TheSamba.com :: View topic - Query about unfinished drywall in garages in US

Tue Jun 10, 2025 4:47 pm

I'm an Aussie and have a question about garage drywall not being completed.

I see lots of times in US magazines and websites (and on the SAMBA) on all sorts of topics where you see what looks like relatively new homes with garages that only have their drywall patched with filler/mud but not completed or painted.

Is this the standard for new house builds or is it a cost saving thing that the homeowner is expected to complete?

Just curious. One of my passions is building and DIY so I like to see construction methods from different countries and this just sticks out as different.

Tue Jun 10, 2025 4:51 pm

it's usually cost savings, but code (last I knew) was 5/8 sheetrock mudded and taped along any living area...meaning that if you had a room above the garage you needed the drywall up, same for the walls that abut the house.

you didn't have to paint it, but it needed to be hung and taped

Tue Jun 10, 2025 5:00 pm

Yep, not pretty, but it stops a fire.

Tue Jun 10, 2025 6:41 pm

busdaddy wrote: Yep, not pretty, but it stops a fire.

The walls and ceilings between a garage and adjacent living spaces need a fire separation because of the different use.
Drywall of appropriate thickness, with joints taped and spackled, no paint needed, does the job.

The specification for a paint finish on drywall is higher than that of cost conconcious builders and buyers.

Door between garage and attached house also needs a fire rating.

The rating may vary depending on state or local building code.

Tue Jun 10, 2025 10:06 pm

I could be wrong but I believe in Arizona the ceiling of the garage must be drywalled, even if there's no living area above it.

On my old house (Built in the 1970s) it was drywalled but the house had a small work area in the back of the garage and part of it was open to the "attic" for storage. When we sold the house, the realtor said we had to close up the hole or it would be noted on the inspection as a safety issue and we would have to fix it anyway.

I don't know if this is a law though, at least for older homes.
There are some things you have to bring up to spec on the sale of older homes and some things you do not.

Tue Jun 10, 2025 10:18 pm

Often the dry wall only need be applied in a garage on walls that are shared with the house. Since this is a fire wall, in some places it is required to be double thick, two sheets of dry wall (or perhaps one really thick one)

Wed Jun 11, 2025 2:43 am

Good eye! It’s been this way for years. I’m amazed when you go through a million dollar home hood and see unfinished garages. Owners invariably have pink hands and don’t want to get paint on them

Wed Jun 11, 2025 8:18 am

there's always the option of wallpaper... :lol:

Wed Jun 11, 2025 9:38 am

EverettB wrote: I could be wrong but I believe in Arizona the roof of the garage must be drywalled, even if there's no living area above it.

On my old house (Built in the 1970s) it was drywalled but the house had a small work area in the back of the garage and part of it was open to the "attic" for storage. When we sold the house, the realtor said we had to close up the hole or it would be noted on the inspection as a safety issue and we would have to fix it anyway.

Everett, you said roof of garage. Do you mean ceiling?

Roof meaning, drywall up near the roof shingles or probably tiles in your area.

Wed Jun 11, 2025 9:47 am

viiking wrote: I see lots of times in US magazines and websites (and on the SAMBA) on all sorts of topics where you see what looks like relatively new homes with garages that only have their drywall patched with filler/mud but not completed or painted.

Is this the standard for new house builds or is it a cost saving thing that the homeowner is expected to complete?

Just curious. One of my passions is building and DIY so I like to see construction methods from different countries and this just sticks out as different.

In large scale new construction, living area drywall gets the bare minimum, "blow and go" color coating. Not particularly sealed well and new owners would be wise to seal it with a good primer and topcoat with the colors of their choice. Unfinished drywall is porous. For this reason it is wise to at least seal it, especially in an an area where temperature and humidity is not controlled (garages, for example). I spent a number of years working for a paint company that catered to contractors as opposed to homeowners. In large scale developments, contractors used the cheapest "paint" they could get away with. Those working on individual custom built homes usually used the high end products.

Wed Jun 11, 2025 10:33 am

With the popularity of wall shelves and racks, leaving the stud locations evident is also an advantage.

But it's to be cheap.

Wed Jun 11, 2025 12:30 pm

Xevin wrote: EverettB wrote: I could be wrong but I believe in Arizona the roof of the garage must be drywalled, even if there's no living area above it.

On my old house (Built in the 1970s) it was drywalled but the house had a small work area in the back of the garage and part of it was open to the "attic" for storage. When we sold the house, the realtor said we had to close up the hole or it would be noted on the inspection as a safety issue and we would have to fix it anyway.

Everett, you said roof of garage. Do you mean ceiling?

Roof meaning, drywall up near the roof shingles or probably tiles in your area.

Yes, ceiling, not the roof. I use those interchangeably sometimes, not sure why.
I will correct my post above

Yes, the roofs here are usually asphalt shingles or tiles

Wed Jun 11, 2025 1:22 pm

Garages in the US are usually sheet rocked, but hardly ever painted. A pet peeve of mine. People just don’t care. Mine only has pegboard on the outside walls. The ceiling and shared walls are dry walled and painted. And if you ever watch a house flipping show, the garage is never shown. Unless the turn it into living space. My stairway for the basement was dry walled and not painted. I painted it before I had my first big party.

Wed Jun 11, 2025 1:28 pm

A better option in a garage are FRP....fiber reinforced plastic....wall panels. We use them in factories all the time. They have nice rubber strip joints. They make it easy to literally wash the walls if you need to. You can put them in place of sheetrock or do like many do and put them over sheetrock with construction adhesive.

Quote: FRP panels are available in Class A and Class C fire ratings FRP panels meet the fire safety standards. They are an excellent choice for commercial kitchens, garages, and restaurants as they can contain flames and smoke.

Depending on Texture, thickness etc....these can range from ~$25 to $45 per 4' x 8' sheet.

Ray

Thu Jun 12, 2025 7:13 am

raygreenwood wrote: A better option in a garage are FRP....fiber reinforced plastic....wall panels. We use them in factories all the time. They have nice rubber strip joints. They make it easy to literally wash the walls if you need to. You can put them in place of sheetrock or do like many do and put them over sheetrock with construction adhesive.

Quote: FRP panels are available in Class A and Class C fire ratings FRP panels meet the fire safety standards. They are an excellent choice for commercial kitchens, garages, and restaurants as they can contain flames and smoke.

Depending on Texture, thickness etc....these can range from ~$25 to $45 per 4' x 8' sheet.

Ray

Yes Ray exactly what I plan to use in our new 8X20 shed. Unfortunately our 1925 house didn’t have suitable driveway space for the width of modern car.

Thu Jun 12, 2025 8:31 am

Cost. The drywall in my garage is finished, textured and painted. I had never seen a garage with textured walls before. My house was very high end when built in '77. Not so high end now. :D

Thu Jun 12, 2025 12:07 pm

It isn't just fire rating (although that's a very important point), it's also about keeping fumes out of the living spaces in homes with attached garages.
A proper drywalled, taped, and mudded garage will keep dangerous off gasses and automobile fumes from entering the living areas.

If you care about your families health making sure there are no leaks from cheap construction between the garage and the rest of your home is a simple precaution.

Thu Jun 12, 2025 2:26 pm

Good point, I also recall when I did my shop that the wiring had to be done differently if it wasn't going to be covered by drywall, armored cables and steel boxes IIRC.

Fri Jun 13, 2025 2:30 pm

Ultimately it comes down to cost. A house is built, the painters come in and aren’t paid to paint the garage, and it stays bare.

Fri Jun 13, 2025 2:47 pm

It is a cost thing.

A builder pays the General Contractor & they allot certain monies to pay subcontractors. The further down the "food chain" the less is available.
Even multimillion dollar buildings have corners cut - hollow spaces under tiles, cracked window frames, & no where near enuff insulation.
"Builder quality" should be included with jumbo shrimp & small crowd.

Another factor mite be whether a garage mounted water heater is gas or electric.

I know enuff to get in trouble ... stay safe

jinx