# Eiminating Drywall Ceiling in Attached Garage



## Alejogb (Apr 4, 2015)

I live in Dallas just so that you get a picture of the weather here. Up in the 90-100 degrees in the summer.

But first, to describe my setup. I have a 2-car attached garage in my house. It shares one common wall with the house and the other 3 walls are exterior walls. All three exterior walls have soffit vents all around and currently I have a turbine roof vent right above the garage.The ceiling height is 8 feet and it has a single garage door. The distance from the top of the ceiling joists to the highest point of the roof deck is approximately 4' and tapers off from there. The roof peek is centered over the garage and runs from the front of the garage to the back. I do not believe there is a ridge vent installed on the peek over the garage. The attic space above the garage is shared to the attic space over the rest of the house. The ceiling above the garage is not insulated.

OK, now that I've descibed my setup, I ONLY want to remove the drywall ceiling above the garage (Nothing else). Why?
a) have more space for things - there's not really room up there to install a drop down ladder and floor the space up there. I would use the studs that currently hold the sheetrock in place to store some items (nothing heavy). I would have greater access this way by using a step ladder.
b) have more ventilation - as it is, the garage in the summer stays about 10 degrees cooler than the attic and for those that live in Texas, THAT'S REALLY HOT!  I figured the soffit vents, turbine roof vent and possible ridge vent might do the job but I am guessing the drywall ceiling prevents it really from going anywhere. Maybe I am wrong. In the summer it gets mainly hot when you park your car in the garage. In the winter time, the garage does stay pretty warm...but then again, I'd rather have it cool in the summer than warm in the winter.
c) It would add character to my garage and make it seem more open.

I do plan to extend the common wall up to the roof deck and seal it, Separating the rest of the attic from the garage area.

My concerns:

1. My wife thinks it would lower the value of the home should we consider selling it. I think once I finish it, others will enjoy the added space and new look of the garage.

2. Someone mentioned in a previous post that the ceiling serves as a firewall that may be mandatory. Not sure if this is the case.

3. I have never had bug issues. Get the usual spiders, wasps, etc..but nothing in excess. And I am sure having the drywall ceiling limits their ability to go any higher. Having the open space, I think may develop into several spider webs etc....and possibly give better access to pests that could eat the wood (termites, carpenter ants). I do have pest control that comes and treats my house quarterly. So far, no problems.

Your thoughts regarding this idea are appreciated.

Thank you,

Al 


Thanks in advance!


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## oldognewtrick (Apr 4, 2015)

The ceiling has nothing to do with ventilation or restricting it. The soffits are above the ceiling and air is intake there and exhausted through the turbine vent.

You should NEVER mix ridge vent with any other form of exhaust ventilation.

Are you just wanting to remove dry wall or are you wanting to remove structure (ceiling joists) Just removing the drywall will not give you any more attic space. Cut an access panel in the center of the ceiling and then insulate the attic area would be my :2cents:


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## Alejogb (Apr 4, 2015)

Thank you for your reply. Just to clarify, there is no ridge  vent. 

I do not want to remove any ceiling joists. By removing the drywall, it will allow me use the existing ceiling joists to put things in on top them without having an access panel and just use a step ladder.


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## bud16415 (Apr 4, 2015)

I don&#8217;t see any problem with removing the drywall ceiling  as long as the wall you add back in to the attic above the house is fire rated. Check your code for that but a clue will be how thick the wall is done in now. Most likely 5/8 thk. 

As to the value of the house unless you plan  on selling soon I always say make a house the way you want it for yourself and don&#8217;t worry about resale that much with things like this. I wouldn&#8217;t add a million dollar addition in a neighborhood where all the houses are priced at 100k but that&#8217;s different. 

Trusses and joists are not designed to carry a lot of extra load but you will be able to at least add stuff  up there equal to the weight of the drywall and a bit more. 

Oldog is correct you wont help with cooling the garage space I think it may even get warmer with removing the ceiling.


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## CallMeVilla (Apr 4, 2015)

A call to the city will reveal any code restriction on the ceiling.  You certainly need fire resistant drywall on the common wall with the house.  All penetrations must be sealed for both fire and possible auto exhaust migration.  That said, If you leave the framing intact, you can use the space for light storage.  However, engineered trusses are not designed to hold heavy dead loads.

How to proceed?  Cut an access hole so you can get pics.  Post them here for some better informed feedback.

Reassure wife the problem will be solved.


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## schlich (Apr 9, 2015)

here is the problem if you had a fire it would expose the whole house to fire


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## bud16415 (Apr 10, 2015)

schlich said:


> here is the problem if you had a fire it would expose the whole house to fire




 Can someone explain how removing the ceiling and building a new fire rated break wall covering the opening into the peak of the main house will expose the whole house to increased risk of fire? Is there a code violation in doing this? 

  I know quite a few people that have garages built exactly this way. I have never been a fan of attached garages in the first place but I dont see the added risk in doing it one way or the other.


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## nealtw (Apr 10, 2015)

In duplexes now, they put up 5/8 fire rated. two layers and tape it.


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## CallMeVilla (Apr 10, 2015)

Well Bud, it doesn't IF you use the approach indicated by Neal.

Providing a minimum one hour "fire wall" separates the house from the garage.  The garage is where a flammable car or chemicals might be and where a fire can originate.  Hence, the code to provide a barrier so the fire department has time to kill the fire before it involves the house.

This concept is common in commercial and hospital construction too.  Frequently, you see the blueprints requiring a "one hour corridor" which gives people a safe exit path and firemen a safe entry point to beat the flames.  

So, this garage can easily be converted to storage depending on the type of roof framing he has.  Adding fire resistant drywall to the common wall is clearly necessary.


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## Sparky617 (Apr 10, 2015)

With the roof deck exposed and a common firewall between the house and the garage a fire could start in the garage and start the roof deck on fire and cause the house roof to go with it.  

Not exactly the same thing but here in NC about 10 years ago a number of townhomes went up on a windy day.  A cigarette thrown into pine straw used for mulch started a fire, it ignited the vinyl siding, went up the outside walls into the attic via the vinyl soffit and caught the roof on fire.  The fire spread quickly even with firewalls between units.  They have since outlawed pine straw in multi-family dwellings.  I wouldn't use it near any house with vinyl siding.


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## nealtw (Apr 10, 2015)

Sparky617 said:


> With the roof deck exposed and a common firewall between the house and the garage a fire could start in the garage and start the roof deck on fire and cause the house roof to go with it.
> 
> Not exactly the same thing but here in NC about 10 years ago a number of townhomes went up on a windy day.  A cigarette thrown into pine straw used for mulch started a fire, it ignited the vinyl siding, went up the outside walls into the attic via the vinyl soffit and caught the roof on fire.  The fire spread quickly even with firewalls between units.  They have since outlawed pine straw in multi-family dwellings.  I wouldn't use it near any house with vinyl siding.



Bark much and trees can be bad too.


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## CallMeVilla (Apr 11, 2015)

Our fire hazards in CA are no less than yours.  Thousands of homes with unfinished garages (exposed wall and roof framing) are built here TO CODE.  Somehow we manage to survive.  Go figure.


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## Sparky617 (Apr 11, 2015)

CallMeVilla said:


> Our fire hazards in CA are no less than yours.  Thousands of homes with unfinished garages (exposed wall and roof framing) are built here TO CODE.  Somehow we manage to survive.  Go figure.




I believe even in California the current code would require the common walls and ceiling in a garage to be finished.   

When my house was built they didn't finish the exterior walls, so I did within the first year of living in the house.  I also did a final coat of drywall compound, sanded and painted the whole garage.  It looks much better than the way the builder left it with a tape coat and plain drywall.


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## Sparky617 (Apr 11, 2015)

nealtw said:


> Bark mulch and trees can be bad too.




Not nearly as bad as pine straw.  I'm not a huge fan of vinyl siding.  I wouldn't want it close to the ground if I had it.  And if I did I certainly wouldn't use pine straw anywhere near it.

Pine straw is a very popular mulch in the the SE USA.


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## CallMeVilla (Apr 11, 2015)

FYI, California Building Code (R 302.6 cf) indicates a minimum of only 1/2" gypsum board separation between garages and dwelling spaces.  I use 3/4" fire rated.  There is no indication in the state code requiring garages to be finished.


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## Sparky617 (Apr 12, 2015)

CallMeVilla said:


> FYI, California Building Code (R 302.6 cf) indicates a minimum of only 1/2" gypsum board separation between garages and dwelling spaces.  I use 3/4" fire rated.  There is no indication in the state code requiring garages to be finished.



I didn't say there was.  Common walls and/or ceiling need to be finished but exterior walls do not.   In the OPs case taking the drywall to the roof deck should satisfy the requirement but it would expose the underside of the roof deck to fire and allow it to spread to the building.

In my own house I finished the exterior walls to give the garage a more finished look and to protect the insulation I installed in it.  It also protects the wood structure holding the bonus room above up from a fire within the garage.  It wasn't required by code, but doing it myself probably cost me $200 and some time.


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