Shop ceiling

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  • smorris
    Senior Member
    • Apr 2003
    • 695
    • Tampa, Florida, USA.

    Shop ceiling

    The shop currently has no ceiling, I had to tear it down when the AC heat exchanger leaked water and the drywall was threatening to fall in. My shop is a one car garage which I have sole use of so I can do most anything I want.

    The time has come to put in a new ceiling and I am considering a suspended ceiling. Drawback is it lowers the ceiling height to about 7' 4" which isn't a major issue. Any comments on doing this pro or con? I'm also considering plywood, but that involves the same installation issues as drywall.
    --
    Any sufficiently advanced incompetence is indistinguishable from malice
  • BobSch
    • Aug 2004
    • 4385
    • Minneapolis, MN, USA.
    • BT3100

    #2
    How much clearance are you planning? When I put a CS in our basement, I suspended it only two inches down from the joists. Makes moving the tiles not quite as easy as a 6-12" drop, but works just fine.
    Bob

    Bad decisions make good stories.

    Comment

    • scmhogg
      Veteran Member
      • Jan 2003
      • 1839
      • Simi Valley, CA, USA.
      • BT3000

      #3
      If you garage is attached, the drywall may be a necessary fire block. In my garage I have to have thick drywall, on the ceiling, for the fire code.

      Drywall can help kill sound, particularly if you use sound dampening installation. Also, 8' is nice if you are handling 4' X 8' sheets.

      Steve
      I would never die for my beliefs because I might be wrong. Bertrand Russell

      Comment

      • dbhost
        Slow and steady
        • Apr 2008
        • 9209
        • League City, Texas
        • Ryobi BT3100

        #4
        If your ceiling with sheetrock is 8 foot 6 like mine is, and most of my nieghbors garages are... I would go back with sheetrock, Like the poster above states, there are fire rules to comply with if it is an attached garage that had slipped my mind when I thought of peg boarding my garage walls... The poster that reminded me of that got me to looking at my county codes and sure enough, I HAVE to finish it with gypsum board...

        Also the ceiling height IS an issue with a shop. If you are like me, you will want to manuver lumber in your entire 3D plane... Heck, if I could have chosen the ceiling height, I would have designed it with 12' ceilings!

        Go with sheetrock, install proper boxes, and ceiling mount your lighting, or install recessed lighting that occupies the space between the studs...

        Best of luck to you, and post up pics when you get a chance!
        Please like and subscribe to my YouTube channel. Please check out and subscribe to my Workshop Blog.

        Comment

        • pelligrini
          Veteran Member
          • Apr 2007
          • 4217
          • Fort Worth, TX
          • Craftsman 21829

          #5
          You could probably get away without having to sheetrock the ceiling if you extend the wall between the living space and the garage up to the underside of the roof deck. Most codes are really just calling for a 1hr seperation between the garage and living areas.

          There's also a lot of potential storage area above too. A buddy of mine ran some 2x blocking in between his ceiling joists creating a bunch of places for material storage.
          Erik

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          • smorris
            Senior Member
            • Apr 2003
            • 695
            • Tampa, Florida, USA.

            #6
            I happened to have the local building inspector out a couple weeks ago to check the new AC install. He commented that they see a lot of garage ceilings fall down for the same reason mine did. When I mentioned that I would probably redo the ceiling in plywood he didn't bat an eye, said that would work fine.

            Thinking about it after reading the responses I may do drywall anyway in the event there is ever a fire. But it will wait for winter, too hot to be working up there this time of year.
            --
            Any sufficiently advanced incompetence is indistinguishable from malice

            Comment

            • cgallery
              Veteran Member
              • Sep 2004
              • 4503
              • Milwaukee, WI
              • BT3K

              #7
              Originally posted by smorris
              I happened to have the local building inspector out a couple weeks ago to check the new AC install. He commented that they see a lot of garage ceilings fall down for the same reason mine did. When I mentioned that I would probably redo the ceiling in plywood he didn't bat an eye, said that would work fine.

              Thinking about it after reading the responses I may do drywall anyway in the event there is ever a fire. But it will wait for winter, too hot to be working up there this time of year.
              Unfortunately, that doesn't get you an exemption if there is a code that requires drywall. And he may later say something like, "I thought he was going to put the plywood up over the drywall."

              I'd check/follow the code.

              Comment

              • footprintsinconc
                Veteran Member
                • Nov 2006
                • 1759
                • Roseville (Sacramento), CA
                • BT3100

                #8
                Originally posted by cgallery

                I'd check/follow the code.
                i'd check to make sure only because the same inspector may not be the one to come out again.

                also, for insurance purposes. heaven forbid something happens, and the insurance people see something that is not to code. had it been according to code, there could have been a chance (no matter how little), they could try to reject the claim.
                _________________________
                omar

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