Garages are used for storage, parking automobiles, and even entertainment. It’s up to you how you use your garage. However, you might be wondering: is it worth it to drywall my garage?
Drywalling your garage will make it more appealing and increase your garage’s lifespan. Drywall also generally increases a home’s resale value. It’s also straightforward and affordable to install or to have a professional install it for you. Drywall can help with fire safety and noise suppression.
Essentially, your decision on drywalling should be based on how you want to use the garage. In this article, we’ll cover all your questions about drywalling your garage.
Should You Drywall A Garage?
Drywall is a building material used to reinforce ceilings and walls. Ideally, this is a finishing material that enhances the appeal of the ceiling and walls. Drywall is a processed sheet of gypsum.
Gypsum is a sulfate mineral with unique characteristics. These qualities allow the drywall to be used in various building applications, including walls and ceilings. The best part is that gypsum is non-flammable and very soluble in water.
To make gypsum suitable for drywalling, it is first heated. This ensures that any all-natural water in the material is eliminated.
The substance is then rehydrated and blended with various additions. Drywall can add some level of protection and a remarkable appeal to your garage.
Does Installing Drywall in Your Garage Increase the Value of Your Home?
Yes, drywalling your garage may make it stand out from the competition when the time comes for you to sell it. While this does not legally enhance the sale price, it may be the determining factor for a buyer when choosing between your house and a comparable option.
When you spend more time in your garage, you may wonder if the area should be drywalled.
Drywall has a variety of advantages. You can also make it a do-it-yourself project with the right equipment and knowledge.
Drywall your garage for the most professional finish. Drywall, with insulation, may help maintain a more comfortable temperature in your garage throughout the year. Adding drywall to your garage can help increase the value of your property.
While it is possible to hang drywall by oneself, building laws differ by state.
Always consult your local building codes to ensure that your project is safe and compliant. Drywalling your garage is a fantastic way to enhance the space and make it seem more connected to the rest of your home.
What Are The Benefits Of Adding Drywall To Your Garage?
Drywall is a revolutionary building material that has altered the way ceilings and walls are built. Its benefits include enhanced efficiency, protection, great appeal, and simplicity of construction.
However, these aren’t the only advantages of installing drywall, especially in your garage.
Fire Safety
Your garage can be compared to an industrial facility that can easily catch fire because of chemicals, detergents, and other harmful products. How should you handle or avoid garage fires?
While using a fire extinguisher to put out a fire is simple, avoiding one in the first place should be the goal. After all, as they say, prevention is better than a cure.
So, how might drywall prevent garage fires? Well, drywall is made of gypsum, which is a fire-resistant material. This makes drywall a wonderful choice for a garage full of chemicals, power equipment, or other dangers.
If you intend to turn your garage into a workshop, you’ll probably be doing a lot of automotive work there. Working with combustible petroleum products is hazardous. Putting up drywall will help avoid garage fires.
It Suppresses Noise
Aside from minimizing garage fires, drywall also helps keep garage noise down. This is useful if you want to turn your garage into a workshop. It’s also great if you live in a noisy neighborhood or have stringent HOA noise regulations.
While this is a desirable feature, drywall is not completely soundproof.
However, it does reduce the intensity of noise from your garage. If you plan to do a lot of physical labor in your garage, drywall is an excellent investment.
Excellent Visibility and Lighting
Drywall provides optimum illumination and can improve visibility in your garage. You don’t have to paint it since drywall’s naturally bright surface ensures outstanding reflection.
However, this doesn’t mean you can’t paint your drywall. You might want to paint your drywall an even lighter tint, or maybe a darker one to make it less bright. In a garage, visibility is key. No one wants to be blinded when working with sharp things in the garage, right?
Drywall Increases Garage Value
Drywalling your garage will increase its resale value. Most purchasers want a clean, new house with creative drywalling.
If you want to sell your home soon, utilizing drywall is a terrific way to boost both the cosmetic value of your garage and home as well as the market value of your entire property.
Creating a Cozy Environment
Using drywall in your garage might help keep it cool throughout the summer. Drywall may also help keep the heat in when it is paired with insulation. You need to consider moisture issues, though.
Condensation is a major problem in my garage. Garage walls can be damaged if there’s too much moisture on them, so be careful.
If your garage is prone to condensation, invest in a dehumidifier for it. You may also save thousands of dollars in repairs by insulating your walls and preventing your pipes from freezing.
This can help keep the air conditioner set to cool if you live in a tropical climate.
How Much Does It Cost to Drywall Your Garage?
A standard one-car garage can cost between $1,200 and $3,600 to install. A two-car garage can cost between $1,400 and $4,200. A three-car garage can cost between $1,700 and $5,200 to install using a contractor or an expert.
There are a few cost estimates available online, but they don’t include all of the costs associated with installing drywall. Here, I’ll go in-depth and cover everything you need to know.
How much does drywalling a garage cost? If you do it yourself, plan to spend around $300 on supplies and tools (approximately $0.50 per square foot). If you hire a contractor, budget between $1 and $2 per square foot, depending on the smoothness of the wall.
Here is a break down of the cost of drywalling a two-car garage:
- There are eight drywall sheets (each costing $11)
- Compound for $88, ($13 per unit). Drywall tape costs $13.00
- It’s only $6 for a plastic mud pan
- $4 for a 6-inch stainless steel tape knife
- $10 for a 12-inch blue steel tape knife
- $10 for a corner trowel and a 15-pound pole sander
- A three-pack of sandpaper costs $15
- In the end, it cost a total of $176
- A 10’ by 20’ wall costs $176, whereas a whole garage costs $300
These prices will vary depending on the area you live in and the quality of materials you decide to go with. These are going to be averages for what the average homeowner spends.
The above is basically a breakdown for a first-time homeowner who has never put up drywall. I suggest hiring a professional if you’re drywalling the living room or any other common space.
Finally, the entire cost of my supplies for my 10′ x 20′ garage wall came to $107, which works out to $0.53 per square foot.
For first-time homeowners, it could take time to achieve the desired finish, especially if you’re a perfectionist. If you’d prefer to avoid the stress and time, hire an expert to get the work done.