Browse Forums Renovation + Home Improvement 1 Dec 03, 2014 4:20 pm Hi, First post here. I am looking to enclose my carport to make a garage and I am not sure whether to use bricks or drywall My intention is to enclose as per the sketch. Install one or two windows for natural light and install a roller shutter (approx 2.5m wide) for rear vehicle access. The outside will then be rendered to match the remainder of the house. My initial thoughts and concerns regarding the two methods are as follows: Drywall Pros: Can be done DIY Will be cheaper to install Easier to remove if need be (no intention to) Drywall Cons Can be more "flimsy" if not made with heavy enough grade materials Will take a fair bit of time to install (compared with brick) Will be more mucking about to get it right for ease of installation of roller shutters and windows Render finish of drywall to apposing house bricks may not match Need to consider waterproofing for the drywall where it connects to the concrete driveway Will need to line the inside with gyprock for a clean look brick wall Pros: Stronger Render will match the house Installing windows and roller shutter "should" be easier will not need any work on the inside Probably better for resale Brick wall Cons Will be more expensive (as i wont DIY) Questions i have are as follows: 1) Does anyone have any advise in regards to which option may be better suited? 2) Will the brick wall be strong enough if the bricks are laid directly from the concrete driveway or will there be a need to provide additional fixings for support at the base? (i.e. lay first row of bricks and then drill anchors through them into the concrete driveway at ?m spacing) 3) What methods of waterproofing would be recommended if drywall was used. (my concern being in torrential downpour the water will pool against the drywall and start deteriorating the bottom, as well as entering into the garage). My thoughts are either cut in a drain in the concrete (against the drywall) or installing a flashing with some sort of seal against the concrete. Other info Concrete to ceiling height is 2310mm Perth (City of Joondalup) Appreciate any assistance. Re: Enclosing Carport Questions 5Dec 06, 2014 7:13 am Single skin brick walls aren't particularly strong. (in fact in large panels they can be fairly brittle) I would tend to go for the drywall solution. To deal with your waterproofing concerns you could lay a couple of courses of bricks and then start the drywall off that. The Harder You Try - the Luckier You Get ! Web site http://www.anewhouse.com.au Informative, Amusing, and Opinionated Blog - Over 600 posts on all aspects of building a new house. Re: Enclosing Carport Questions 7Dec 08, 2014 10:27 am Thanks for replies. I will post a couple of pictures for you to see. oldchippy Brickwork on a slab? no thickened edge or footing? I don't think think it is permissible or even advisable. Oldchippy, would you recommend Bashworth's suggestion of a few brick courses followed by drywall? Re: Enclosing Carport Questions 8Dec 08, 2014 12:25 pm In my present house, previous owners did something similar. They built a couple of courses of double bricks directly on the existing slab then built timber framed walls on top on the bricks. The timber wall sat on the inner leaf of bricks with a brick sill on top of the outer bricks (with a cavity between the 2 rows of bricks.) The main problem was this bridged the existing termite barriers and the termites moved in and cause quite a lot of damage before they were discovered. Whichever wall construction you choose, termite protection will be required. Re: Enclosing Carport Questions 9Dec 31, 2014 3:58 pm There are so many cladding options available and you mentioned some pro's and con's of each. I think it would come down to which criteria is most important for you. Have you thought about thermal considerations? Acoustic? Beetaloo mentioned termites as well. What will the exterior look like, i.e, will it tie in or look like an obvious add-on? Are you doing the whole lot yourself? Ease and time of install to think about. Not a fan of bricks-messy to build with, take a long time, thermally poor and one row of bricks won't do much. Have you considered Hebel panels (lightweight concrete panels with little air bubbles), or even EPS (foam) panels? Timber or steel framed? Home is where the lot is Construction commenced 3rd November 2014 You can really use anything you want the main consideration would be how it looks once painted/finished - or the look you want. Cabinetmakers use MDF because its cheap… 2 9943 Personally, considering your layout (study/work desks in bedrooms), I don't think you have any other option but to leave NW windows and make them as big as possible e.g.… 7 10454 We had this happen to us last year and got charged a variation. Try and give away as much as you can that is usable to charity otherwise if you are in Sydney I have a… 1 4477 |