If you plan to hang things on the wall in random places and still want the fire resistance of Drywall - Do both. Set all the electrical boxes for a 1" wall, hang 1/2" OSB and then 1/2" drywall. Hang stuff on the finished wall with 1-1/4" coarse drywall screws, and you can stick stuff up anywhere you want and it won't fall down.
They make thinner drywall, but it doesn't carry much of a fire rating, and thinner OSB or Plywood won't be very structural.
Oh, and you get much better shear strength against the building turning into a Parallelogram on you in the next earthquake, and higher resistance to flying debris in a severe storm or tornado - rather important if you happen to be inside said building at the time.
It'll be impossible to make an accidental hole in the wall - just don't get frustrated and try punching the wall with bare knuckles...
Mud and tape is simple enough with paper tape, apply a thin layer of mud (4" blade) that basically fuills the crack between sheets and leave a thin layer on the joint. Then you stick the paper tape to the joint, and go over it again with the 4" knife and a moderate layer of mud. This coats the paper tape and sets it well.
For a garage you can stop there - just lightly sand with a screen pad and a pole sander to knock it flat. Though a second coat of topping mud is still called for if you find big voids and skips. For the house, a second coat is mandatory, then a touch-up and application of texture coat spatter to hide any other minor imperfections.
Once you have a nice flat surface (or at least flat enough for your purposes) a coat of PVA Primer - if you try painting without priming first, the drywall will soak up gallons of paint before it starts building a finish. The primer only soaks down so far and then it stops.
It isn't that hard. Ask around at your Lowes, Home Depot, or other lumber yard if they have seminars. Most of them have DIY sessions that can get you up to speed.
I've only done drywall twice, it looked fine. I bought a book at the Home depot and followed instructions.
Besides, this is a workshop, the standards are a bit lower than in a home.
Wes
-- "Additionally as a security officer, I carry a gun to protect government officials but my life isn't worth protecting at home in their eyes." Dick Anthony Heller
Well you DON'T "have to". If you don't you are no worse off than OSB. you just have a visible joint line.
Mudding and taping is really for looks. And it ISN'T all that hard If you are willing to live with some slightly ugly joints. Texturing can hide a fair amount of that too. But what the heck it is a shop, not a living room.
It is much more resistant to fire too, and will soak up MUCH less paint. I swear OSB can soak up about a gallon a square foot (at least it feels like it) And you would want to paint the OSB, to improve lighting. jk
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