How to plaster this garage (pics inside)

[jinks]

Hi - moved into a house and would like to convert the garage into a workable space, a design/photogrtaphic studio. I intend to keep garage doors attached so it's effectively a posh garage that can be comfortably worked in during the cold months.

I am debating whether to do any of the work myself or just throw some money at a builders; but to be honest I haven't a clue what fit's my needs the best and don't want to rely on builders telling me in case I end up with something that is overkill for my needs and budget. I have some coming to quote next week but would love to get some honest opinions from 'real' people first

Basically - I want the walls to be smooth and white, the same for the ceiling and the floor can be light grey epoxy. Assumedly the walls will need insulating as well. I have read about plastering, drylining, celotex, stud walls, timber frames, Gyplyner etc and I don't know what any of them are.

Do I need to worry about damp at all?

I will keep the garage doors but probably replace them for side hung doors so they won't have gaps like the current up and over style?

Size is roughly 5.1mx5.1m and 2.4m high.

Thanks for any help!

 

[roy c]

Have you got any damp coming thru the garage walls? What is on the other side of the walls? Is it rendered and painted. If you don't have a problem with damp and it is dry in the garage then I would either render the walls with sand and cement and paint it white. It looks like the ceiling is skimmed ,am I right? If so then just paint that white as well.. You would probably get away with one coat of render floated up on the walls .If you want the walls insulated then you could go down the Dot and Dab route. Which would mean dabbing polystyrene backed plaster board on to the walls. Depending on the thickness of the poly backed boards you should get quite a good thermal value. And if you are just going to paint the floors I would leave a gap between floor and boards, maybe get a sheet of 25mm polystyrene and cut a 2" strip and lay it along the wall and put the boards on it so there is no bridging from floor to wall. You can always trim it when its finished. You could have the boards skimmed and painted or just have the gaps between boards drylined and paint the boards. I personally would have them taped and skimmed because if you are using the walls for a back drop for photography then you don't want to see any joins, as you might if its dry lined (depending on who dry lines it!!) Hope this has given you a bit of "Food for Thought" . No doubt the other lads will have ideas as well....

 

[jinks]

Hi, not sure about damp. Yes the ceiling is skimmed. Why leave a gap between floor and boards? Sorry im a bit clueless!

 

[roy c]

Cant give you any advice if you don't know wether you have damp or not, so best to find out, The polystyrene on the floor under the boards is just a precaution on damp tracking back up the boards...