Garage walls with all drywall sheathing

[Mike Lamb]

Is it okay to sheath the exterior walls of a garage using only drywall?

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[palmettoinspect]

Gypsum makes an "exterior" grade drywall sheathing. It's seen on many many older 1960-80s homes in my neck of the woods.

http://www.americangypsum.com/products/ ... -sheathing

ETA: Typically somewhere on the paper it should read "exterior sheathing" or something similar.

[kurt]

Is it Denshield? Maybe Densglass Firegard?

[Tom Raymond]

Very common here on 60s stuff. Never seen it on anything newer.

[kurt]

We got a lot of restrictive weird fire code stuff in Chicago. Could be fire code related. We've done some jobs where we have to put on 3 layers of 5/8's on exterior walls to meet code.

[Marc]

That doesn't fly here in residential, just commercial.

Maybe it's just the local muni authority that prohibits it.

Marc

[mlparham]

Is it okay to sheath the exterior walls of a garage using only drywall?

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What is the exterior siding and age of the home?

[Mike Lamb]

It's standard drywall with vinyl siding. There was a Tyvek MB. About 2007. I would think OSB or plywood would be needed somewhere at least for lateral bracing. There were no signs of structural problems.

[BADAIR]

gypsum board & diagonal metal strap with other components are code approved materials for lateral bracing when properly installed & where allowed...consult ahj for further & see the consolidated 8 methods allowed at this link

http://www.jlconline.com/how-to/framing ... -the-irc_o