Materials for insulating/lining a workshop

[Digizz]

After a lot of research, I've finally ordered my log cabin for a workshop. Turns up in 4-6 weeks

I'm going to insulate inside either using a polystyrene/silver block or good old rockwool (not decided which yet). Anyway, I need to work out what material to line the walls with - not keen on chipboard for aesthetic reasons - can anyone suggest a type/grade/thickness of material/board to use?

I'd quite like it to look very good as well - just in case the whole workshop gets converted to more of a living space in the future.

Thanks.

 

[sawdustalley]

I have seen people use OSB before, you might not be keen on the look off it however, very busy and really not meant to look good.

You should steer way from MDF or Chipboard, any moisture may ruin them.

If I were you, I would probably line the walls with some sort of wood to carry through the theme of the natural timber cabin. Maybe using come cladding or tounge and groove, use floorboards maybe - they are fairly cheap and thick enough to easily screw things to which is a great option, they have tounge and groove aswell.

If all else fails, I guess you could use plain plasterboard?

 

[Charley]

I've also been thinking about what material to use to line the walls of my new workshop. I would like to use a real wood but I think that would be too expensive (haven't priced it up yet) my second thought was plasterboard but if I use that I can't easily screw into it anywhere to hang something up. Right now OSB board is fav. I've got it in my current workshop and don't mind the look of it.

 

[Alf]

OSB is the biz for cheapness and strength to hold cabinets, shelves etc, but it ain't pretty. Even painted it's still unmistakable. I'd be inclined to use it though, but fix it with screws so you can easily replace it if you want to clad in plasterboard in the future. Two reasons. One, you'll want to attach stuff to your walls, and plasterboard is not only hopeless for that but it'll also end up with lots of holes in it so not much prettier than the OSB! Secondly, plasterboard won't take any knocks and bumps when you swing that 2m board round and -crash- into the wall (and you will, trust me), whereas OSB won't so much as mutter an "ouch" Or you could timber clad the lower half of the walls perhaps, and then plasterboard the upper half? But then there's still the fixing cupboards problem... Decisions, decisions. :roll:

Oh, if you want to soundproof a bit as well as insulate, you'll want the rockwool rather than the polystyrene apparently.

BTW, if Charley's going to go for OSB and you decide to as well, better move quick. With a workshop that size he'll probably cause a nationwide shortage... :wink:

Cheers, Alf

Edit: Forgot about thickness. :roll: We used 11mm OSB and like it just fine.

 

[Aragorn]

If finances allow, you could use OSB and plasterboard. Looks better and gives you a fixing wherever you need it.

A

 

[Digizz]

Just been out to Jewson, Wicks and Homebase - got all the timber for the concret work sorted.

Wicks did have some interesting looking very thick Ply with a nice pattern on it but it was somewhere in the region of £25-30 per sheet as opposed to £10 ish per sheet for the OSB.

I'm thinking that I might go for a cheaper but thick Ply and paint it - any problems with painting Ply wood? Might be a good idea to paint white to lighten up the workshop anyway???

Now the problem I'm currently wrestling with is how to clad the interior of a log cabin - don't want to fix battens to the inside wall as this will cause problems when the logs expand and contract, leaving gaps etc. One supplier of the cabins said that they use a 'stretch plate' fixing system to attach internal lining to - anyone know of these and where to get them from?

 

[Keith Smith]

Why don't you use tongue and groove flooring grade chipboard? It is water resistant and, as the panels slot together, forms a strong flat surface. Another advantage is that it is largely unaffected by changes in humidity and temperature; it can be painted, and is strong enough to hold shelves and tools etc. .

I would avoid OSB the strands are lethal if you get one under your fingernail and even after painting this can still be a problem.

 

[Digizz]

Trouble is that the log cabin logs are affected by temp/humidity - A board that moves in a similar way would be good but I guess that's not going to happen?

 

[Keith Smith]

Correct, what sort of log cabin is this?

 

[Digizz]

Manufactured by Lugarde - Scandinavian softwood. 44mm logs, interlocking and flat faced.

 

[frank]

digizz why not put slots in the boards where the screws go then any movement of the logs will just slide in the slots .the same thing for the wall battens .

frank

 

[Digizz]

yes - was thinking about using metal brackets with a slot on the face that screws to the log wall. The battens then screw firmly into this bracket. Don't know how much load this type of wall will take though if I want to fix shelving for wood and machinery (WoodRat) etc though?