OSB for interior wall covering

[Robert Olin]

I'm building a well house/shop. In a living space you have to cover the walls with something like sheetrock for fire code, however, in a shop would just osb be ok?

Thanks, RO

[v8z]

Depends on how fast you want it to burn if you have a fire...... Seriously, if you do have a fire, the additional time the gypsum board will give could make the difference between just the losing stuff inside, and losing the structure itself. Another thing to think about, for a shop as opposed to a garage, is to ensure you have two points of egress at opposite ends so you can't get trapped inside by a fire. ABC extinguishers near both doors as well.

[jamesgangnc]

a living space you have to cover the

I've pondering the same thing. I built a garage with living space above it. Code says you have to have 5/8 sheet rock on the garage ceiling but is silent about what you do with the walls. I'd really like to have something besides sheetrock because it's so fragile for a garage or shop wall. At the same time I don't want to spend a fortune either. Osb is about the right price.

[jamesgangnc]

n a living space you have to cover the

I added alt.home.repair cause this thread was not getting any traction over in alt.building.construction. The op and I both would like to cover some walls with something besides sheetrock. He's got a workshop and I've got a garage ground floor with living space above it. I'm pretty certain code only requires me to have 5/8" sheetrock on the ceiling.

The trouble with the walls is that sheetrock is not a very good choice for a garage or workshop. Any suggestions for a cheap alternative?

[Niner]

I had a garage with T1-11 and OSB sheathig for the interior ceiling and walls. Apparently one of my 8 foot fixtures had a balast go bad. The fire was spectacular, to say the least.

The new garage is metal sided and the part that's workshop has drywall walls and ceiling, with the fixtures hung rather than screwed directly against the ceiling. I'd not go with OSB directly in a workshop, especially because it's a workshop (I do welding, not just woodworking), although OSB under the drywall might stiffen it enough to make up.

Henry

[benick]

I had a garage with T1-11 and OSB sheathig for the interior ceiling and walls. Apparently one of my 8 foot fixtures had a balast go bad. The fire was spectacular, to say the least.

The new garage is metal sided and the part that's workshop has drywall walls and ceiling, with the fixtures hung rather than screwed directly against the ceiling. I'd not go with OSB directly in a workshop, especially because it's a workshop (I do welding, not just woodworking), although OSB under the drywall might stiffen it enough to make up.

Henry

OSB is a very bad choice for the walls for a number of reasons , most of which have already been said but I will add my 2 cents worth...Besides being a very bad fire hazard it looks like crap and painting it makes it look even worse..I would use drywall and 4X8 sheets of white peg board over it where you wanted to hang stuff or plywood UNDER the drywall on walls deemed for hanging stuff..HTH...

[KC]

Why is it any more fire hazard than wood paneling over wood studs as found in millions of homes???

KC

[clare]

Because the OSB fibers stick out all over after a few months - larger surface area per cubic foot of combustible.

[aemeijers]

Not saying you are wrong, because I saw plenty of interior walls finished that way in new construction, back when the thin wood panels were in fashion. They tell me fire code in some areas requires drywall under them, but I have never seen that in person, other than on retrofits.

I'm old fashioned- when I hit lotto and build my dream house, interior walls will be stone or T&G in some wood that stays pretty.

Is modern OSB even human-rated for use uncovered in living space/heated envelope? I know some of the early stuff had problems with outgassing.

[benick]

Why is it any more fire hazard than wood paneling over wood studs as found in millions of homes???

KC

Ther is just a SLIGHT difference between a GARAGE/ WORKSHOP where combustables are stored and worked with among other work related activities and your den...Just sayin'...LOL..

[benick]

Around here drywall is "normally" under the paneling or bead board..Even way back when , most of the time drywall was put under it..If you didn't you would fall through the wall if you leaned on it using that cheap thin crap...LOL...

[aemeijers]

I think we are talking apples and oranges- the stuff I saw go up as a kid was actual multi-ply wood product, not glorified masonite with ultra-thin veneer of real wood, or the printed-on fake woodgrain. It was

3/16 or 1/4 thick, plenty strong for a finish wall. I don't know if they even make what I would consider real wood paneling (in sheet form) any more. All the stuff at the Borg seems to be sawdust-based. And anybody that can afford to buy real wood probably prefers T&G.

[krw]

AIUI, the glue will burn quite well if heated. Wood really doesn't burn all that well up until it gets really hot.

The garage isn't where you typically live, either. ;-)