My sister-in-law has a tri-plex that has a three car garage with three single garage doors. However there are no dividing walls to separate the garage into separate garages. I need to put up a wall so one of the garages is only accessible to the renter.
It's about 24' long x 12' wide.
I don't need anything fancy or to cover it with sheet rock.
I've thought of many different ways to do it, but all seem like they're too complex and expensive.
Frame and secure the wall with 2 X 4 lumber, but you still need sheet rock, for "only accessible to the renter".
You don't have to finish the "rock" with tape or mud.
"Fences don't keep the inmates in, but they keep wide animals out."
re: "only accessible to the renter"
There are lots of levels of "accessible".
You said you don't need anything fancy. My local Craigslist has 50' of wooden snow fence for US$45.
One length of snow fence makes access to the other garages that is inconvenient.
One length stacked on top of the other, and tied to it, makes access that probably requires tools.
Chain link fence (also available on Craigslist, free or for $) would also make the other garages inaccessible without the use of tools.
Heck, even drywall won't stop a renter that really wants to get into the other garages.
Just tossing out ideas to get you thinking.
Effective, fast and cheap - Pick any 2.
Frame it with 2x4's 16-24" OC and then you can hang drywall, OSB or chicken wire to divide the space.
1/2" OSB is about the same price as drywall and is a lot more secure. You only need the wire, board or OSB on one side.Colbyt
Made me think. What about appliances, venting, etc.
What side/section of the garage unit will have the gas water heater, low wall vents, water softener, water shut off valves, gas line, main breaker panel, etc.
Put the renter in the proper side of the garage stalls.
Do it right or don't mess with it. That doesn't mean that it's expensive. You will need about 12 studs, which are cheap. About eight sheets of rock. Some nails, a box of mud. By my calculator, I'd say less than $75 to have it right. And that's with you doing the work. It ain't rocket surgery to put the top and bottom plate on square and plumb, and if you can read a tape, you can figure out 2' centers on the rock. You CAN rock only one side, but my experience is that if you do, it is easier to bust and poke holes in. Mud it in, and even if you really do a lousy job, just sand down the excess. Some miscolored paint from HD for cheap, and you got a new wall. I'd case an interior door in it, too.
But that's just me.
Do it right.
Steve
Re: my suggestion for a cheap interior door.
ve.
re: "You will need about 12 studs"
How do you figure? For a 24 foot wall, you'd need 18 eight footers, unless you're going without a top and bottom plate.
You'd also need a method to attach it to the floor, and hopefully there's a contact point directly above it also.
BTW...I'd probably make the bottom plate with treated lumber.
Being a commercial building you should REALLY check with your Code Enforcement officer..I seriously doubt you can just throw up anything...I bet it will have to be steele studs and 5/8s fire coded sheetrock TAPED both sides....May have to bring whole area up to code as well , meaning another wall to seperate the other spaces as well as other things....Call the CEO BEFORE you do anything.....
sive.
Was going to make similar comment. It may be very unwise if the OP puts up a wall that does not meet current fire/insurance code requirements especially in a garage area where there are vehicles with gasoline etc. It might invalidate insurance and/or not meet local fire codes. If it is old construction which does not meet modern standards the existing structure may be 'grandfathered' under new legislation. The moment it is touched, in many jurisdictions, 'everything' has to be brought up to code!
So it may not be a matter of throwing up a wall for a couple of hundred bucks. And if it does cause problems the 'contractor' or whoever does the work might be deemed liable for not knowing/following local code requirements.
If it was family you might be able to argue that the wall has been there 'always' although the type of materials used often gives that away!
Dealing with a renter who 'knows' there wasn't a wall/divider there before might be trickier!
Yeah, my first instinct was to use OSB with 24" spacing of the studs. I need to put in one door as well.
The appliances (W/D/WH) are not a problem.
I need to check with the building department in the city in question, but from their on-line stuff, for non-occupancy areas the requirements for non-load-bearing interior walls are pretty easy. 24" spacing for studs, and some specific stuff on how they are anchored to the floor and ceiling. Nothing regarding fire-proofing for walls in garages.
re: "You will need about 12 studs"
How do you figure? For a 24 foot wall, you'd need 18 eight footers, unless you're going without a top and bottom plate.
You'd also need a method to attach it to the floor, and hopefully there's a contact point directly above it also.
BTW...I'd probably make the bottom plate with treated lumber.
reply: Twenty four divided by two is twelve if you put them on two foot centers. The guy said he wanted to cheap out. This was an estimation. Quit splitting hairs.
BTW, you weren't specific about treated lumber. What kind? Redwood is typically used, and it is not treated. (Last comments to show how ridiculous yours were about splitting hairs.)
If the OP does not know how to do Tapcons or a Hilti guns, and can't find rafters in a garage, I suggest he NOT do the work, and hire it out.
And by the way, Mr. Sparky Know-it-all, double plates would be called for on the toe and crown plates so there's something to nail the sheetrock to.
But you knew that already, right?
And again, all this is with the disclaimer that it is an estimate, and YMMV, in case you didn't read that the first time, which you obviously didn't.
Steve
Steve
The original house would have a 5/8" sheetrock layer between garage and house if it was built to code. But yes, it is a good idea to check with CEO so that you can pay triple and also pay their permit fees. Might make a difference when selling the house, too.
Steve
t ain't
I'd also consider how adding a wall impacts use of the garage. Many garages don't have a lot of room to open doors to beging with. The garage could work perfectly fine if you can swing a door over, walk around into the other bay a bit, etc. But with a wall there it could be a real tight fit and a bitch to put up with.
I'm kind of curious as to why it's so essential to wall out the renter's bay? Just not keeping anything very valuable in the garage and locking the other cars might be a simpler solution.
"SteveB" wrote "SMS" wrote
My first question is why?
Plywood will work, if allowed in your area.
Actually, code law in some spots may require that door. My area is pretty intense on 'fire exit code' so if he put up a wall, he's be required to add an egress. Each room (other than a closet or detached garage/outbuilding storage shed) must have 2 here. Just depends if there is a window of legal limits for that in the garage someplace that can become that egress (grin).
e.
re: Twenty four divided by two is twelve if you put them on two foot centers. The guy said he wanted to cheap out. This was an estimation. Quit splitting hairs.
I don't have enough hair to split.
24/12 sure is 12, there was no issue there. But 24/12 just gives you studs with no plates - not a very good estimation IMHO. Well, maybe you're right. Once you attached the drywall to the studs, you could just stand it up in place. Maybe prop it up with some boxes.re: And by the way, Mr. Sparky Know-it-all, double plates would be called for on the toe and crown plates so there's something to nail the sheetrock to.
Sparky AND Know-it-all? I'm honored!
How do you go from saying "The guy said he wanted to cheap out" to doubling up on the plates? What does that do to your 12 stud estimate? Double it?
re: BTW, you weren't specific about treated lumber. What kind?
Obviously the OP's choice.
BTW the comments about attaching it to floor and ceiling and using treated lumber had zero-zilch-nada to do with how many 2x4's were needed or even with anything you said in your post. Not quite sure why you jumped all over those comments. I guess you just wanted to split hairs.
re: Twenty four divided by two is twelve if you put them on two foot centers. The guy said he wanted to cheap out. This was an estimation. Quit splitting hairs.
I don't have enough hair to split.
24/12 sure is 12, there was no issue there. But 24/12 just gives you studs with no plates - not a very good estimation IMHO. Well, maybe you're right. Once you attached the drywall to the studs, you could just stand it up in place. Maybe prop it up with some boxes.re: And by the way, Mr. Sparky Know-it-all, double plates would be called for on the toe and crown plates so there's something to nail the sheetrock to.
Sparky AND Know-it-all? I'm honored!
How do you go from saying "The guy said he wanted to cheap out" to doubling up on the plates? What does that do to your 12 stud estimate? Double it?
re: BTW, you weren't specific about treated lumber. What kind?
Obviously the OP's choice.
BTW the comments about attaching it to floor and ceiling and using treated lumber had zero-zilch-nada to do with how many 2x4's were needed or even with anything you said in your post. Not quite sure why you jumped all over those comments. I guess you just wanted to split hairs.
reply: did you get the part where I said it would cost about $75 to do the plate/stud/sheetrock idea?
No?
sigh .........................
The guy is obviously an idiot, or he'd have it up already. Now, he's probably going to put up used snow fence or used chain link.
Whatever.
Steve
.
re: sigh .........................
Ah, a cleansing breath. Feel better?
I guess the only thing I can say is that I'm glad you're not estimating my jobs. At a minimum, your 2 x 4 estimate was off by 50%, at worst (with double plates) off by 100%.
I'll think I'll price out my own materials. Thanks for stopping by.
He was just counting "studs" not "sills" and "plates" - so he was right - just not complete.
Or set it on strips of DriCore.
If he wants to do it "cheap" lots of places give away used pallets. Bolt 'em together and you have a framed wall at no chatge. Then buy cheap wall-board, aspenite sheathing, or whatever you can get your hands on.
Not pretty - but cheap and effective.
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