# Code question about drywall for firewall in garage



## Steve

If one where to construct a garage that is beneath a dwelling space and has to put drywall on the walls of such garage for a fire barrier, what is required by code on the seams of the drywall. I know a rough tape and mud job will suffice,... I wondering if you could substitute say 1x3 wood on the seams. It would be a little different and would give you some good places to hang stuff,... just don't know if it would pass code.


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## Rumajz

You would still have to tape it to meet the code or provide other fire barrier to meet the code. 
Insulated concrete form system we often use doesn't even require drywall between a garage and living space, it exceeds fire barrier requirements. I don't know what would qualify in your application instead of taping and mudding but there might be something out there. It will ultimately be your building official's call if you come up with an alternative.


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## Steve

I also wondered if finishing the interior of the garage with pole barn steel would count as a suffucient fire barrier.


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## ESOX

I doubt it. The polebarn siding wouldn't protect the studs of the living quarters sufficiently from the heat of any fire in the barn.


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## Steve

Kindof thought so Paul but I thought it was an interesting idea.


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## snowman11

Steve....

I would suggest you call the actual building inspector. I have found that there is a slight difference between what code requires and what they require, and usually it's in my favor. 

You sound very afraid of drywall.... Why? Get the premix crap, get the self adhesive tape, throw a coat of drywall mud on and yer done. Wont take more than a couple hours for the whole garage....and it'll cost you less than the 1x3's. You dont have to finish it, you just gotta seal the seams.


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## eddiejohn4

Steve you still need 5/8 drywall to meet code, and all seams need to be taped and mudded.


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## eyecatcher

They have changed the code and now allow 1/2" drywall to meet the fire wall code. It makes no sense to me and I always use 5/8s but then I always use 5/8s on all my ceilings. In a garage that is under a dwelling you need to fire stop the ceiling as well as the walls. 

Remember the building code is the bare minimum. 
you only need to tape and mud the seams and mud the screw or nail holes. Its really not all that hard to finish them gives you a better looking job.


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## Brian S.Kroll

Just built a new house up here, and put a "bonus" room over the garage.
Code required double 5/8's on the ceiling in the garage.
...Garage is also heated.


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## glnmiller

1/2" is not true in all areas. I just built a new house and the walls adjacent to the house had to be 5/8" drywall.


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## multibeard

What ever you do plan ahead where your stairway will access the second floor so it can be firewalled off.

The idiot designers for a company I worked for at one time didn't plan ahead. With the lay out there was no way to fire wall off the stairs so the poor woman could not get an occuapancy permit for the second floor.

I tried to figure out a way to make it pass after I quit that company. It was impossible with out some major renovation.

BTW I didn't build the structure originally. I just got a call from the lady to fix some screwups by the crew that did.


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## Brian S.Kroll

...That reminds me.
I also had to have fire doors at both points to the bonus room over the garage.


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## Big Reds

5/8 on ceiling and 1/2 on walls , one coat on seams and screws for code. 5/8 won't sag on ceilings like 1/2 will. 1x3's sound good for barriers, but the fastners themselves must be covered with mud to make sure if a fire should occur the barriers remain. If the fasteners heat up they will charr the wood and fall causing a gap for fire to attack the structure.... make sence?


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## firenut8190

If I remember correctly you have to have a least 1 hr rating or 1 hr of fire pretection. That means if it was to catch fire you have at least 1 hr of protection before the dryway starts to burn or fall apart and spread to the material behind the dryway and in to the house.


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## SabikiRig

Steve,

I am assuming you are going to use fire rated (type-x) rather than regular drywall. If not I would call the building inspector and check to see if the inspector will require it. 

You would not be happy if you used regular gypsum and the inspector made you rip it out or add a second layer on the ceiling after the fact.


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