convert my shed

[annie barnes]

Hi guys,
I have a large shed which I need to turn into my office/workshop.
It has a farm metal roof and concrete floor. It needs to be insulated and damp proof so I can store all my fabrics, stock and sewing machines etc The metal roof collects condensation during the cold weather, I assume because I have a fridge in there!

What tools will I need? I don't have a huge budget. Any help will be most appreciated

Regards Annie

 

[jumps]

generally tools make things easier rather than being needed - most construction work can be done with a claw hammer and a good hand saw plus some sort of drill.

the key elements you are going to have to address are the addition of insulation and an appropriate vapour barrier to the floor, ceiling and walls - think of it as adding an inner lining to the building with an insulation sandwich.

however, it's not going to be easy without skills, will probably meet your definition of huge budget (flooring alone is never cheap) and will need some careful consideration in places to ensure airflow and to carry away condensed moisture from outside the vapour barrier but inside the skin (for your roof especially).

 

[SammyQ]

Me too!
Corrugated iron roof? Bubble wrap and then D.P.M. on the underside sorted condensation dripping on me and the tools. Unpretty to the extreme, but workable. I scrounged some Jablite and stuck it up there too, so D.P.M. finish hides a hodge-podge of insulation.

Walls? I put a forbytoo at skirting level, then biscuit jointed it and the 10 old panel doors I 'rescued' from a neighbours skip. Nother forbytoo screwed to the wall at ceiling level and 60 biscuits later, I had a false wall inch-and-a-half thick in old money and things were starting to get cosy. Just don't expect to hang anything on those walls. I used planted forbytoos again to act as 'legs' up to seven fut high for those items challenging Newton. Lasted seven years so far; pleasant to work in wiv just a 1000W fan heater as a heat source in minus whatever.

Floor was a failure as bare nekid concrete is a Dust Donor par excellence. I just slapped down and screwed through a couple of refugee ply sheets from a building site. Bah, pooh, humbug, rats, drat, double drat. The insulative properties are MUCH less than hoped, water condenses in winter on cold bottom of machines AND my wooden bench. I will be adding forbytoo 'joists' and noggins straddling more Jablite/Celotex and then adding another layer of generic cheap ply as a new floor as soon as my children stop the haemorrhage called University Fees and upkeep.

Sam

 

[wills-mill]

If the building is currently empty, you may be best to look into spray foam insulation- very effective on shipping containers and wonky metal farm rooves.

 

[annie barnes]

Thank you all for your tips and advice, very much appreciated ! I have some basic tools and some skill thou I won't boast of much experience! Being single again causes you to learn quickly and keep on your toes.
I really need to know what to start on first, the walls, floor or roof? I rent on a farm and can make use of what ever goes into the skip and a supply of unwanted pallets.

My shed is more like a barn on smaller scale than other farm buildings!

Without sounding to stupid what is D.P.M.?

I can empty he building thats no problem, how long would spray foam insulation take to apply and seal away?

Recon I can lay my has on refugee ply sheets etc the money I have set aside may end up going towards the two I have at uni, the one who is due to start in September or that last one staring A'level in sept. One thing I do know is I have to set up a workshop before they all come home before the summer break!! Work is taking over my living space.

Thank you again, Regards

Annie

 

[SammyQ]

Damp Proof Membrane Annie.

My third is just finishing Uni. Understand your fiscal position!! Skips are lovely places! So many resources!The pallets could be broken up to give you rough flooring?

Sam

 

[dickm]

Make the students earn their keep - they should be doing the work on the barn

 

[Lons]

Hi Annie
Dick M has the right idea - make them work! :lol:

I'm a builder (almost retired ), I've built lots of sheds over the years but never converted one with a metal roof. Do have a large plastic storage shed that exhibits the same condensation issues however and I have converted several of barn / stable projects into habitable dwellings.

Spray foam. - Horrible stuff to apply but it works well. I would question any possible DIY application and I've only used it once when I called in a specialist company to seal the slated roof of a grade 2 listed stable. You can't get a flat finish but for your roof it would be excellent if expensive.

However: i would start with the roof, fit a framework and insulate with cellotex, thicker the better, a membrane and face with plasterboard, OSB or ply.

Next for me would be the floor and you would need a DPM to stop damp, lapped up the walls then either put in a floating floor of V313 T&G chipboard or 18mm ply on top of cellotex or polystyrene slab insulation, 50mm minimum. Otherwise timber joists with insulation between and c/board or ply over.

I'd do the same with the walls and frame with 4x2, 3x2 or 2x2 but use a breathable membrane instead of DPM, (assuming the walls are timber) and use OSB / ply so you can hang stuff on the walls. Painting the walls and ceiling white makes a huge difference.
an alternative to cellotex or polystyrene are cavity bats which are slab glassfibre sold to insulate cavity walls whilst building. common thickness of 50mm, 75mm and 100mm. I doubt it would be much cheaper than cellotex, especially if you source seconds on the net.

There are lots of threads on shed building Annie and most of the basic principles apply whether converting or scratch building and I would add that my suggestions are not necessarily what others would recommend so read them all and pick the bones out to suit your own needs and pocket. :wink:

cheers
Bob

 

[Phil Pascoe]

Have a look at secondsandco.co.uk for your insulation - if they have what you need or you can use what they've got they're well priced and good to deal with.

 

[dickm]

I'm with Lons on this. Much better to line the whole thing so that, in effect, you have a warm if not waterproof "shed" inside the existing waterproof shell. That way you've got tidy walls to hang things on and a smooth roof that won't collect (too many) shavings and spiders webs!
If you hunt around, it's surprising what bits you can find either for free or relatively cheaply. More work than getting someone in to do (IMHO) a not ideal job and likely to take longer, but much better and probably cheaper in the long run.

 

[annie barnes]

Thank you all so much for your ideas and suggestions, all very helpful. I have a little homework to be getting on with then! I plan to check the skips in the farm courtyard across from my house.

Once again thank you so much!!

Regards Annie

 

[Lons]

Just another thought Annie

It may be different where you are but around here the Freecycle group[s are very active and it's astonishing what people will offer if you stick in some wanted ads. Worth a thought as usually available just for collecting cost.

cheers
Bob

 

[annie barnes]

Hi Bob, Thanks for that will check them out and put some adds up. I didn't think about freecycle groups!!

Best wishes
Annie

 

[dickm]

Our local group now calls itself FREEGLE, not Freecycle; think it's something to do with copyright names.