I'm looking into adding abit of insulation to my garage come workshop. My thoughts were insulation board and thin ply sheets for the ceiling. Some rubber mats in walkway just as a barrier so feet aren't direct on to concrete. And then changing the up and over door to side mounted doors with some insulation and rubber weather strip. Does that sound okay, and like it'll take the edge off in the depths of winter? Apologies if this is asked alot, I did do a search but was struggling to find anything that didn't involve full on insulation which sounded abit overkill for me.
Insulating single brick, flat roof garage
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Cabinetman
Established Member
I’m not an expert but for half a job it will help, not sure you need to change the door though, you could put a couple of 1” layers of Celotex onto the back of the existing door. Insulating the ceiling will definitely help but look into the correct way to do it with air gaps etc. You could use plasterboard instead of ply which will be cheaper.
Ian
Ian
Thank you for reply Ian. Sounds like solid advice thank you! Main reason for wanting to change doors is will make the space much more practical for me, with added bonus of being abit more insulation friendly I think. Thanks, Mike
If doing on a budget, consider adding some thin ceiling joists (2 x 1" should be stiff enough), insulation between them, held up with breather membrane tacked to the joists. For a better hold, screw ply strips along the joists to sandwich the membrane.
Woody2Shoes
Impressive Member
You do realise that insulation does nothing to warm up a space - it simply means that you may need a bit less energy to warm up the inside (ignoring draughts)?
What I'm saying is that you may discover that wearing an extra layer or two (and/or doing more hand tool work!), together with a well-placed infra-red heater, might well be the most cost/effort/eco-friendly solution.
What I'm saying is that you may discover that wearing an extra layer or two (and/or doing more hand tool work!), together with a well-placed infra-red heater, might well be the most cost/effort/eco-friendly solution.
Bigbadmarky
Established Member
I replaced the old asbestos cement roof on my single skin garage and insulated the replacement roof. I used 150mm timbers for the replacement roof which left enough space for 100mm of PIR insulation and a 50mm air space above. I vented the air space at either end to get a bit of circulation and it seems to be working ok.
I used foil tape to seal between the roof timbers and foil backed PIR to provide a bit more of a vapour barrier then lined the roof with 9mm ply, which I painted white to maximise light.
I also got rid of the up and over door and just built a timber wall in its place. I insulated this with 100mm PIR and internally lined with 18mm OSB. I'm lucky enough to have two garages so it wasn't a great loss to get rid of the second up and over door.
Next I think I might do something about the floor. The concrete is a bit wearing on the old legs and cold in the winter.
As Woody2shoes pointed out above, its not providing any warmth but it certainly keeps the warmth in. I've used my little oil radiator two or three times this winter and thats it.
I used foil tape to seal between the roof timbers and foil backed PIR to provide a bit more of a vapour barrier then lined the roof with 9mm ply, which I painted white to maximise light.
I also got rid of the up and over door and just built a timber wall in its place. I insulated this with 100mm PIR and internally lined with 18mm OSB. I'm lucky enough to have two garages so it wasn't a great loss to get rid of the second up and over door.
Next I think I might do something about the floor. The concrete is a bit wearing on the old legs and cold in the winter.
As Woody2shoes pointed out above, its not providing any warmth but it certainly keeps the warmth in. I've used my little oil radiator two or three times this winter and thats it.
Thanks for reply, yeah I understand. My think was that an oil filled radiator would hopefully not have to work too hard to take the edge off in extreme cold.
Do you think an infrared heater would serve me better in this scenario?
Thanks for info on how you've done yours, sounds like a good way of going about things to me!
You've answered my main question which was how have you heated it when required! Do you know how much your oil radiator costs to run? I have no experience of them
Jameshow
Established Member
Imho you want insulation and heating for a decent working environment.
A £20 /40 fan heater/ oil rad + 2" celotex will be fine tbh.
Nice one, thank you for advice! As I understand it; it's important to leave an air gap at the joist ends to allow for air flow over the top of the insulation?
I'm not planning on insulating the walls, so hoping the ceiling and doors will be adequate!
Woody2Shoes
Impressive Member
I think an infrared heater would probably feel like its more effective - you feel the heat on your skin and clothes, rather than the machine having to heat up the air in the room.
I genuinely believe that partial insulation - of the sort you're suggesting - will turn out to be a waste of money. If you were planning to spend more than a few hours a week in there, during the winter, then maybe the arithmetic might be a little different.
An electric heater is easy to calculate the cost of. Oil-filled rads - which heat the air mostly by convection (not radiation, like infrared heaters) - are generally 1kW and/or 2kW switchable. I'd get one with a thermostat. So, for example, as a worst case, a 2kW heater will use 2kWh per hour of use. Your electric bill will show what you pay per kWh ("unit") of electricity.
Bigbadmarky
Established Member
I can't honestly remember what I pad for the oil heater. Its one of those things that sat in the attic for years until I fished it out for the workshop. I don't tend to use it for long when I need it. Maybe 15 minutes on full then turn it down to a lower heat for a bit, then it goes off. It kind of adds a bit of warmth to the workshop while I get going. Once I break out the hand tools, I'm a sweaty mess in no time (my fitness is shocking).
I've heard good things about infra red heaters but I like heating the workshop as a whole. Especially if you're doing a glue up or waiting for paint to dry. In a cold workshop that can take forever!
spiritburner
Established Member
To be honest the best solution is to heat the garage, insulation only reduces the cost of that heating and prevents possibly dampness. If you can consider installing a small woodburning stove and use that to heat it over any fossil fuel heater which just puts water into the atmosphere, its also a very good way of getting rid of useless offcuts and other non plastic rubbish.
I use one in my workshop, it even heats up a pan of stew or cooks jacket potatoes in the lid area although on mine I popped in firebricks to help retain the heat more as its not a cast iron model, workshop is lovely and warm in 10 minutes and doesn't require much wood to heat it during the day, where I live in spain its very cold in the winter and Im nice and toasty as I write this message.
If you do this just get rid of the worst draughts and perhaps put some panel insulation on the
back of the garage door , the woodburner is also good for keeping your tea hot.... 
Best.
I use one in my workshop, it even heats up a pan of stew or cooks jacket potatoes in the lid area although on mine I popped in firebricks to help retain the heat more as its not a cast iron model, workshop is lovely and warm in 10 minutes and doesn't require much wood to heat it during the day, where I live in spain its very cold in the winter and Im nice and toasty as I write this message.
If you do this just get rid of the worst draughts and perhaps put some panel insulation on the
Best.
Thank you for reply again. I like the soubd of infrared, but then I've read some quite damning things like them causing headaches and needing to be on constantly as per design/function of them. Will have a think, thank you again
I think I'm definitely keener on the idea of heating the garage as a whole. Infrared sounds good, but then I'm put off by talks of headaches and the need to have them on all the while.
Haha, I hear you on the hand tools, I've not got much fitness myself!
Thanks again for your thoughts and experience with oil filled radiators
That's a fantastic set up you have there! I've always wanted a log burner so perhaps this is the excuse I've been looking for to have one! I think for the interim I'll opt for an oil filled until I know my workshop layout, but will definitely keep a burner in the back of my mind for future! Thank you for sharingTo be honest the best solution is to heat the garage, insulation only reduces the cost of that heating and prevents possibly dampness. If you can consider installing a small woodburning stove and use that to heat it over any fossil fuel heater which just puts water into the atmosphere, its also a very good way of getting rid of useless offcuts and other non plastic rubbish.
I use one in my workshop, it even heats up a pan of stew or cooks jacket potatoes in the lid area although on mine I popped in firebricks to help retain the heat more as its not a cast iron model, workshop is lovely and warm in 10 minutes and doesn't require much wood to heat it during the day, where I live in spain its very cold in the winter and Im nice and toasty as I write this message.
If you do this just get rid of the worst draughts and perhaps put some panel insulation on the View attachment 175497back of the garage door , the woodburner is also good for keeping your tea hot....
Best.
View attachment 175496
spiritburner
Established Member
Thanks and its a pleasure to help.That's a fantastic set up you have there! I've always wanted a log burner so perhaps this is the excuse I've been looking for to have one! I think for the interim I'll opt for an oil filled until I know my workshop layout, but will definitely keep a burner in the back of my mind for future! Thank you for sharing
pauljhaigh58
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Hi I insulated my garage with Rockwool/ply for walls were given pvc soffit board for ceiling new led lights the installed a Chinese heater connected to 25ltr of kerosene. Has a remote so have in house set it on 5 mins before going into garage .it runs for 10 mins then turns off started using it about October still got half left . Definitely recommend
pauljhaigh58
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spiritburner
Established Member
looking good, I bought that very same Charnwood lathe a few years back and realised overnight how underpowered it was and replaced it very quickly with a Record Coronet which is brilliant but that little lathe I kept and its still has its uses....I was wondering about upgrading the motor on it until I saw the price of one which was almost the cost of the lathe itself!!
It seems to me it doesnt matter how much I sound insulate my shop it doesnt deaden the sound of the CNC machine!! I just wear white noise ear defenders now.....
Good luck with the workshop. That insulation will also keep any heat in.... and the other half away.....
