Garage Drywall Installation — Hung and Fire Taped, or Finished
A garage with bare studs and insulation hanging out, or one a builder left fire taped and you want it finished — hung, taped and done to the level you want, with the separation from the house done to code.
JMB Builders does garage drywall installation across the Twin Cities metro. The walls and ceiling of an attached garage get the fire-rated board the code calls for on the house side, hung and fire taped at minimum, or taped, finished and primed if you want a painted garage. Insulation goes in first when the walls are open. Priced per project, quoted from your photos within one business day.
- Priced per project
- Rated board where the code calls for it
- Fire tape only, or full finish and prime
- Quote from photos in 1 business day
- Licensed MN contractor BC809005
The code calls for a rated separation between an attached garage and the house. That means a specific fire-rated drywall on the wall shared with the house and on the garage ceiling when there is living space above it, with every joint and screw head covered. That covering is called fire taping: tape and one coat of compound over the joints and fasteners, no finish coats, no sanding. It is what a builder does on a spec house and it is all a garage needs to pass.
Most homeowners want more than that on a garage they use every day: walls finished smooth and painted, so the garage is bright and can be cleaned. We hang the whole garage, do the rated wall and ceiling to code, and finish the rest to whatever level you want. If the walls are open, this is the time to insulate them, add blocking for shelving and a workbench, and run any wiring you want before the board goes up; we bring in an electrician for the wiring.
What you supply
- The garage cleared to the middle, or tell us and we move and cover things
- A word on what you want on the walls later: shelving, a workbench, a TV, a hose reel — so we add blocking
- Any wiring or outlets you want added, which we have an electrician do before the board goes up
- Your paint color if we are painting — painting is quoted as a separate line, or paint it yourself
What JMB supplies
- Fire-rated drywall on the house wall and the ceiling under living space, standard board elsewhere
- Batt insulation and vapor retarder in the walls and ceiling when they are open, quoted as a line
- Blocking in the studs for shelving, a bench, cabinets or a TV mount
- Board hung with the joints staggered and the screws set to the pattern the rated assembly calls for
- Fire taping: tape and one coat over every joint and screw, or a full three-coat finish and sanding
- Corner bead on outside corners and around the service door and windows
- The house-to-garage door checked for its rating and closer, and replaced if it is not right
- Primer, and painting as its own line on the quote
- Debris hauled, garage swept
- Photos of the finished garage in your job folder
How it is priced: per project
Quoted in writing from your photos within one business day. What moves the number:
- Garage size, ceiling height and whether the ceiling is being done or only the walls
- Fire tape only vs. a full finish, sanded and primed
- Insulation and vapor retarder added while the walls are open
- Blocking for shelves, cabinets and a workbench
- Old drywall or paneling to remove first
- Electrical added by the electrician before the board goes up
- Attic access, stairs or a bonus room above that change the ceiling requirement
- Painting the finished walls and ceiling, quoted as a separate line
Send a photo of each wall and the ceiling, one of the house-to-garage door, and tell us if there is living space above the garage. That decides the board and the finish.
How long it takes
A two-car garage, fire taped: two to three days. Fully finished and primed: about a week, with drying time between coats. Insulation and blocking add a day at the start.
How your project works
- 1
Send photos, get a written quote
Send three photos of the space and a sentence about what you want. You get a clear, itemized quote within one business day. We only come out to measure first when the job needs a tape measure — no pressure, no games.
- 2
Pick materials, or bring your own
We help you choose profiles and materials that fit the house and the budget, or match your existing millwork exactly — or you buy the door or trim yourself and we install it. Everything is confirmed before the crew is scheduled.
- 3
Clean, precise installation
The crew shows up on time, protects floors and furniture, and installs with tight joints and consistent reveals. Photos of the finished work go in your job folder.
- 4
Walkthrough and invoice
We walk the finished work with you. If anything is not right, we fix it before we call the job done. Then one invoice, paid by check or direct deposit — no card fees, no payment links.
Situations and options
Fire tape only
Board hung, tape and one coat over the joints and screws, no sanding. Meets the separation the code calls for, looks like a builder's garage, and is the cheapest way to close the walls.
Full finish, ready for paint
Three coats, sanded, corner bead, primed. The garage paints like a room. Choose this if you plan to keep the garage clean, hang things on it and see it every day.
Insulate and drywall
Batts and a vapor retarder in the open walls and ceiling before the board. A garage that holds some heat in January is worth it if you work in it or park in it.
Finish a builder's fire-taped garage
The house came with a taped garage and you want it done. We add the finish coats, sand, prime and paint. No new board unless something is damaged.
Garage Drywall Installation — Hung and Fire Taped, or Finished: questions, answered
What is fire taping a garage?
Fire taping is drywall tape and one coat of joint compound over every seam and screw head, with no finish coats and no sanding. It seals the joints so the rated drywall works as a barrier. It is the minimum finish for the separation between an attached garage and the house, and it is what most builders do on a new garage.
Does an attached garage have to be drywalled?
The wall between the garage and the house, and the garage ceiling when there is living space above it, have to be covered with rated drywall and fire taped. The code calls for a rated separation there; the other garage walls do not have to be covered at all. Most people do the whole garage at once because the crew is already there.
What kind of drywall goes in a garage?
Fire-rated board goes on the shared wall with the house and on the ceiling under living space. Regular board is fine on the outside walls. In a garage that gets wet from the cars, we use a moisture-resistant board on the bottom course or keep the board off the slab and finish the bottom with a treated plate or trim.
Should I insulate the garage before drywall?
If you ever plan to heat it, yes, because the walls are only open once. Batts in the walls, batts or blown-in above the ceiling, and a vapor retarder on the warm side. An unheated garage still benefits on the wall shared with the house. We quote it as a line so you can decide.
Can you finish a garage the builder only fire taped?
Yes. The tape coat is already there, so we add the fill and finish coats, corner bead where it is missing, sand, prime and paint. It is a shorter job than hanging from bare studs and it is the most common garage request in the newer suburbs.
Does the door into the house need to be replaced too?
The house-to-garage door is part of the separation. It has to be a rated door with a self-closer, not a hollow interior door. We check it while we are there and replace it if it is not right; it has its own page on this site.
Get a written quote for this job
Three photos and a sentence is enough. You hear back within one business day. Or text the photos to 763-204-2099.
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Read morePage reviewed September 24, 2026 · JMB Builders LLC, MN license BC809005 · All drywall pages
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