New Shop - Wall question

[Eric Kipker]

I used OSB aluminum foil backed on the walls and ceiling, attached with screws, in my 3rd stall workshop. A little reluctant to paint it as with my basement workshop, I had to remove some OSB more than once, to revise the wiring and relocate water and gas lines. Maybe a wash coat of white.

[Gilbert Vega]

I'll be doing something very similar in the new shop that will be built along with the new house. I plan on using either 1/2" OSB or Plywood then covering with sheetrock. I will tape and float then paint using high gloss white/light tan enamel on walls and ceiling white on ceiling.

Any thoughts on how well screws hold on OSB compared to Plywood?

[Joe A Faulkner]

I like that, will be stealing that idea!

Run your sheets vertically and you only have vertical seems every 4' assuming 8' walls. I don't see any outlet or switches in the walls - these might conflict with the horizontal seams at 4'. Just something to consider. Though I agree it looks very nice.

[Bill McNiel]

I have 3/8" plywood (shear resistance for siesmic) on three of my walls and drywall on the 4th (window wall). I much prefer the unfinished plywood to the drywall. Easy to hang tools and jigs and it just feels more like a shop to me, GWB walls are a more institutional / commercial feel. I do have a lot of north facing windows that help brighten things up (my bench sits in front of 8'-6" wide by 9'-6" tall 4 window aray).

Really liked the look of the 12" pine walls though.

[Ed Weiser]

I did exactly what Bill Edwards (2) showed in his posted photo in my shop. Despite the size (20 x 24 with 10+ ft ceilings painted white, it does not feel small and the plywood makes it easy to hang anything. (If it's heavy you still need to hit the studs!) The battens give a finished look and do not get in the way. In fact they provide a stand off from the wall for conduit, dust collection duct, etc. I finished the wood surfaces with several coats of catalyzed lacquer which is really smooth so that dust does not settle on the walls much at all. Given the chance, I'd do it again exactly the same way.