
A hammer stapler makes insulation installation go incredibly fast. Sheet rocking the walls is not difficult, ceilings can be a lot of work as mentioned.
Be sure to tape the seams, and use a wide blade to feather over the tape once it is dry. I’d recommend a smooth finish in a garage that is to be used as a car work area. It’s easier to clean, especially if you paint with high gloss paint. This reflects the light very well; you won’t believe the difference it makes for lighting. I when with White and rolled in on with a thick roller without thinning it, this gives it an almost stippled finish.
Electrical; If romex is allowed in your area, run it BEFORE you insulate and rock. I decided to run all my electrical in surface mount conduit, and have never regretted it. Especially when I need something added or moved. I included a couple of suspended outlets from the rafters, using twist lock connector at the rafter box, and 20A receptacles. (This was for running 110V welders) I’d stay with 12 GA at a minimum, as then you can upgrade to 20a receptacles
Hope all this helps!
I did both to my garage 20 years ago before moving in, and had done the same to a previous house.
Depending on your local codes, double sheetrock is required between a garage and the living quarters, to provide fire and explosion resistance. Remember, the idea is that a car, with its gas tank and fuel lines, will be stored inside. They want the garage door to blow out, not your interior walls to blow in, in the event. This is also the reason your water heater should be a minimum of 18” off the ground, and the vents are near ground level, so the garage won’t fill with fumes.
The extra thick sheetrock also provides additional time for a fire to burn through to the dwelling.
So much for the safety aspects.
Rodents won’t be anymore attracted to the garage than the house, same dif to them
Insulation: Kraft faced is fine, IF you rock over it. If you are going to do the roof (assuming a sloped roof not a ceiling with living quarters above) and not rock it, (Rock is not really required…) you will probably have to do so with foil faced insulation. Why? Because exposed paper is tinder for any fire in the garage.
A hammer stapler makes insulation installation go incredibly fast. Sheet rocking the walls is not difficult, ceilings can be a lot of work as mentioned.
Be sure to tape the seams, and use a wide blade to feather over the tape once it is dry. I’d recommend a smooth finish in a garage that is to be used as a car work area. It’s easier to clean, especially if you paint with high gloss paint. This reflects the light very well; you won’t believe the difference it makes for lighting. I when with White and rolled in on with a thick roller without thinning it, this gives it an almost stippled finish.
Electrical; If romex is allowed in your area, run it BEFORE you insulate and rock. I decided to run all my electrical in surface mount conduit, and have never regretted it. Especially when I need something added or moved. I included a couple of suspended outlets from the rafters, using twist lock connector at the rafter box, and 20A receptacles. (This was for running 110V welders) I’d stay with 12 GA at a minimum, as then you can upgrade to 20a receptacles
Hope all this helps!
outlawmws
On the Run
Oh, yeah, if you block the vents at the bottom, you will probably be violating a code or three, and increasing the risk of explosion. This makes heating the garage as Andy mentioned problematical and high ceilings don't help either.
One benefit is that in hot weather the insulation also helps keep it cooler in there. so you benefit year round almost.
One benefit is that in hot weather the insulation also helps keep it cooler in there. so you benefit year round almost.
sheetrocked garage
Sheetrock is fine for a garage. I think I would insulate the walls with unfaced FG, especially if you have something like housewrap on the exterior. If nothing else, unfaced goes up quicker than kraft faced.
1/2" is fine for the walls, use 5/8" on the ceiling. Or ceiling board. Assuming that this is a DIY project, you'll most likely be buying from Loweballs or the like, so ceilingboard may be hard to come by.
Also, if you blow your own ceiling, you'll most likely be reduced to using cellulose. I like blown FG better, it doesn't weigh as much, and isn't near as nasty. Around here, the guys that sell you insulation & loan you a blower don't stock glass.
If you live in one of those areas where most anything goes, and don't care if your garage to looks finished like your living area, why not use 7/16" OSB? At the moment, it's cheaper than rock, tougher, & eaiser to install if you're not a drywall pro. Besides, you don't have to tape & finish it. Nothing makes drywall look worse than a lousy finish job. Unless you're an accomplished finisher, I would recomment hiring someone to do it.
You might just get a quote form a drywall company to do the whole job. They work remarkably cheap.
For what it's worth, Charles
Sheetrock is fine for a garage. I think I would insulate the walls with unfaced FG, especially if you have something like housewrap on the exterior. If nothing else, unfaced goes up quicker than kraft faced.
1/2" is fine for the walls, use 5/8" on the ceiling. Or ceiling board. Assuming that this is a DIY project, you'll most likely be buying from Loweballs or the like, so ceilingboard may be hard to come by.
Also, if you blow your own ceiling, you'll most likely be reduced to using cellulose. I like blown FG better, it doesn't weigh as much, and isn't near as nasty. Around here, the guys that sell you insulation & loan you a blower don't stock glass.
If you live in one of those areas where most anything goes, and don't care if your garage to looks finished like your living area, why not use 7/16" OSB? At the moment, it's cheaper than rock, tougher, & eaiser to install if you're not a drywall pro. Besides, you don't have to tape & finish it. Nothing makes drywall look worse than a lousy finish job. Unless you're an accomplished finisher, I would recomment hiring someone to do it.
You might just get a quote form a drywall company to do the whole job. They work remarkably cheap.
For what it's worth, Charles
JDaniel
Super Member
Mine is insulated, and instead of drywall, has plywood walls. It looks good IMHO. I think the plywood is better suited for a garage than is drywall, as doors, tools, bikes, etc. can hit the walls w/o making any marks/dents. I have R-19 in the ceiling, R-13 in the walls.
As far as the mice issue, you either have them or you don't, regardless of insulation/drywall.
JD
As far as the mice issue, you either have them or you don't, regardless of insulation/drywall.
JD
EricC
Super Member
SPL db said:Heck, some friends of ours not only had the garage drywalled & insulated, but they
also installed wayne's coating halfway up the walls, wallpapered the other half with
an oak chair rail around the center.
They even had sconce lighting in the garage with painted floors.
So I don't see any problem with drywall and insulation!
Scott
That sounds nicer then some of the places I have lived.
Kamakiri
The New Dynamic
SPL db said:Heck, some friends of ours not only had the garage drywalled & insulated, but they
also installed wayne's coating halfway up the walls, wallpapered the other half with
an oak chair rail around the center.
They even had sconce lighting in the garage with painted floors.
So I don't see any problem with drywall and insulation!
Scott
Around here we call that a Cheektowaga summer home :tongue:
merrylander
AK Member
By code our attached garage had the walls insulated and sheetrocked where they touched the main house, and the whole ceiling was done, the rest was bare studs. Since the garage walls were 2 x 4 and not 2 x 6 like the house I put in R-13 FG and covered it with 1/2" sheetrock. Mice don't come through the wall, they come under the garage door by eating through the weatherstrip, however my friend Victor and me have fixed that, count so far is 8 dead meese and no sign of any more for the last month, got a lot of mileage out of one piece of cheese. Mothballs are OK but I figured that we were never again going to have $900 problems with meese and the cars. I removed the airboxes from both cars and covered the openings with 1/4" hardware cloth (funny name for galvanized steel screen) and put them back in the cars. Screw you mousy!
Rob
Rob
doucanoe
Registered Audio Abuser
I read a deal lately stating that mice getting into your home or garage are really looking for water and not warmth. Those sun of a guns were getting into our basement for a while via a common crawlspace/basement knee wall. I spent two weekends securing that common wall with screwed plywood and perimeter foaming and I haven't seen one since. They were also mentioning that they hate peppermint extract. Never got to that point but it would of been fun to have seen if it would work.
subdermis2000
Soviet Canuckistanian
If you do decide to go the drywall route, rent a drywall lifter if you are going to do the work yourself. I did for the last project I did on my house and will never go back to lifting by hand again for ceilings.
I also used to do general carpentry for a living. The lifter is well worth the ~$20-$50 rental.
As for choices in insulation, vapour barrier, and electrical, go with what your local codes say you should use. They spec what they spec for good reason - every area has different weather and varmints.
I also used to do general carpentry for a living. The lifter is well worth the ~$20-$50 rental.
As for choices in insulation, vapour barrier, and electrical, go with what your local codes say you should use. They spec what they spec for good reason - every area has different weather and varmints.
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