Plywood-ing my shop walls? Question

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Snattlerake

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Snattlerake

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1/2 inch, 3/4 inch, 5/8 inch, Decide what area you are going to hang up the heavy stuff and use 3/4.
1/2 inch for pegboard and workbenches. Definitely use hardware cloth, not screen material on the bottom for rodents, sneks, waspppssssses.

While in AZ visiting my son a few weeks ago, I helped him figure out some perplexing electrical wiring he had and helped him install LED can lights with dimmers. We found a switch to a light in a most contorted, discombobulated spot in the kitchen.

We fixed that and then concentrated on the little problems and got all of his electrical issues sorted out. We found another switch to the same light just inside the front door which was wired to the switch next to it in the same box. You had to have both switches on for the light to work. His bathroom GFCI wasn't getting power so we tore into that and found out it wasn't even wired properly to even get power. Fixed that and he's now got a safe, working electrical system.

Yeah, us fathers need stuffies to do, we just can't sit on our cans. I plan on going back this spring to help with the shop.
 
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Parks 788

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If you have room and do any welding/grinding/cutting torch work. May I suggest using metal on the walls where you do such at. Make a dedicated area for such work. I lined all my shops I built with seconds/blemish metal panels. But a guy could just install it on a dedicated area.
That a great point. I do have welders and grinders, etc. Luckily the prior owners were goat farmers and used the shop to milk the goats so all 4 interior walls have a 4' tall run of a shallow corrugated galvanized metal I plan on taking off to install the plywood. Have probably 150 lineal feet of this stuff I can put up against the walls in those areas. Great idea, so thank you.
 

Parks 788

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Lots of great ideas so I appreciate you all chiming in. Didn't even think about the wire mesh at the bottom to keep rodents out. I'll pick up several rolls of the 1/4" and install in at the bottom. I am going to have to get some more 3"x 1.5" red iron rectangle studs to weld into place where the plywood seems but up to each other to make the joints more solid. The reason for using the thicker 19 or 23/32 or 3/4" plywood is that the spacing between the red iron studs can be up to 4' apart in many areas so the screwing off of the plywood just makes for a more solid wall with the thicker wood. It's not like there are verticle studs every 16" or 24" on center to screw to.

I'll give the 1/2" plywood a second look once I start prepping the area for the work. Going to wait until I know when they will be coming out and then wait for the week before to get the wood. Hoping the price of lumber may drop more between now and April/May to save some money on cost of materials.

Now gotta research what are the best quality self tapping metal screws to use that aren't junk. If there is such a thing.
 

Snattlerake

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Lots of great ideas so I appreciate you all chiming in. Didn't even think about the wire mesh at the bottom to keep rodents out. I'll pick up several rolls of the 1/4" and install in at the bottom. I am going to have to get some more 3"x 1.5" red iron rectangle studs to weld into place where the plywood seems but up to each other to make the joints more solid. The reason for using the thicker 19 or 23/32 or 3/4" plywood is that the spacing between the red iron studs can be up to 4' apart in many areas so the screwing off of the plywood just makes for a more solid wall with the thicker wood. It's not like there are verticle studs every 16" or 24" on center to screw to.

I'll give the 1/2" plywood a second look once I start prepping the area for the work. Going to wait until I know when they will be coming out and then wait for the week before to get the wood. Hoping the price of lumber may drop more between now and April/May to save some money on cost of materials.

Now gotta research what are the best quality self tapping metal screws to use that aren't junk. If there is such a thing.

Instead of rediron studs you could use regular metal studs for houses and commercial buildings or even H clips for roof sheathing.

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These not only self drill, they self tap into the metal. Torx head for no camming out like a Phillips head. The wings break off when they encounter the metal allowing the tapping to begin.
 
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Ahall

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Some gap between the plywood/ osb is a must to allow the plywood to move as it changes in moisture.

If you’re mounting to red iron the winged screws work well

You can also get a box of the Sheetrock screws with fine threads for metal studs. If you pre drill the red iron a size smaller they go right in.

Get a handful of drills and screwdriver bits.
You also want some play room in the holes in the plywood
 

okierider

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Hold the plywood at least 1/2 inch off the concrete. Any water that gets in the bldg will leach up into any sitting on concrete.
What is the span between C channel ?
That will also dictate 1/2 or 3/4 plywood . If running 1/2 and the span is more than 2 feet I would back the joints with 2x4 to keep the ply from warping . The metal clips will let it warp in those good old Okie muggy months.
 

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