Adding a sup panel / circuits, and insulation to existing finished garage walls...

[David Hostetler]

About the only things left to do in order to call my shop fully prepared for prime time, is to run a full sub 100 amp sub panel, with circuits for 110V and 220V, as well as insulate the walls of my existing shop.

Now the question is, how best to do this? I have considered pulling everything from the walls, ripping the sheet rock down, adding my insulation, running my sub panel and circuits, then re-rocking.

It's not that I don't want to re-rock, it's that I don't really want to re-hang all of the stuff mounted to the walls like shelves, and storage boxes.

What options do I have for this? Can I cut in to the existing rock to run my electrical, and maybe patch? How bad of an idea is that?

[Jay Maiers]

About the only things left to do in order to call my shop fully prepared for prime time, is to run a full sub 100 amp sub panel, with circuits for 110V and 220V, as well as insulate the walls of my existing shop.

Now the question is, how best to do this? I have considered pulling everything from the walls, ripping the sheet rock down, adding my insulation, running my sub panel and circuits, then re-rocking.

It's not that I don't want to re-rock, it's that I don't really want to re-hang all of the stuff mounted to the walls like shelves, and storage boxes.

What options do I have for this? Can I cut in to the existing rock to run my electrical, and maybe patch? How bad of an idea is that?

How would you handle the insulation without tearing down the sheet rock?

[Rod Sheridan]

David, have you considered surface mounted E.M.T.???????

Regards, Rod.

[Bob Riefer]

I've heard of people renting a blow-in machine for loose insulation, cutting a hole in their drywall high and midway down, and going to town blowing in until the cavity are filled. The issues I've heard reported are that, the cavities may not be filled fully (if fire blocking or other obstacles are present), the insulation can settle, and there's no way to get an vapor barrier in place (which really only matters, in my estimation, if you're constantly conditioning a very tight space.. if the space breathes or is not conditioned full time, condensation will have a tough time amounting to an issue). Plus, you're still left with holes everywhere and running your electrical on the surface.

Personally, assuming I could afford the expense and the time spend, I'd rip down and start again. You'll know if any issues are lurking behind the walls, will have a nice clean electrical setup, and your insulation and vapor barrier will be as you'd want them.

[Anthony Whitesell]

In uninsulated walls, it's not "that" difficult to install old-work box and fish wire to them. I just spent the last week doing that in my basement. BUT I didn't have the need to insulate. That factor adds a whole other aspect to your job. I would have to seriously consider re-rocking/insulating/wiring one wall at a time. That would minimize how much stuff you have off the wall at any one time.

[Don Jarvie]

Dave,

I'm in the rip it down camp. A few benefits for starting for scratch

1. Plently of outlets where you want them, plently of deditcated lines.
2. Solid insulation, the blow-in stuff tends to fall over time.
3. Opprotunity to decide if you want to use plywood or something else on the walls
4. Good chance to re-arrainge the shop and do it they way you have been thinking about.

[David Hostetler]

I am thinking tear down / rebuild. But what on earth do I do with my shop tools while that is going on? I am pretty sure my wife won't let me move them into the living room...

I wonder if I can get away with temporarily having a shipping container dropped in my driveway while I do the work, and then picked back up when I am done... It's either that, or rent a storage unit and get a hernia moving everything. Well, maybe not. I can rent a truck with a tommy lift...

Having the shop fully cleared out also brings the opportunity to strip the floors of the 25 year old paint and epoxy coat them...

[Jerome Hanby]

Plus 1. Especially the part about using plywood for the walls. makes the entire shop a jig or storage solution waiting to happen. Even so, i wouldn't shy away from using conduit and boxes on the outside for the wiring. You could rewire the whole shop like you were playing with tinker toys...

Dave,

I'm in the rip it down camp. A few benefits for starting for scratch

1. Plently of outlets where you want them, plently of deditcated lines.
2. Solid insulation, the blow-in stuff tends to fall over time.
3. Opprotunity to decide if you want to use plywood or something else on the walls
4. Good chance to re-arrainge the shop and do it they way you have been thinking about.

[Anthony Whitesell]

Oh, now you're making one project into two (happens to me all the time). But might as well get it while the getting is good.

[Doug Palmer]

If I thought this was my last place and I was going to retire there, I would rip it down and start from scratch.
If I thought I was going to move in 5 or 6 years, I would surface mount everything and run power in EMT conduit. (That is exactly what I did in my shop for that reason. It still looks nice and neat.)

[Bas Pluim]

Since you need to add insulation, tear it down. Conduit is a good option, but measuring, cutting, bending and installing EMT takes time and all those connectors cost money. Drilling holes through studs and running some romex is quick and easy. Trying to cut a small piece of drywall and then patching it is false economy. You still need to tape, mud, prime and paint, and it will probably never look good. Plus, you'll be fiddling with putting in boxes and fishing wires behind walls.

[Don Jarvie]

Dave, I moved everything to one side, did 1 wall, moved to the other, did 1 wall, etc. Only problem is you have to keep moving everything but it's doable.

[David Hostetler]

I figure I will end up going one wall then the next.