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[steamboatwilly]

Not sure wher to post this,sorry. Garden shed 12 x 10 feet. Insulated with polystyrene and lined with Sundeala board, I think. It is 0.5 inch thick and like paper/fibre construction. Used by previous home owner as a drum room. Cut down a dodgy 30ft beech tree six months ago, and stored all logs (wet) in this empty shed. ( What a dumbo I hear you all say.)  Permission  for conversion to boathouse and workshop granted this morning. So, opened door today, first time in 6 months. Everything dripping wet, boards the shape of waves, covered in mildew. Removed them today, polystyrene wet underneath. It is a substantial shed, with barrier paper underneath the wood cladding. I was thinking of using 18mm ply as a replacement. The poly is 3 inches thick. So advice required please on if insulation is thick enough. would I need a barrier paper on top of it before replacing the fibre board, is ply ok, as I thought it would be easier for fixing shelves to this, and should I varnish the ply on the poly side before fitting? Thanks for reading and any advice appreciated. Will.

[Shipmate60]

The first thing to do is dry it all out completely.
Remover all the insulation and dry out or replace.
When it is dry you can survey the basic structure first.

Bob

[Colin Bishop]

Bob is quite right, there could potentially be rot in the main structure. It doesn't take much damp or water penetration to get it started although it is usually treatable if it has.

Colin

[Circlip]

Storeing the wood might not have been a bad thing, now you are aware of a basic trap many fall into. The shed was effectively sealed, lack of air circulation/ventillation. Don't forget to incorporate in new fit out.

  Regards  Ian.

[brianc]

Just finished fitting out my workshop 14`x12`.I`ve used 20mm Ethafoam sheet (it was going into the skip at work) for the insulation covered with 6mm ply,I`ve also installed two 80watt tube heaters, cheap as chips to run but kept the workshop nice and comfortable over the winter 
It`s essential you fit some type of ventilation though,I fitted a simple plastic sliding vent at both ends and it seems to work fine.
Hope this helps.

[gondolier88]

Storeing the wood might not have been a bad thing, now you are aware of a basic trap many fall into. The shed was effectively sealed, lack of air circulation/ventillation. Don't forget to incorporate in new fit out.

  Regards  Ian.

Very good advice- this vent could be put behind a small (small sailboat size) stove which would block drafts and heat the air coming in in winter and provide warmth and keep a constant air circulation when it's burning as the vent would also provide the combustion air.

Just a thought, but if you were going to use electric it dries your eyes out (in my experience) and makes them irritated and defeats the purpose of being able to work in the shed, gas makes condensation and would require top and bottom ventilation, which in a shed would make it the same temperature outside when you don't use it.

Greg

[Roger in France]

Not a great fan of foam block insulation as mice love to burrow in it!

Insulated my workshop with 10mm thick fibre glass blankets sandwiched with brown paper on both sides. Easy to cut, light to handle and can be tucked into awkward spaces (but don't compress it too much). Then covered with 6mm thick fibre board.

Snug as a bug!

Roger in France

[derekwarner]

Don't use Australian insulation or installers....in the last six months we have had 4 or so deaths & 50 roof fires since our Prime Minister  thought of the Insulation Free package  - Derek

[HS93 (RIP)]

If you want to do it once properly use this type of product
 http://www.screwfix.com/prods/37037/Building/Roofing-Insulation/Breather-Foil-for-Timber-Frame-1350mm-x-25m

far better that plastic sheet of polystyrene
 also  you do not loose any space and it is easy to use
Peter

[w3bby]

As HS93 says avoid plastic sheeting as you would the plague, all it does is trap moisture in the structure. Go visit your friendly neighbourhood builders merchant and get some fibreglass wool insulation and a breathable membrane. I'll give a shout out for the products of a customer of mine, Isover. I suspect that is what Roger used. 100mm (or the depth of the construction) glass wool batts http://www.isover.co.uk/article.asp?id=337, a membrane (vario) and then plasterboard or OSB http://buildingmaterials.co.uk/store/product_info.php?cPath=341&products_id=1625&osCsid=b8add74034d83ee43302ec72b307d48f  OSB is good as you can put up shelves and the like without recourse to plugs or similar. You can probably skip the membrane in the shed.
Oil filled electric radiators do not dry the air out http://www.heatersuk.com/c/250383/1/portable-oil-filled-electric-radiators.html

[barriew]

My new Garden Workshop came with Celotex insulation in the walls, floor and ceiling, and what looked like a Tyvek type membrane. It was black, so not sure exactly what it was. The walls are lined with 6mm ply.
Barrie

[chersguy]

When I built my shed,3.5x5 metres(12x17 ft.in old money),the exterior was vertical board-and-batten which allowed enough ventilation for the insulation(8cm. fibreglas). Then I stapled 2 layers of 6mm. polyethylene to the studs (2x4) inside. I worked in shirtsleeves all winter at -20C with a 1500 watt ceramic heater,turned on an hour before I went out.
Never had a moisture problem,and I dried lots of wood there. The vapour barrier on the inside did the trick,just don't forget to insulate and vapour barrier the ceiling as well.

[RaaArtyGunner]

Don't use Australian insulation or installers....in the last six months we have had 4 or so deaths & 50 roof fires since our Prime Minister  thought of the Insulation Free package  - Derek

C'mon Derek that's a bit rich we shouldn't get all political.
Wasn't Kevin 07's fault was the Colonial Ancestry.
Actually it was slack Qld Workplace laws and supervision plus the insulation was "imported".
So its OK to use Aussie insulation.
Cheers from the Sunshine State scene of all the probs.

[derekwarner]

Welome on board RaaArtyGunner ...,.  ...now lets post something maritime as the local politics in OZ are nearly as bad as that in the UK     .........remember I am a direct decendent of a first fleet  Irish Convict stock to OZ................. Derek

[RaaArtyGunner]

Welome on board RaaArtyGunner ...,.  ...now lets post something maritime as the local politics in OZ are nearly as bad as that in the UK     .........remember I am a direct decendent of a first fleet  Irish Convict stock to OZ................. Derek

Giday Derek,
Mate not being a "desecendant" and not of Irish stock did you hear the one about the ......................oops no wrong forum.
Don't know a lot about Maritime which is why i am here to learn, cause there aint that much here in OZ, OK if you are into cars  )and a plane here or there  )but Boats ???????????????

[DickyD]

Welome on board RaaArtyGunner ...,.  ...now lets post something maritime as the local politics in OZ are nearly as bad as that in the UK     .........remember I am a direct decendent of a first fleet  Irish Convict stock to OZ................. Derek

Do we ever get a chance to forget ?

[steamboatwilly]

MAY I JUST SAY THANK YOU TO ONE AND ALL WHO KINDLY REPLIED. I  AM GRATEFUL FOR YOUR ADVICE, WHICH HAS NOW BEEN IMPLEMENTED. WILLY.

[ukboats]

Don't forget to add ventilation for the summer months. Insulated sheds can still get pretty hot in summer. I have fitted a solar powered extract fan bought off the internet, works well. Needs to be fitted so that it faces the sun at the hottest time of the day and in a position high up so as to extract the hottest air.