Posted: 1/18/2026 7:39:55 PM EDT
[Last Edit: sefus][Edited]
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Looking to finish my un heated garage which is just open studs and stringers. Not even sure I’d bother insulating for cost savings and hoping at some point I’ll have a shop built to actually spend time in. dont like drywall work, anyone done PVC panels or anything else instead of drywall to just give a quick “finished” look? Mostly want to save money and time of install and finish. Hang and be done. ETA dont care to paint it and don’t give a crap about fire code (it is dry walled on the house side so officially it’s fine) |
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I have used OSB 2x - not because I put a lot of thought into it, but because it was relatively cheap and easily available. Also gives you a surface to screw into for mounting some shelves. You may not want to insulate, but putting a ceiling in is one of the best things you can do for heat. |
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I put in styrofoam panels over stone wool in a shed. Cheap and easy. Was okay until I needed to hang stuff on the wall. A couple sheets of plywood gave me lots of places to anchor junk. Can’t help but think drywall would keep out insect intrusion much better than the wood. The foam I used was the 1/2”x4’x8’ foil backed panels. With that foil layer 4x between studs there seemed to be no insulation provided. It was only good to encapsulate the stone wool. That worked extremely well and keeps out noise. Wish I would’ve done drywall all around when it was new. Not getting any younger. |
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I would think those PVC panels would be pretty expensive. HIGHLY recommend insulating. Fiberglass batts don’t cost much. Maybe one day you’ll want a heater or a mini split for heat and AC. Drywall if you want it to look nicer. OSB if you just want a cheap wall covering. You can paint OSB but it won’t look as good as drywall. Not sure if that matters to you. I have OSB in my shop and it’s nice to be able to hang tins signs and some heavy decoration type stuff and doesn’t get dinged up like a typical shop. Another alternative is white (or whatever color) metal panels. The type that is installed on shop roofs and walls. They usually make a thinner version for inside installation. Looks good and not too terribly expensive. |
"It behooves every man to remember that the work of the critic is of altogether secondary importance, and that, in the end, progress is accomplished by the man who does things."
Theodore Roosevelt
Theodore Roosevelt
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I've picked up duct board cutoffs for FREE from a local HVAC distributor. They fabricate duct work for contractors and wind up trashing the cutoffs and they have stacks of it in their way both in the warehouse and outside. They were happy to get rid of it since it means less trash in their dumpster. Various thicknesses are available too. My buddy has used it to insulate the interior walls of his cabinet shop and roll-up doors. In a wood framed garage I'd be careful about covering it with GWB or OSB only because it probably doesn't allow the transmission of moisture very well and might trap said vapor inside the wall. Perhaps you could perforate the barrier then cover it up but I'm no expert on that aspect. Cuts like butter on a table saw but wear some PPE. 
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Plans change as you’re making things nicer. By the time you’re done, you’ll be telling yourself “Damn, this turns out nice. Wish I had insulated now.” as you make it a hangout or a workshop. Insulation is worth the squeeze. OSB or plywood walls have an advantage of mounting vs. Sheetrock. Have you priced Sheetrock vs anything else? Probably lowest cost option. |
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How about wood paneling? It comes pre-primed, so you don't have to paint it and it won't be dark. It is easy to hang/install. Trims using tools you already have. There are no seams to finish (tape, mud, sand). Go to your local building supply and look around in the sheet goods area (Home Depot, etc). This is just one example of what you'll find (does not have stop half way up)  |
| Most of the time drywall will be cheaper per sheet than OSB but more cost and time to finish. My shop is finished in OSB. |
"It behooves every man to remember that the work of the critic is of altogether secondary importance, and that, in the end, progress is accomplished by the man who does things."
Theodore Roosevelt
Theodore Roosevelt
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You can hang 3 rib metal panels up. Would be the lightest and fastest. Would have a nice gloss white or any color. You can have any length precut by whoever supplies the material. If it's a pole barn and your boards go across horizontally you can do this on the walls easier than osb. I think I was paying 2.29 per ft for the metal. It finishes 3 foot wide so it's 2.29 for 3 sq ft. Osb is more durable, flat, and looks good. But fits 16 on center vertical studs better. My new shop will be white metal on the ceiling and osb on the walls. I got the metal up already. Went pretty fast with a scissor lift. Also don't be a cheap ass insulate it and you won't regret it. |
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Why not drywall? It’s a little messy to cut, but do it outside. You use drywall screws and countersink them with an impact driver. No different than installing anything else. If you don’t care how it looks, you can always tape and mud later. If you’re going to bother installing wall panels, you might as well insulate. Get some basic insulation rolls and stuff them between the studs real quick. It’s pretty damn simple. |
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I used some Louisiana-Pacific SmartSide panels to finish out a garage. Like T1-11, but pressure treated and it comes pre-primed too. Definitely not the cheapest option but it looked great. Much lighter than Hardie board panels too. https://www.homedepot.com/p/LP-SmartSide-LP-SmartSide-Cedar-Texture-8-in-OC-Panel-Engineered-Treated-Wood-Siding-8-in-Application-as-3-8-in-x-4-ft-x-8-ft-27874/100055901 |
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Drywall is a quick finish and cost effective versus other materials mentioned. Hanging it won’t take long, and you can always have someone joint and tape it if you don’t like to do that yourself prime and paint with rollers will only take an hour, and the end result will add value to your home instead of looking like a ghetto hack job. If you live in a cold climate definitely insulate it. It’s quick and easy and you will smoke every time you walk into a warm garage. |
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Insulate it. Don't skip it. Even if you don't put in heat or AC it'll help regulate the temperature swings. If you want a sound barrier between the house walls and the garage, rockwall insulates and provides better sound barrier then regular insulation. Use the OSB with the red edges if you are worried about fire code, and remember you can get it in 8, 9, 10, 12 ft (and more) lengths so depending on ceiling height, etc. Finish it with an airless sprayer in white or whatever color you want. Rent a drywall lift to do the ceiling. |
"My friend, you would not tell with such high zest
To children ardent for some desperate glory,
The old Lie: Dulce et decorum est
Pro patria mori." -Wilfred Owen
To children ardent for some desperate glory,
The old Lie: Dulce et decorum est
Pro patria mori." -Wilfred Owen
I’m reminded how handy drywall can be. This popped up in my feed. Looks harder to deal with than drywall, much more expensive and way harder to repair.   Drywall Is Dead. Do This Instead. |
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Twenty years ago I used OSB to cover the walls in my shop up to 8'. I used screws, painted it white, and have had to remove one or two panels with no problems. If it's a working shop/garage, then i would suggest OSB because it's cheap and tough. If it's a Garage Majal, the go with sheetrock, finish and paint it, because no real work will ever be done in there and the sheetrock will be safe. When you install receptacles, install them 4' above the floor so that when you put something against the wall, there's a very good chance that the receptacle will remain unblocked. Mounted at house level, they'll almost always be blocked by a bench or something. |
| I put my receptacles a bit higher so if I have 4' sheet good I can put a 2x4 under it. So my receptacles are 52" to bottom of cover plate |
“A double minded man is unstable in all his ways.” James 1:8 KJV
"Can a man who's warm understand one who's freezing?" Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn
"Can a man who's warm understand one who's freezing?" Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn
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Originally Posted By Bye_Felicia: Insulate it. Don't skip it. Even if you don't put in heat or AC it'll help regulate the temperature swings. If you want a sound barrier between the house walls and the garage, rockwall insulates and provides better sound barrier then regular insulation. Use the OSB with the red edges if you are worried about fire code, and remember you can get it in 8, 9, 10, 12 ft (and more) lengths so depending on ceiling height, etc. Finish it with an airless sprayer in white or whatever color you want. Rent a drywall lift to do the ceiling. |
"Over the years, it has become increasingly difficult to tell the difference between skilled trolls versus fucking morons." DK-Prof
C 2/325 1983 - 1986
C 2/325 1983 - 1986