Workshop walls

[Robert Johnstone]

Hello the Creek. My workshop is spacious (20X22) and well equipped but has a major flaw. It is bare studs with no insulation. I live in Florida so my problem is in the summer, not the winter. I do most of my woodworking October through March because of the heat. Without insulation it is prohibitive to aircondition, or heat for that matter.

[Robert Johnstone]

Sorry. I hit the wrong button and posted prematurely. Continuing, even though it will mean considerable work I am thinking about adding insulation and walls. Since this will mean removing all my fixtures, shelving, pegboard, tools, etc., I will probably do it one wall at a time. I do not want to use sheetrock. I am considering using tongue & groove plywood flooring painted white. This will allow me to reattach everything and add new fixtures easily without locating studs. Is there another product out there more suitable and possibly cheaper? What are possible pitfalls I might encounter? Thanks.

[Jim Becker]

Insulation is probably the most cost effective upgrade you can make to a home...or a workshop for both summer and winter where such things apply. Even though my shop doesn't have heat other than what I turn on when I'm working there, the insulation has made a noticable difference in how cold it gets during the week...and how warm it gets during the summer when the A/C is off.

Insulate your walls and then cover with drywall, OSB, plywood or whatever your choice is. For Florida, your vapor barrier goes to the outside, rather than the inside like it does up here in the north. And don't forget "above"...a tremendous amount of heat is transfered into your shop via the roof, so the ceiling needs to be insulated, too. Your A/C will work much more quickly and efficiently and even those days when the air is nice enough to open doors and windows, but the sun is hot will be more comfortable in the shop.

[Kent Parker]

Robert,

I installed an exhaust fan at the peak of my shop. Its about two feet in diameter. Makes a huge difference by getting rid of all the hot air in the upper portion (peak) of my shop. Has a thermostat so goes on automatically. I got it at Graingers. Do a search on their web site, they must have 40 or more. Nice addition, would be hard for me to work in my shop without it. It has the added benefit of sucking out lots of air born dust.

Regards

KP

[John Weber]

Great tips, both insulating and a power vent have really helped keep my shop warmer in the Winter and cooler in the summer. I like t&g pine boards for shop walls, but that is just me.

John

[Robert Johnstone]

Good ideas all. An exhaust van would be fairly easy and would begin helping as soon as it turns hot. The t&g pine is beautiful.

[Ted Shrader]

Robert -

Insulation will make a huge difference. I can also understand your reluctance to doing sheetrock. It is, however, fairly economical (but labor intensive).

As you indicated, white is a great color. Really helps with the light. You can get some "oops" paint - significant $$ savings - at the big box stores that is off-white (but the wrong color for the original customer) to paint whatever ends up on the walls.

The vent fan is a great idea. Get rid of the heat in the attic before it come down to you.

Ted

[John Bush]

I can't seem to get a message thru. Testing!!

[Doug Shepard]

Robert,

I installed an exhaust fan at the peak of my shop. Its about two feet in diameter. Makes a huge difference by getting rid of all the hot air in the upper portion (peak) of my shop. Has a thermostat so goes on automatically. I got it at Graingers. Do a search on their web site, they must have 40 or more. Nice addition, would be hard for me to work in my shop without it. It has the added benefit of sucking out lots of air born dust.

Regards

KP

I agree - they make a lot of difference. If you can add a window fan or place a stand type fan near an open window you can get even better cooling. The combination with the roof fan will set up a good airflow constantly moving through the shop.

[Lee Schierer]

I concur with the previous posts regarding insulation. On a Hometime program, they did a basement hobby area and a garage with a paneling that had horizontal grooves cut in it. The grooves could be used for hooks, racks etc like pegboard. I forget what they called it, but itw as pretty handy looking and didn't require the seams to be taped like dry wall. I imagine the material price will be more than drywall though.

Lee

[John Bush]

Hi Robewrt,
Hopefully this posts. (3rd try)
I built a free-standing(1560sqft-2 level) shop and used slot wall for the vertical surfaces. Drywall is cheap but the time involved to finish it and the additional need for hanging surfaces like pegboard made me look for another solution. I was able to get the slot wall for ~$9.00 per and ultimately used 25 4'X8' sheets.
I was able to put most on by myself, but at ~90# holding the sheets at the gable ends while trying to screw in place was a bit tough. I used old barn beams both structurally and architecturally and the vertical lines mimmic old corn cribs from my days on the farm in the midwest, so it is a good design match for me as well. I can rearrange/reoranize at will and I can display antique stuff in view but out of the way. I kept the buff MDF color but the material accepts paint well for a brighter more reflective surface. If I knew how to send pics. I would. Good luck, John.

[Robert Johnstone]

Thanks John. I'll look into the slot board. I saw it on Hometime or This Old House; looked good. I wonder if it comes in white? Would save a lot of time. And, yes, if I knew how to post pictures I would also. I'll learn tommorrow.

[John Bush]

Hi Lee,
You saw them using the slot wall I discussed in my previous post. It is used mostly for commercial/retail applications and my disclaimer is I was able to get it at the local plant that mills the slots in the full MDF sheets. They had "seconds" but I couldn't see any flaws in the sheets I got. These are heavy and after loading 25 sheets into my trailer I spent 3 hrs. swerving home on the usual 45min. trip because of overload. I had to take back streets all the way home. Also, there is a display fixture supplier here that has boxess of used hangers very reasonably priced.
I applied the sheets over the insulation and the vapor barrier and the shop stays comfortable in all seasons. I have in-slab hot water heat and the summers don't get too hot here so tempurature extremes aren't an issue. Good luck, John.

[Roger Fitzsimonds]

Hi Robert,

When I insulated the walls of my shop (16x24) I covered the insulation with pegboard on the top half and chip board on the bottom. which gives me plenty of storage on the peg board. I didnt paint is as the chip board is very light colored any how. I was fairly inexpensive also.

I live north of Atlanta and was amazed the difference in summer and winter with the insulation.

Good Luck

Roger

[Darren Ford]

John Weber,

Really, really nice shop. Do you have any more photos ?