How to Finish Bottom of Drywall in Garage – A Drywall Guide

A garage is a significant part of the house. But unfortunately, most garage owners keep their garages messy and unorganized. As a result, they fail to take full advantage of their garage space.

If you’re thinking about transforming your garage, you first need to frame your garage area. Then insulate the garage area properly, install drywall, and paint the garage walls.

However, if you’re struggling to install the garage drywall or worried about how to finish bottom of drywall in garage, this article is for you. Before jumping into the main topic, you need to understand why adding drywall your garage is important.

Why Should You Install Drywall In Your Garage?

When you install drywall in your garage, it gets a lot easier for you to install electrical wirings.

But when you have concrete walls in your garage, you’ll have to break some portion of the wall, which will make your garage messy, and you have to face difficulties while running wirings through the concrete wall.

Again, if you want to keep your garage space warm and comfortable, there is no alternative to installing drywall in the garage, especially when you live in colder climate areas.

It’s because when you install drywall in the garage, it’ll work like insulation and prevent your pipes from freezing.

If you live in warmer climate areas, installing garage drywall is beneficial for you as well because garage drywall will prevent hot air from coming from outside to your garage space and thus keep your garage comfortable.

Garage Drywall Installation Guide with How to Finish Bottom of Drywall in Garage

Before installing the garage drywall, you need to collect necessary tools such as a heavy cutting knife, level, T-square, marker, cordless screwdriver, tape measure, and drywall screws.

Step 1: Planning

As drywall sheets are usually 4 feet x 8 feet in size, if you have a, say, 10 feet x 20 feet garage, you’ll have to cut the panel, whether you hang the drywall panels vertically or horizontally.

However, if you’re looking for a cheap way to finish garage walls, you should hand the drywall sheets horizontally because it’ll help you reduce the drywall sheet wastage.  

Step 2: Hanging the Drywall Sheets

Before hanging the drywall sheets, you’ll have to decide whether you want to start from the bottom or top of the garage.

If your drywall sheets match your garage wall without cutting any part of the drywall panel, you should start from the bottom. Otherwise, it’s advised to start from the top of the garage wall, where it matches with the garage ceiling.

To hang the drywall sheets, always use drywall screws that are longer than the drywall width. Besides, it’s advised to use screws every 10-inches of the stud. It’ll keep the drywall secure on the garage wall. 

When you’re done with hanging the first drywall, you’ll have to install the rest of the drywall.

Step 3: Cut the Drywall Panels Where Necessary

While hanging the drywall panels, you may have to cut pieces. While cutting the garage panel, don’t leave more than a 0.25-inch gap along each edge.

For cutting the drywall panels, you can use a long level or a T-square. When you cut the drywall panel, if needed, make small adjustments and screw the panel on the wall.

Step 4: Finish the Drywall Bottom

When you’re done with installing the upper portion of the drywall, it’s time to install drywall panels at the bottom. While installing the bottom drywall panels, you’ll have to keep a small gap between the floor and the bottom of the drywall.  

It’s advised to keep 0.75-inch to 2-inches gap between the drywall and the garage floor. However, if you’re planning to do garage flooring, you’ll have to keep the extra gap between the garage floor and drywall bottom.

Because if you keep a small gap, you’ll have to break the drywall for garage flooring, which will require additional labor and increase the cost.

Again, if you want to create a water channel through your garage door or the bottom of the garage wall, you can add an L-shaped metal channel at the bottom of the drywall.

How to Finish Garage Walls Without Drywall?

Installing drywall is a great choice for covering the garage wall. However, apart from the drywall, you can follow other methods to cover your garage wall. Some of these methods are- wood paneling, metal panels, fiberglass, painting, Backerboard, storage panel, plywood, etc.

However, each has its pros and cons. For example, if you want to paint your garage wall instead of installing drywall, you can select a wide range of colors. Besides, you can do it by yourself.

You don’t have to hire a professional to cover your garage wall. And finally, painting the garage wall is inexpensive. However, when you use paints to cover the garage wall, it won’t be as durable as the drywall.

FAQs about Garage Drywall Installation

Conclusion

Once you’re done with the drywall installation, you can add cabinets and custom flooring to your garage. However, if you have no experience in drywall installation, you should hire a professional.