Unless you are doing the same (painting everything white) I would not or recommend painting the ceiling the same color of the walls. Apply a coat of drywall primer and allow it to dry. By contrast, butt joints don’t have a valley in between the sheets. This is by far the biggest project I’ve ever taken on in the home. Most residential building codes only specify the wall between your garage and your living space. Sand and wipe the entire wall down. This part is all about small fixes. Adding electrical outlets to concrete block can be messy and difficult. Remember to check to see if you need a permit to drywall your garage before you get started.eval(ez_write_tag([[300,250],'garagetransformed_com-medrectangle-4','ezslot_1',113,'0','0'])); At this point in the process, you should already have your garage wall framed with pressure-treated lumber and insulated. Tighten the screws just far enough into the drywall so that they’re flush with the drywall sheet. Driving the screws in too deep can compromise the strength of the screws holding the drywall. If you find an area where the knife rocks back and forth (skip to 2:12 in the video above), then you’ll need to spread out the mud from the center of the joint until the wall is smooth. Problem 2: New Drywall. You’re going to have gaps in between your drywall sheets. In this garage, yes, I painted the foundation the same color as the walls. However, the wall between my garage and my kitchen was already drywalled and textured. When it comes to painting garage walls, it seems to me that most people agree that white is the best paint color for your garage interior, even I used it in my first garage. It is a low VOC paint that can be sprayed, brushed, or rolled on. Either get an all metal pan or something with a good metal edge on it. In an effort to continue providing accurate information, we’ve purchased new primer samples to retest. Any water that’s left on your garage floor can seep into the concrete and up through the drywall itself. If there are large swings in temperature, moisture could form inside your walls and form mold or rot. It’s much easier to add additional electrical outlets. After this project, I have a lot of respect for the tradesman who do this for a living. I only recommend starting from the bottom if you have a garage that will exactly fit your drywall sheets without cutting any to fit. In my case, I would not like having a blue ceiling. I don’t do woodworking or other projects on the weekend. I was not disappointed with the result. Do you paint the walls the same color as the ceiling? Be sure to let the drywall tape adequately dry before you do this! Transforming the garage into living space is a job that can be tedious and expensive, but it’s worth it in the end. Some drywall manufacturers even recommend plain flat latex paint as one type of drywall primer. On the front side of the drywall sheet, make a deep incision into the drywall, but don’t cut through the paper backing. From here, my next steps are to mount the cabinets and then to add some custom flooring. On my next and final post of the series, I show you the end result of this Garage Finishing Project, including the installation of some storage cabinets, because, as you know I don’t like “storing” anything on the floors. All good reasons for the painter to choose the best paint primer possible. At this point, I don’t remember exactly what primer I bought, but, to tell you the truth, this is a job in which I don’t mind using one of the cheapest options available. This paint is most suitable for humid areas when compared to other brands. This page is a look at how to paint drywall in your garage. A skim coat is a light coat of drywall that adds a very thin, final layer of drywall to give a consistent surface to paint on. It only cost $15 for the gallon and I had plenty left over after the wall was done.eval(ez_write_tag([[580,400],'garagetransformed_com-portrait-1','ezslot_20',130,'0','0'])); It’s important to keep the primer consistent with your paint. You could get away with only one coat, but the amount of extra mud it takes to cover them again is minimal. Removing it is a hassle, but take advantage of the opportunity to add insulation for a sound barrier between your garage and house, or to put in any extra electrical or plumbing work if you’d like to use the space as a workshop or a bar. While you’re waiting for the joint compound to dry in any large gaps, you can fill in the drywall screws. They fit right up against each other. Once the flooring is in place, I’ll add some molding along the bottom of the drywall. Every other sheet of drywall you hang will depend on this. With the drywall tacked to the studs along its edges, use a level to transfer the center stud marks on the floor onto the drywall (Image 2). If you hold a drywall knife against the wall so that it bridges the joint and you can still see daylight between the knife and the fall, it’s a flat joint. (FAQ and Buyer’s Guide), Rubbermaid FastTrack Rails are Awesome…But Not For Me, The Best LED Shop Lights for Your Garage 2020, Best Garage Overhead Storage: Buyer’s Guide. Build a garage your car will be proud to call home. I thought I’d need to re-tape the entire joint, but that’s not necessary. This is where I will be making the incision to cut out the bubbled drywall tape. With the sheet folded along the line, you can cut through the paper backing pretty easily with your knife. We’ll be covering both in the remainder of this article, but I’ll split the tutorial into three sections: The reason I’m doing that is that the tools and techniques you’ll use are very different at each step of the process. But just because you have them lying around doesn’t mean you should necessarily use them. However, if you don’t want to put a lot of your free time into this project, or if you want to be sure that it’s done right, the best thing that you can do is hire a contractor that you trust to drywall the garage … Corner trowel. I’m a firm believer in “measure twice and cut once”, so now’s a good time to double check your work before you make that cut. 37,226 Posts #2 • Mar 5, 2014. You will want to use a drywall primer with PVA (polyvinyl acetate). No big revelations in this section. Is It Bad to Keep a Refrigerator in the Garage? If you’ve been following along in my personal garage transformation, I’ve reached the point where my garage wall is framed and insulated. To do this, just like with the primer, I used a roll for most of the walls and a small brush for the corners and edges. To do this, just like with the primer, I used a roll for most of the walls and a small brush for the corners and edges.. Somewhere along the line, it’ll feel like you’re trying to put a rectangular peg into a trapezoid-shaped hole. Let it dry overnight and then you can fill and sand as you would any other joint. Once you’re satisfied with how it looks, it’s time to lock that first sheet of drywall down. Let us know what you decide! It’s designed for spot fixes like drywall patching, but you can use it for a full wall as well. I could not do or touch anything without worrying about the walls, I definitely did not want the same problem in this new one. On that wall you’d need a ¾ inch thick drywall was a fire barrier. Once the house is built, it’s very difficult to run the wiring through the cinder block. As of right now, I have only used the same color in my first garage, both the ceiling and the walls were painted white. As you can see in the image below, that’s where I used mesh tape. Some of those are going to be too big to just fill with drywall joint compound by itself. If you’re using water-based (acrylic) paint, then use a water-based primer. I only need to install the drywall and slap some paint on it before this part of the project is complete. If you elect to start from the bottom like I did, you can use scrap pieces of wood to raise the drywall sheet off the concrete floor. The worst part was that the bigger containers only cost a few dollars more for a lot more compound. Too high and they’ll bulge out from the wall Too deep and you’ll actually shred a bit of the drywall. This is normally around $15 for a 60 lb tub at your local Lowe’s or Home Depot. You can hide a lot with a good texture on your wall, but that doesn’t mean you can skimp out here. That’s the simple answer, but there’s a lot to digest in there. A climate controlled garage helps to minimize the risk of mold and rot, but you can still add drywall and add heating or air conditioning later, if necessary. Thank you. Use a very light amount of pressure. Another useful test is to close your eyes and run your fingertips along the wall to feel for any imperfections.eval(ez_write_tag([[250,250],'garagetransformed_com-netboard-2','ezslot_19',127,'0','0'])); Once I couldn’t find any gaps in the wall using a 4′ level, I moved on to the next seam. I just don’t like it, not too mention that it will make the garage (or any room for that matter) look a lot darker. Once you’ve got the piece cut, test the fit and make any minor adjustments before you screw it into place. Even if it doesn’t directly add money to the sale price, a well-done garage will set your home apart from any other homes up for sale in your area. At this point, you’ve probably got sections of your wall which have several coats of drywall compound and other sections where you can see the drywall underneath. Once you’ve got the settings to your liking, start applying the texture to the wall. I mentioned this above, but it’s worth repeating. The higher the sheen the easier it will be to clean but will show more flaws. Once it’s dry, lightly sand it smooth and check the fit again. Screw in a drywall screw every 8”-12” along every stud – not just the studs along the edges of the drywall sheet. No matter how you fit your drywall sheets together, you’ll have a mixture of both on your wall. The texture of your primer will significantly impact how well you’re able to cover drywall imperfections. Start with a clean, dry 6″ or 8″ drywall knife if you have them. It’ll pay off in the end. Don’t worry about leaving a gap for this sheet. The concept of this step is simple: Every time you add drywall mud to one of the joints, you’re going to lightly sand the wall after it dries to get it as smooth as possible.eval(ez_write_tag([[250,250],'garagetransformed_com-netboard-1','ezslot_18',126,'0','0'])); I’m not going to lie. I like to use two costs of mud to cover up the screws, just to be sure that they’re smooth. With the walls and ceiling insulated, drywalled, taped and mudded, and the floor wearing a fresh and shiny coat of epoxy coating, the most difficult parts of this garage finishing project were out of the way, that meant it was time to move on to the next task: Priming & painting the newly finished garage walls and ceiling. Garage Improvement and Organization Project, Paint rollers (with extension pole), paint roller tray, and brushes, Finishing Garage Part 4: Getting, Assembling and Installing Storage Cabinets, Building a DIY Porch Swing Using Pallet Wood. Hi Tony, thanks for the great details in your post. I do also have a concrete foundation. I ended up using the 80 grit and 120 grit the most. The joints are where you’ll make or break the finish of your wall. amzn_assoc_ad_type = "smart"; I found myself going over and over the same section of wall, trying to fix imperfections only to find out that it was my drywall knife that was causing them. Even if you’re going to be painting with a paint that includes primer, it’s a good idea to use a dedicated primer on brand new drywall. The ceiling is white in both garages, I agree 100% with you. You can build up the valley to a nice smooth finish and you won’t have to spread the drywall mud out from the joint very far. The paintbrush you use is just as important; tho… (Optional) Mesh drywall tape if you have larger gaps that you need to fill, is more rigid so there’s less likely to be cracks in the joints, has a built in seam in the middle which makes it ideal for corner joints, is thinner and smoother so it’s easier to hide, self-adhesive so it can be used to cover larger gaps, faster to set since you don’t have to embed the mesh tape into joint compound, Painter’s tarp, plastic or old towels to protect against over-spray. If you’re using an oil-based paint, then use an oil-based primer. Then I used some new tape to mask the floor, obviously, to avoid getting it all white with the primer. You’re going to want an enamel interior wall paint with either a satin or eggshell sheen. I’m really glad I learned this secret before I started, because there’s so much misinformation online about whether to use paper drywall tape or mesh tape. Grab a can of the texture and some crap cardboard so you can test the settings and get used to how the spray comes out. If you aren’t careful with butt joints, this is where you end up with “speedbumps” on your walls. No finish or taping applied. That’s easy to fix after the primer coat, so I’ll touch on it in the next section. It is also highly sandable. Multi-Purpose Oil-Based Primer - Versatile sealer and stain blocker, assures a uniform finish. These are specially designed for drywall coating and comes at a great price range. To start, I went ahead and removed the old masking tape I put on the walls before starting with the epoxy floor coating application. What do you think? For me, I found that mesh tape was harder to cover up with mud. amzn_assoc_ad_mode = "manual"; amzn_assoc_marketplace = "amazon"; All that’s left is adding texture, priming and painting the wall. It is very thin (it kind of looks like milk going on. But if I were to do it again, I would probably do the opposite so I don’t have to cover the floor to paint the walls/ceiling. When installed horizontally, the panels will fit evenly, eliminating the need to cut the panels. It’s best to start by repairing any cracks or holes in the wall. Obviously, painting it the darkest color available is not a very nice option either, however, in my opinion, the best paint color for you garage interior is a darker (than white), neutral one. If you’ve ever painted walls in your home, this will feel pretty easy. It looks like that because when I took that picture I had not finished cutting in the corners, etc. amzn_assoc_linkid = "a4270e7928c4e2509e5b6dc683a68603"; Sanding and smoothing drywall sucks – especially if you were sloppy with feathering out the initial edges of your seams like I was in some places. It is true that white makes your garage look brighter and cleaner, but that’s only until it starts getting dirty, which is something I learned the hard way in my previous garage. Unfinished drywall requires a good surface primer to look its best when painted. Having chosen the paint, it was just a matter of completing the actual painting job. You’ll be checking each joint and seam individually to make it as level as possible. The existing garage walls had paneling on the bottom half which we decided to remove, which meant new drywall on the bottom half of the entire room. The primer will bond and seal both surfaces, and you won't get any joint-banding. Do Garage Walls Need to Be Primed? Unless you live somewhere that is a constant (and comfortable) temperature year-round, I highly recommend adding insulation before you decide to drywall your garage. If you are doing a really bold/dark color, PVA can take like 4 oz of tint per gallon, so get it tinted to as close to the final color as you can. Before painting unpainted drywall in any condition, it's important to prime it with PVA primer, which seals the paper and allows the top coat to bind. Joint compound (drywall mud). As always, check with your local building codes before starting your project. One thing I did differently this time, compared to my previous garage project, was that I ended up priming (and later painting) the foundation; I figured it would look a lot better if it “matched” the rest of the walls. All you need to do now is paint the wall and you’re all done! You want to be sure that the wall is snug to the studs and doesn’t pop out. Prestige offers a paint and primer combo which doesn’t require more than three coats. Originally, I didn’t want to use any kind of texture on the garage walls. As such, there is a huge variety of PVA primers available to buy online. For some reason I thought that I could get by with a one gallon tub of joint compound. PVA primer is like $10 a gallon. Take measurements at the top and bottom of the empty section. Depending on if you’re going to be using a texture on your wall, you may want to apply a skim coat as a final step before priming and painting. To make things easier, I opted to add the texture to the new walls to match the old one. If you don’t feel confident in getting it just right, use your cordless screwdriver to tighten the screw most of the way and finish it off with a hand screwdriver.eval(ez_write_tag([[300,250],'garagetransformed_com-large-mobile-banner-2','ezslot_10',119,'0','0'])); Once the first sheet is secured in place, it’s time to install the rest of the full-sheets of drywall. amzn_assoc_asins = "B00004YUPO,B00004Z49T,B00IJGYDKA,B01CODJY8E"; After about 30 minutes, the texture will be dry enough to primer coat over it. Because the fibers of the mesh are thicker than the paper tape, I used more coats of joint compound and had to spread the mud out farther to hide the joint. About 6 years ago when I painted my new drywall upstairs I used something called "first construction primer" by valspar, it was water based. Plus, it won't rais the nap on new drywall and it creates a beautifully smooth finish in an hour flat! Did you use moulding around the windows and doors and also the base of the walls. Can you drywall a garage with no insulation? Thanks for following along! At this point, I don’t even remember why. I watched a lot of different drywall tutorial videos, but I learned the most from this guy. Most online articles will say to use mesh tape, but the professional drywallers I’ve talked to only use mesh tape for very specific things. For example, if you have to leave a gap between the wall and the ceiling, or between two pieces in the wall, I’d choose to leave the gap in the ceiling. I've painted dozens of unconditioned garages and just used Zinsser 123 primer and regular interior paint and never once had any issues. It’s pretty common for the spray-texture to be a bit higher than the orange-peel on your existing walls. Make your mistakes here without risking the finish on your brand new wall. We’re almost done!eval(ez_write_tag([[250,250],'garagetransformed_com-narrow-sky-2','ezslot_17',128,'0','0'])); Finishing the drywall was the hardest part of this project and I was really glad to have it over and done with. and a satin finish. Some of the best drywall primers are: Benjamin Moore Fresh Start This high hiding acrylic interior primer is great because it has a high build and covers real well. Professionals will call this Drywall Finishing Level 0, because technically the drywall is just hung and not finished. What color did you choose? The cost of a gallon of basic flat latex paint is usually considerably less than that of top-quality finish paint. Drywall: When drywall is used in a garage, the installers seldom finish it to the same level they do interior walls. If you’re going to be using a latex paint (which is more common), then you’ll want to use a latex texture. We are Carla and Tony, and we would like to welcome you to Cheapest House on the Block, a place where we share and you can share everything about your home ownership experience and do it yourself home improvement projects. And 1 gallon of PVA primer will save you at least a gallon of paint. Definitely move your car to the driveway for a few days while you finish up. If the garage walls are 9 feet high, select panels that are 54 inches wide. Garages slope slightly so that any liquids that spill on the floor will run out towards the garage door. over it. Priming the finished garage walls and ceiling, Using a brush to prime the garage foundation. Either way, it’s good to have a helper hold the drywall in place while you secure it with drywall screws. I just finished installing new drywall in my garage and have primed it. Homeowners and Do-It-Yourselfers argue whether to use interior or exterior paint for your garage. Here’s how I’m transforming my garage into something I can be proud to show off to others. amzn_assoc_region = "US"; Obviously, I understand and respect everyone’s choices/preferences/taste, but in my opinion, it just doesn’t look right. In a couple of places, the tape started to bubble up from the surface because I didn’t have enough joint compound underneath the tape. Check the edges on your blades. That’s why some people choose to use a skim coat, just to even out the surface and make it consistent. If you missed a step in my garage drywall project, you can check them out here: If I can do it, so can you. The most common drywall panel size measures 4 feet by 8 feet, and if the garage walls are 8 foot high, that's the optimal size. Drywall primer is not the same as paint. I chose and painted the walls using a light blue, it is not too overwhelming and it looks good with the gray floors. Best overall: Rust-Oleum 2004 Zinsser Bulls Eye 1-2-3 White Water-Based Primer Sealer. If you don’t have someone around, you can invest in a drywall lift which holds the panel in place until you can screw it in. Since I had pretty much everything out or organized in the middle of the garage, it didn’t take long to finish the job, as usual, most of the time was spent trimming the edges so as not to make a mess, especially close to the floor and the white ceiling, which I ended up painting later on with an even smaller 1-inch brush. This is because of its high-bonding technology on elegant painting surfaces of any wall type. To drywall a garage your car will be snug against the ceiling a fresh sheet drywall... Highlight any imperfections in the home, including drying time but there ’ s left your... 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