I have a garage that is 22 feet by 18 feet. It does not have a ceiling but it has a roof and everything. One side is the wall that it shared with the house. And the other side is the outside wall. I intend to screw in a 22 feet 2×4 stud to the side walls. Then use 18 feet long 2×4 studs across resting them on top of the 22 feet long studs on the walls. I will then screw them in. I add the 18 feet studs every 16 inches all the way to the end. Finally I like to add drywall to the bottom of the 18 feet studs to have a drywall ceiling. Is this okay and safe. Thanks
Use 20 feet 2×4 studs to add a ceiling in the garage
garage
Related Solutions
You actually have a couple of options in this case. The easiest option would be to simply use 12 ft sheets of 5/8 fire rated sheetrock and rent a lift to do the ceiling with. A lift is very easy to use and almost makes it a one person job. Personnally, I'd also use 5/8 on the walls as well. As BMitch already mentioned, mount the wall sheets horizonally and stagger the vertical joints. You can use 2X4 nailers, (fire breaks) at the 4ft OC point, but not really necessary. You will not see any bowing or cupping with 5/8" at 24" OC on walls.
The second, and BEST option would be to install 3/4" strapping 12" OC across the field of the ceiling, and around the parameter. This will give you a lot more surface area to screw the drywall to and make aligning joints a lot easier, especially if the 24" joists are not perfectly spaced or square. Putting up strapping is quick and easy if you have a nail gun. Use 4D ring nails. Ring nails will hold tight and not loosen over time.
Hint: Use a chalk line on rock to mark backer locations before you hang it, or you can also mark the location of your joists or strapping on the wall before you lift the rock into place. Secure the rock with a few screws to hold it in place, then use the marks to snap a quick chalk line marking the location of your strapping. This will assure you hit a solid spot with every screw. Ceiling screws should be no more than 16 inches apart.
Update: From the photo provided, it doesn't appear to be a safety plate. I'm leaving this answer in case someone else comes here searching on metal behind their drywall.
If that's a steel safety plate you're hitting, then the answer is "no" you don't want to drill through it. It's installed to prevent accidentally nailing through the drywall, into the joists, and into some electrical or plumbing that's very close on the other side. Go 6" along the joist and try again, and if you hit wood instead of metal, thank the last person that was kind enough to install this plate.
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Best Answer
2x4’s at 16” o.c. spanning 18’ will not work. They’ll sag under their own weight, much less adding a layer of gypsum board.
The Code requires a minimum live load of 10 lbs. per square foot for limited storage (maximum clear space between new floor joists and roof joists of 42”) and 20 lbs. for uninhabitable storage space. (See IRC Table R301.5.)
If you want to use 2x4’s, I’d add a mid-span support, like a 2x4 extending from the 2x4’s up to the roof joists. If the roof joists don’t align with the 2x4’s below, you can add a 2x4 strongback the length of the garage. This will give you an allowable live load of about 24 lbs. per square foot and a dead load of about 4 lbs. per square foot, (joists at 16” o.c. and gypsum board on bottom),depending on the species and grade.
If you don’t want to use a mid-span brace, you could use 2x8’s at 24” o.c.
(BTW, your drawing shows 16” BETWEEN joists and it should be ON CENTER. Oh, and the first joist from the wall should be 16” o.c. From face of wall to its center.)