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wrote:
I have built a two story 30' x 40' stick framed shop. The main floor
is separated into two sections, one which I plan to insulate, houses my
machine tools, the other I use for welding, car repair etc. Niether
area is panelled yet and I tying to decide how I should go about it.
My current idea for the welding area is to cover the lower 48" with
cement board ($30 for a 4 X 8 sheet) and the remainder with Aspenite
covered in flame retardent paint ($11 for a 4 x 8 sheet). I do not
want to use drywall because I do not want to tape it and it will get
all bashed up. Does anyone have an opinion on the flame retardent
paint?

stan

Others have recommended drywall. I hate taping/sanding, so in my 2
story garage/shop I'm gonna do plaster. With a skim-coat system, the
"lath" is basically drywall (with a blue paper that holds plaster
better). You screw it onto the studs just like drywall and tape with a
fiberglass-mesh, self-adhesive tape. I plan to apply the skim coat and
then smooth it out moderately well, and paint it. No need to sand, and
the wall will have a trowelled stucco look to it. A bonus to this
method is that plaster is so much harder (and dent-resistant) than
drywall with joint compound. Properly smoothed plaster is very hard
work, though, 'cause you have to wait until the plaster is set stiff,
then *lean* into it with the trowel to get that nice smooth finish. My
method requires a lot less work, and very little skill, and the result
should look good (at least that's the plan). I should be starting it in
about a month.

I also plan to use cement board (Hardi Panel) for the bottom 4' in the
garage bays, just to resist abuse.

As for fire resistance, you may notice that many (most?) fire-rated
safes use regular gypsum board as the fireproofing material.

Joe