Home Office - Wall Finish Help

[=Adam=]

Hi all,

This is my first post in a while, but glad to be back!

I'm looking to convert part of my garage into a small home office as I am going to be working from home for the foreseeable. We've just had a baby and working in the open plan living area of our 2 bed bungalow just isn't practical any more.

I've got a reasonably big garage so converting a small part won't eat into my workshop space too much so that's a bonus!

I'm trying to keep this a budget build, so was thinking of just simply using OSB for the walls and painting everything white to help make it feel nice and bright. Has anyone had any success with painting OSB, or would it be better to suck up the costs and go for ply?

Thanks in advance!

 

[MikeG.]

Many if not most workshop builds on here and elsewhere in the last few years have used OSB internally, painted.

 

[PAC1]

MDF will paint well

 

[=Adam=]

Thanks both.

My concern with MDF is that the space won't be heated (but will be ventilated), so it may go a bit 'fluffy' if it got a little bit humid.

Seems like OSB will be the winner. Worst case is I just cover over it with some pallet wood or something else.

 

[artie]

I actually prefer osb unpainted.
Painting bare osb, to me, is like polishing a turd.

 

[Doug B]

Depending on how you’re fixing the boarding plasterboard would be half the price of OSB, screws are easily filled no need for skimming & easy to paint.

 

[MikeG.]

Depending on how you’re fixing the boarding plasterboard would be half the price of OSB, screws are easily filled no need for skimming & easy to paint.

It needs to be foil backed, or to have a separate vapour barrier......so the saving won't be quite as much as you might think. Then it needs to be skimmed, or taped and filled.

 

[Doug B]

It needs to be foil backed, or to have a separate vapour barrier......so the saving won't be quite as much as you might think. Then it needs to be skimmed, or taped and filled.

A separate vapour barrier in the form of cheap sheet plastic won’t cost much & a quick google of Wickes prices show equivalent size sheets ,OSB are £17.00 whilst plaster board is £7.60 so the saving could be more than I said.
As I said it doesn’t need skimming simple filling of the screw holes would be fine.

 

[=Adam=]

I actually prefer osb unpainted.
Painting bare osb, to me, is like polishing a cowpat.

Thanks, I agree too. It's just that I do a lot of video conferences, so white will be better for the camera.

A separate vapour barrier in the form of cheap sheet plastic won’t cost much & a quick google of Wickes prices show equivalent size sheets ,OSB are £17.00 whilst plaster board is £7.60 so the saving could be more than I said.
As I said it doesn’t need skimming simple filling of the screw holes would be fine.

Thanks, I want to avoid plaster board really. The long term plan for the room, once this is all over, will be to use it as a wood turning room, so the OSB will be a bit more robust!

 

[MikeG.]

The thing is, polythene comes in big rolls, so it's surprisingly expensive. DPM is getting on for £60 +VAT. The plastic won't be inconsequential.....put it that way.

You're right though, if you aren't bothered about the robustness of the wall then it's likely the cheapest option.

 

[TJC]

Osb could still be vaguely useful in the future if you disassembled the wall, where plasterboard would probably be more knackered... Depending on how long term this ends up being.

 

[artie]

sheets ,OSB are £17.00

Out of idle curiosity, how thick are those sheets and is that price including VAT?

 

[Doug B]

Out of idle curiosity, how thick are those sheets and is that price including VAT?

It was off Wickes website so I imagine it includes VAT, the OSB was 11mm the plaster board 12.5mm

 

[=Adam=]

Osb could still be vaguely useful in the future if you disassembled the wall, where plasterboard would probably be more knackered... Depending on how long term this ends up being.

My thoughts exactly. If I do take it down in a few months, I will still, hopefully, be able to re-use the sheets.

Out of idle curiosity, how thick are those sheets and is that price including VAT?

I can get 11mm OSB3 sheets from a local merchant for £10.99 + VAT delivered.

 

[artie]

I can get 11mm OSB3 sheets from a local merchant for £10.99 + VAT delivered.

That's more like what I would expect.