Workshop Cladding

[ByronBlack]

I'm getting to the stage where I'm about ready to board out the interior or my workshop, but I can't make up my mind of the best way to do it, I have three options:

1. Plasterboard.
Cheap, already white so no need to paint, can't fix things to it unless through the studs.

2. Plywood Sheets.
£20 or so per board, more expensive than plasterboard, quicker to install, less joins and can fix things directly to it, however it's ugly and will need painting.

3. Internal Cladding (T&G or shiplap)
Seems to be the most expensive option, takes the longest to install, looks great, very strong, has some insulation properties and can fix relatively heavy things to it.

I'm tempted to go the plasterboard route for quickness and cheapness, but I really like the look of cladding but can't seem to find a cheap supplier, I need enough to cover about 50m2.

What are your general opinions - what would YOU do?

 

[Devon Transplant]

I used 12mm plasterboard when I finished out the inside walls and ceiling of my workshop last year. It was easy to install, plus no big deal to seal the joints. After painting these white, I could see a huge improvement in light reflectance. In the time since, I've hung a few storage cabinets on the wall using french cleats screwed into the studs, and some lighter weight tool hangers by screwing a thin plywood backer board directly to the plasterboard.

If you're concerned about insulation, I'd recommend insulating between the studs with polystyrene sheets prior to installing the plasterboard.

 

[ByronBlack]

Hi Devon, thanks for the feedback in regards the plasterboard. I will be insulating between the studs with 50mm kingspan from 'Seconds and Co'. One of the reasons to have the plasterboard/ply white is for light reflectance, I have no windows in my shed, and I would rather not have to put any in if I can help it.

 

[J D Architectural Joinery]

Plasterboard or MDF. But for a workshop environment, depending on space I would go for MDF It don't catch the dust as much as timber cladding, or ply. But as hard impact wearing as cladding and ply

 

[woodshavings]

I used 12mm OSB, ugly so needs painting but you can fix directly to it and 1/2 price of plywood.
John

 

[motownmartin]

I think I would go with OSB, its better for fixing shelves and cupboards to, if i weren't bothered about cost it would be T&G.

 

[wizer]

18mm osb here, wouldn't do it any other way, You can affix anything, anywhere

 

[OLD]

Wickes do a taper edge plaster board that does what they call dry wall in the states you fill the edges and screw holes they have the info in the shop it makes a nice job and not expensive .Just change the electrical boxes to plaster board type .Then use a french cleat system to fix what ever to the studs.

 

[OPJ]

In the latest issue of Good Woodworking, Andy King uses sheets of moisture-resistant T&G Chipboard. Don't know how it compares price-wise though.

I'm tempted to use OSB when I get around to cladding the inside of my garage-'shop (hopefully sometime this year). It's a lot stronger than plasterboard and won't get ruined if it gets wet at all.

 

[J D Architectural Joinery]

if you are using plasterboard, use either a toughcheck or a fire rated board, there more durable. a 12mm x 3m fireline board you are looking at the £7 +VAT mark far better than your standard grey board.

 

[Mark.R]

For my workshop, I used builders white polystyrene for insulation and then cladded that with sterling board. It is inevitable that you will want to fix objects to the wall such as shelves, cupboards etc. So I couldn't think of anything worse to fix these to than "plaster board."

Think carefully, don't use plasterboard. There is a very good chance you will regret it.

Mark.r

 

[Rich]

Hi BB, my workshop was a flatpack jobby, when erected the studwork and joists were all 40x40 x600 centres, I halved the centres all round with more 40x40, filled the gap with 40mm kingspan and then t&g'd horizontally all round, I now have good fixing points everywhere, also I done away with the glass windows and fitted perspex, this seems to have cut out the condensation I used to suffer from, hth.
Rich.

 

[exigetastic]

Another vote for ply here...

I used 12mm cheapo ply and it's really versatile.

Whenever I have something I need to hang up I grab a 3" Deck screw and voila more storage


If only the wife would let me do the house in the same way she might even be able to put up her own curtain poles :idea: :twisted:

Si

 

[Niall]

Does anyone have experience of different sound insulation properties of plasterboard / ply / OSB / chipboard? I suspect that plasterboard is the most dense of these, so was thinking of sheeting my space with plasterboard for sound properties, then ply or OSB on top of that, for mechanical fixing.

 

[Rich]

Hi Niall, in the hospital where I work, they've done it the other way round, stud walls, then 18mm osb and plaster board on top, this works very well for sound-dampening, but I would'nt call it sound proofing, besides giving a pleasing finish to the walls there is good fixings for pictures clocks etc.
regards,
Rich.

 

[markymark12]

Hi Guys

On the first question do not forget to install a vapour check or use a board which already comprises of one. It is a good idea as suggested to fit a board behind before the plasterboard but it will also increase the costs. It is not there for soundproofing just to make it easy to fix to for other people following behind i often do it in bathrooms particulary if disabled due to the amount of fixings that will be required.
I have used in the past gyproc industrial board it comes already faced with a white pvc film and with its own vapour check, It is also exellent for fixing to and has very high impact ratings. It is used in mainly in industrial partition systems. So it is designed to be tuff. It is not cheap but on a par with good ply and at the end of the day you get what you pay for. Given the area you should be able to get a deal going with a local surplier forget going to jewsons and people like that. Look through for a specilist drywall supplier in your area. Currently i buy all the board i need through magnet trade and they are hard to beat on price, they in turn give the order to encon if it is a item they do not stock, and i collect from them.

Sound insulation is a subject in its self, but given the situation the densest board will make little difference as you need to be separating the surface between the stud and board, a cheap way of doing this is to use resilient bar Rb1 this creates a shock absorber of sorts but results in a high degree of flex in the board face, and will also only have very limited effect. If you are looking to do a proper job just check out gyprocs or kingspans, knauf, sites and see which system suits you best.

Good luck Mark

 

[andycorleone]

most of my garage walls have something like this

http://www.wickes.co.uk/invt/121320

(my is from B&Q)


I think for a whole garage is about £100 a looks Beautiful

 

[Adam]

I used OSB on the inside walls. Cheap and easy., and its been fine.

Adam

 

[ike]

Sheathing ply, or OSB . I'd go for OSB - it's flat to start with. 100mm Fibreglass roll for insulation. Sound transmission through studding?. I don't think you need to worry - it's overkill for a shed.

PS. The only advantage I can see to using plasterboard would be to create a fire-resistant structure that might hold out till the fire brigade arrive. But limits you for internal arrangements hanging stuff,

Ike

 

[ByronBlack]

Thanks for all the input so far. Andy, the cladding does look great, but will cost over £200 for my shed (without the roof) so it's probably a little on the expensive side. OSB seems to be a new candidate, the only thing with this I'm concerned about is how difficult it is to a get smooth surface on which to paint; the stuff I bought was quite heavily textured due to the strands on one side, and a very stipple texture on the other.

Plasterboard (tapered) seems to be the best in terms of price (£100 approx for my workshop) and seems to be the quickest in terms of getting a nice finish. My workshop these days is only using half the space for woodworking, the half is for various other uses, so I'm not sure I nessacarily need the fixing abilities anything stronger as long as I know where the studs are - but i'll have to think on that.

I suppose another deciding factor would be how difficult it is to put in the plug-socket holes - is it quite easy with plasterboard, can you route it, or can I use a 'drywall' saw?