Plastic to section off

[jtsboss]

Anyone ever hang some mil plastic down from the rafters to section off a part of their shop to help with winter heating? I have part of my 40x40 where My motor home sits and thought about dropping a sheet between it and where I work on projects to keep some of the heat on my side.
JT

 

[Dick in Wisconsin]

Is the poly going to be parallel to the rafters? or perpendicular. I think to be most effective, you should hang two sheets about 2" to 4" apart. You'll need to figure out a way to go to the peak; might do that with drywall or OSB down to the rafter. You'll need to figure out how to get the poly to down on the floor; I'd try wrapping the poly around a 2x4 laying on the floor. Besides the poly wall, is the rest of the building well insulated? Keep us posted.

 

[forAK]

I did this last winter as I couldn't afford doors yet. I'd run my radiant a day before I planned on working out in the addition. It would net me a 30 degree rise no matter what the ambient temp was. I used 6 mil on the outside and 6 mil on the inside of the 3 doors.

 

[jtsboss]

I did this last winter as I couldn't afford doors yet. I'd run my radiant a day before I planned on working out in the addition. It would net me a 30 degree rise no matter what the ambient temp was. I used 6 mil on the outside and 6 mil on the inside of the 3 doors.

That's thinking!..

I have a half ceiling, so at the end I think ill drop the plastic like your doors. I think it should work. Just wondering if anyone ever sectioned off off a square for a heated area.

 

[95vette]

Hello, Wouldn't it be much easier and about same price to use cheap blue tarps????

 

[rburke65]

I had a 32x40 pole barn that I used when I redid my '65 Impala. I used plastic sheeting to section off an area and used a space heater to keep warm in the winter. It was a great help.

 

[tyme2par4]

If you keep the garage heated all the time, the motor home is actually acting like a giant heat storage for you, and probably helps keep the temp a bit more consistent.
Now if you only turn the heat on when you need it, then you're heating a giant thermal mass for no reason, and the plastic will probably make a significant difference.

 

[jtsboss]

If you keep the garage heated all the time, the motor home is actually acting like a giant heat storage for you, and probably helps keep the temp a bit more consistent.
Now if you only turn the heat on when you need it, then you're heating a giant thermal mass for no reason, and the plastic will probably make a significant difference.

Defiantly the latter.

 

[ambenz]

I would invest in sheets of Polyisocyanurate Rigid Foam Insulation Board.
4X8 foot sheets you could tape together then stack up in the rafters in the summer.
If you going to pay for plastic sheets, why not invest money in product you can reuse for insulation in the future?!?!
I ended up doing my whole ceiling in R6 Polyisocyanurate Rigid Foam Insulation Board and it keeps the heat in the room.
I did the 16" center walls with rigid also, eventually being able to afford "precut" Cellofoam sheets that come in a six pack.
Nice thing about rigid insulation is it can get wet, doesn't hold moisture, not a good nesting material, and is easy to install and...doesn't itch!
Best if your gonna spend a dollar, use it on material you can use in the future as insulation!

 

[The_Auto_Tech]

I would invest in sheets of Polyisocyanurate Rigid Foam Insulation Board.
4X8 foot sheets you could tape together then stack up in the rafters in the summer.
If you going to pay for plastic sheets, why not invest money in product you can reuse for insulation in the future?!?!
I ended up doing my whole ceiling in R6 Polyisocyanurate Rigid Foam Insulation Board and it keeps the heat in the room.
I did the 16" center walls with rigid also, eventually being able to afford "precut" Cellofoam sheets that come in a six pack.
Nice thing about rigid insulation is it can get wet, doesn't hold moisture, not a good nesting material, and is easy to install and...doesn't itch!
Best if your gonna spend a dollar, use it on material you can use in the future as insulation!

My ceiling is R6 poly as well. Super easy to hang, trim, and store. It was like 15 dollars a sheet at Menards. Also, it's easy to finish the seams with aluminum tape for max heat retention.

 

[TommyK]

I put 6 mil poly up every year to enclose a stairwell to keep the warm air from going up into the attic. It works. I've been re-using the same two pieces of plastic for 13 years.