Insulate the shop? My Answer

[UncleJoe]

I have a small 600 sq ft shop. Over the past few months I installed a ceiling with insulation after years of working with it just open to the roof. I now have the walls and ceiling insulated.

Should you insulate? Well here is my answer. I live in Eastern North Carolina. It can get pretty hot here in the summer so after insulating I added a 12000 btu window AC unit and for kicks I picked up and indoor / outdoor digital thermometer.

The other day I went out to the shop around 8am the outside temp was 85 and it was 77 inside. I started working and after awhile I turned on the AC and an oscillating fan to help move the air. At lunch it was 98 outside and 75 in the shop. There is no way I could have worked out there in that heat and humidity. I just do not do well in the heat.

The ac unit had one of those energy saver tags that says it would cost around $78 a year to run it.


Your mileage may vary but for me the insulation was worth it. I just wish I had not waited so long to do it.

 

[Zengineer]

Insulation for my 16x24 was about $300. Last couple of shops before that were un-insulated. I would never build another shop without insulating, it's just not worth skimping on.

 

[regguy1]

Whatever your climate...Insulate the garage

 

[Gary S]

If you don't insulate, be prepared to suffer. No matter where you live, hot or cold, insulation is the best friend you can have.

 

[Mavawreck]

It's not just for temperature control but moisture control as well. If you could get that temp inside to 75 when it is 90 outside and there is any kind of air space about it you will get condensation and more than likely mold. You're essentially working inside a beer can all summer and outside of the beer can all winter, that isn't as nice as it sounds though.

 

[holdover]

cooler in summer, warmer in winter no regrets putting 6" when I built it 3 yrs ago. Bought the insulation for about 1000, 40 X 60 X10' with scissor truses

 

[NUTTSGT]

Plain and simple, insulation is an investment.

 

[wolflrv]

Thx for posting this!! I've got a slightly smaller shop (20x26) that I'm insulating and adding OSB walls to atm. I'm only getting about 3 hrs a day to work on it, before it climbs over 100 and I have to come back inside, but I swear with every panel I put up, it's getting cooler in there and I can work a few minutes longer each day. Your temp numbers give me great hope that this will all be worth it!!

 

[Thruxton]

Just finished putting up the drywall in my 19X19, insulated first - walls and ceiling, already a very noticeable difference, really glad I did it, esp. with the temps we are having this year.

 

[bigdav160]

 

[dankeenan]

What did you do with your garage door?

 

[Bull]

I just did a little test. I am insulating the walls of the downstairs of my barn with R-19 batts, then adding 7/16 OSB as my finish surface.

I used a Fluke IR thermometer on a wall that has been insulated and sheathed, and the temp all over the wall was right around 86. I then moved over a few feet to an uninsulated, unfinished wall, that just has open stud cavities and Tyvec/Vortec wrap exposed. All along that wall, the temps were about 104-106 degrees.

So, it would seem that the insulation/sheathing, all by itself, is giving me about 20 degrees of extra comfort.

 

[bad_idea]

bull,
are these readings on the same side of the garage? or is one in direct sunlight while the other is shaded on the side?

i have my walls insulated, but not the ceiling - yet. 2 of the 3 walls were already insulated because they are attached to the house. the garage door is also insulated. i have noticed a difference in temps from last year by just insulating the walls. hopefully this time next year i will have the ceiling insulated and an a/c unit.

 

[Bull]

bull,
are these readings on the same side of the garage? or is one in direct sunlight while the other is shaded on the side?

i have my walls insulated, but not the ceiling - yet. 2 of the 3 walls were already insulated because they are attached to the house. the garage door is also insulated. i have noticed a difference in temps from last year by just insulating the walls. hopefully this time next year i will have the ceiling insulated and an a/c unit.

I meant to point that out. The wall sections are right next to each other, facing roughly southwest. The afternoon sun beats on that wall more than any other.

 

[bobadame]

I don't know what I paid for my insulation. I don't care what I paid. It was worth every penny.

 

[Falcon67]

On my big list of materials, insulation is about the cheapest line item on the whole project.

Hey Uncle Joe, you movin' kinda slow?

 

[240sxguy]

I did my garage too, and it makes a huge difference in summer and winter! Worth every damn penny and more.

 

[MScott]

What did you do with your garage door?

Agreed! Don't forget the door. I have been working in a small, insulated garage (rented while I get ready to build) that has an uninsulated garage door. When the sun is beating on the door, it's like walking in front of an open oven .... the heat is that intense. The garage stays comfortable most of the time until the sun hits the door.

 

[dave67fd]

In addition to adding comfort in the summer and winter you add sound proofing to keep the power tools and stereo at a acceptable level.

 

[thammel]

The garage door:

New garage - simple, buy insulated door!

Existing garage with uninsulated doors - retrofit insulation. Do it yourself but fitting in foam sheet panels you cut to size. Fill channels with great stuff minimally expanding foam.

I've done both the above.

Tom

 

[Bull]

I have a garage door on the same wall as the one I used to do the "test" described above. The thermometer seemed to indicate the surface temp of the inside of the door was the same as that of the insulated, OSBed wall. This is somewhat odd, as the insulated wall has an R-19 value and I think the doors are only like an R-7 or 10 or something like that.

 

[banzaitoyota]

i am building a pole barn with 6x6 posts and doing bookshelf girts/OSB sheathing. i have 1" thick pink foam with spacers and then another layer of 1" foam; all gaps are sealed with spray foam