Garage to workshop conversion: cladding the ceiling

[Bert Coules]

After a long gap for winter, injury and other boring impediments, my low-budget garage to workshop conversion is underway again.

Following all the advice here, I lined the sectional concrete walls and corrugated steel ceiling with Celotex-type insulation, then clad the walls with OSB. Now it's time to clad the ceiling: I was thinking of using white uPVC t&g boards from Wickes:

for the area I have to cover (essentially four 4'x8' panels) the price is higher than I'd ideally like. Any suggestions for alternatives? I want to simply stick the cladding onto the foil surface of the Celotex, so it has to be lightweight as well as more durable than the insulation.

Many thanks.

Bert

[Phil L]

The soffit board I buy is much like this, except it's 300mm wide (3 X wider than wickes) and 5m in length (double the length), so it's six times bigger and it's about the same price, a tenner a length.

Provided the celotex is fairly solid, you can stick it on with one hour caulk - it'll never come off, so long as you can get a screw or other fixing in the flap at the groove side

[Bert Coules]

Phil L

Thanks for the reply.

I wondered about using something like that, but the 100mm t&g boards are particularly easy to work with, especially for a ceiling. And as you say, the cost works out at about the same.

I'm not sure that's necessary. I've used this stuff before for ceilings in a hallway and a bathroom, and adhesive (onto battens in both those cases) was perfectly sufficient on its own.

I don't think I'm going to find anything else so easy, so light, so maintenance-free and so attractive for less cost.

Bert

[John Rumm]

In mine, I just left the celotex bare since it was quite high up and out of the way.

However something like a few sheets of hardboard would cover it and take a coat of emulsion.

[Bert Coules]

Mine, alas, is just inches above head height and pretty vulnerable to any carelessly brandished tool or piece of metal or wood.

I wondered about hardboard. Would the weight be OK, do you think? I really don't have room for any form of support other than simply glueing the board to the Celotex, and I have this vision of finishing the entire ceiling, standing back to admire it and then seeing hardboard (with or without a foil facing) come crashing down on top of me...

Bert

[John Rumm]

I think you missed the bit about the soffit board (sometimes called Vee board) being 6 times the area for the same cost!

I have used the soffit board - and its quite easy to handle.

The plastic stuff is light and easy. Whether it counts as "attractive" depends on if you like white PVC I suppose. When up, it looks like a narrow planked covering not unlike TG&V

[John Rumm]

A whole 8x4 sheet is only about 8 kg - so 250g per square foot (if you will pardon the mixed units).

I would probably give the ceiling and the back of the board a spray with the spray on contact adhesive beloved by carpet fitters. Wait a few mins until its touch dry, and then offer up and press on firmly.

Wickes do sheets at 6 quid IIRC...

[Bert Coules]

I did, you're right, thanks. Sorry, Phil L, I completely misread your post. I'll see if I can find a supplier whose delivery charges don't offset the price advantage.

Bert

[John Rumm]

Its easy to collect on a roof rack, however remember to take a log 4x2 with you or similar to tie it too - cause it flops about otherwise!

[Bert Coules]

With pleasure. That sounds not too bad.

Plus delivery, of course, which would just about double the overall cost. Still cheaper than the 100mm t&g though, though the wider boards you and Phil L mentioned sound like the best bet of all.

Bert

[Nick Odell]

My first thought is corrugated plastic boards - the sort of thing used for Estate Agents signs these days. It's very light in weight (down to

270g per sq mtr) and available in white and other colours and in sizes up to 4m x 2m. But, whilst I'd expect the cost of a packaging material to be pretty low, I've not been able to find actual prices or find out about flamability.

Google took me to this site:

[NT]

I'd go with plasterboard, 9mm. PVA sticks well to both foil a dpaper,. You'd need a couple of deadmen/deadmans and a couple of sticks for an hour whie it dries.

NT

[John Rumm]

If doing PB I would glue it with expanding foam...

[Bert Coules]

Thanks for the thought but I can't help thinking that plasterboard would be as vulnerable to knocks as the Celotex is.

Bert

[Bert Coules]

Thanks for the suggestion. I had wondered about that stuff but haven't seriously looked into it. Like you, I've no idea of prices. I'll see what I can find.

Bert

[NT]

Poor Bert could end up with a very low ceiling :)

NT

[NT]

Its far tougher than celotex, but of course nothing like OSB. I dont know how much painting cement slurry onto it would toughen it up - just cement and water.

NT

[NT]

or maybe a soak with pva

NT

[fred]

Damp getting into the hardboard might be an issue in a shed/workshop so maybe 6mm ply? Also less rough on the fixing side so better for sticking.

Either way I'd be nervous with spray stuff for a ceiling so would go old school with manually applied stuff:

at 25quid so maybe PU foam as you suggest elsewhere but at least this is contact so no need to prop.

[Bert Coules]

Its far tougher than celotex, but of course nothing like OSB. I dont know how much painting cement slurry onto it would toughen it up - just cement and water.

NT