Ceiling, or no ceiling? (heated shop)

[DCarr2]

Ceiling height is 18'

there is currently no insulation in the ceiling...

I am waiting to hear back from the insulation people regarding 3" foam applied directly to the bottom side of the roof and leaving the space 'open'

and installing a ceiling (about $2000-2500 cost for osb, and having it hung) and having 14" of blown in insulation on top with out the foam...

thoughts?

I was thinking down the road, as my budget allows possibly adding a ceiling and insulation above said ceiling...

building better be heated by next winter LOL

location is Newstead NY, outter ring of Buffalo

 

[rburke65]

No expert here, but I would think less expense if you were to install a ceiling.

 

[lakeroadster]

Do you need / want the high bay area for a auto lift, or for heated storage?

If not, than it is fair to say that the less cu-ft that you have to heat = more money in your pocket.

Is the current roof made from metal panels? Spray foam will make removing those roof panels in the future much more complicated.

You could always do a Return On Investment, ROI, calculation if you really wanted to know what was the "best" way to go.

Hope that helps.

 

[jlipsky14]

You would probably be better off with the ceiling mainly due to less space to heat. If you don't do a ceiling I would put a ceiling fan or two up there and have it push the hot air back down as it will all stay at the top.

 

[finn]

Ceiling

 

[kd3pc]

budget? Size? And how much cold weather do you expect to work in and the temps required to be in the garage.

I went with OSB under the trusses, wife and I blew in R50 and it stays 40-45 all winter long with no heat at all, 8 ft ceiling though. A coup in my case as compared to laying in the driveway. Perhaps one day, some real heat.

Of course the smaller the volume to heat, the less expensive fuel will be, 18' ceiling is going to be tough to heat, no matter the R value above.

Usually in your part of the country and with that height, one goes with insulated and heated slab,then tons of insulation in the walls and ceiling.

 

[zkdiesel]

Steel tin it with 1.5 height tin, then add insulation
That wasted attic space, all your heats gonna wind up way up there, while your working at the 5' mark.....

 

[beakie]

ceiling & insulation with fans

even @ 9' ceilings I notice a different in temps if I am on a ladder grabbing something off a shelf.

with 12-18' ceilings you could spend a lot of time & energy thus $$ heating the space, to never even feel it because it's still cool down near the floor.

 

[matt_i]

ceiling & insulation with fans

+1. You want less "cube" to heat, and you want the heat to stay down low where you actually need it. If I fire up the furnace in my shop without the ceiling fans being on, then climb up the stairs just under the attic door, ceiling at 11', its very noticeably warmer.

 

[39 Chev]

Ceiling with insulation...

3 inches of foam is about R 15
14 inches of blown cellulose is about R 50

 

[DougWil]

Is the current roof made from metal panels? Spray foam will make removing those roof panels in the future much more complicated.

Open cell spray foam over wood framing can trap moisture and cause rot.

http://www.greenbuildingadvisor.com/blogs/dept/qa-spotlight/can-spray-foam-rot-your-roof

Closed cell is much more expensive.

OSB, unpainted and without the joints being sealed allows moisture to pass through the ceiling to the cold roof, condense and cause problems.

Framed ceiling, taped and painted sheet rock with any openings in the sheet rock sealed.
Then either batts or blow in.
You can sandwich XPS between the rock and the framing for a nice air tight insulation.