What material do you suggest?

Question

The recent 1000 year flood we had in SC last month has sent 1 or 2 inches of water flowing through my sons garage. The garage originally had wood paneling, and it shows that it has been flooded at some time in the past also. Given the topography, I don't think it could ever flood any deeper. Looking for suggestions on what to replace the wood paneling with. I was thinking cement board for the bottom 2 ft and drywall the rest. Any suggestions for a better permanent solution would be appreciated.

TIA,

Rich

TIA,

Rich

Jerry Bruckenheimer · Answer

Polished diamond plate aluminum for a garage as wainscoting. Thin is cheapest. Instant man cave.

Account Closed · Answer

@Rich Riesmeyer Cement board is not impervious. Besides if you have flooding you'd want to remove the wallboard to inspect the inside of the wall (and electrical) for damage and to facilitate drying, so you don't have mildew growing inside.

Michael Clanton · Answer

Hi @Rich Riesmeyer,

Another solution would be to re-install drywall, but instead of sitting the first row of sheetrock panels directly on the floor level, lift them up 6-8 inches above floor level to help deter moisture from wicking up from the floor, and install a PVC 1x10 or 1x12 as a baseboard trim at the base of the walls directly on top of the garage floor. I would also recommend putting a good bead of silicone caulking between the garage floor and the PVC trim, and where the PVC trim meets the drywall. Below is a link the PVC product:

http://www.lowes.com/pd_238351-45819-2829_0__?prod...

Keep in mind - this method, nor most any other, is not going to be a totally waterproof fix in the event of a flood. If enough moisture/water is present, it WILL penetrate/saturate even the concrete floor and work its way into the wall framing and through most any wall surface you choose. It is, however, a decent protective measure that will help keep most moisture from the surface of the floor off of the drywall (or whatever wall surface you choose) under normal conditions.

Hope this helps!

Michael Woodward · Answer

@Rich Riesmeyer  You could probably use the cement board but it's a pain to install and it's really difficult to make it look good.  If it were me, I would drywall the whole thing but leave a 1/4" gap (at whatever height you prefer) between the upper and lower pieces.  After you finish the drywall, install a piece of wood molding over the crack to hide it.  After you caulk the edges of the wood trim and paint the walls, it will be barely noticeable.  If you ever have another flood, all you'll have to replace is the lower section.  That will also give you the opportunity to thoroughly dry the walls to make sure no mold grows in the damp space.

Jamie DeRossett · Answer

Hey Rich you hit the nail on the head with concrete board and drywall.  There are only 2 types of wall coverings commonly used and that is drywall and paneling. I do think the concrete board is good for the lower portion in case of future flooding.  Thanks for the post and have a great night.

Account Closed · Answer

Lauan plywood with an exterior glue; marine grade plywood; pressure-treated plywood; T1-11 plywood.

Ralph R. · Answer

as its a 1000 year flood I would replace what was there if there is a flood again  what ever is there would need to be cleaned or replaced anyways

What material do you suggest?

Most Popular Reply