Small workshop setup

Murray13

Hi all,
I've recently moved and I have a small shed 3m X 4m. It need a lot of work (patch the roof, new door, etc) to get it ready for wood work. It's a single layer of block on edge with a corrugated iron roof at the moment.
I'm wondering how well it will work as a wood work shed. Will the damp be an issue for rusting tools, warping wood, etc...
Does anyone have photos of a similar setup? I'm looking for ideas for layout of tools for a small shop. Any photos? I mostly have an interest in making small to medium pieces of furniture so I will have a workbench, drop saw, router table, etc...
Looking for inspiration! Thanks in advance.

magicbastarder

i know someone who recently replaced a corrugated roof on his shed; depending on weather conditions, it wept badly.
if you get a rapid drop in temp after a humid day, the moisture in the air in the shed will condense on the inside of the cold roof and can drip.

my shed is not madly dissimilar except mine is felted WBP and at least there's a little bit of absorption in the ply which can mitigate that effect.

recipio

Murray13 wrote: »

Hi all,
I've recently moved and I have a small shed 3m X 4m. It need a lot of work (patch the roof, new door, etc) to get it ready for wood work. It's a single layer of block on edge with a corrugated iron roof at the moment.
I'm wondering how well it will work as a wood work shed. Will the damp be an issue for rusting tools, warping wood, etc...
Does anyone have photos of a similar setup? I'm looking for ideas for layout of tools for a small shop. Any photos? I mostly have an interest in making small to medium pieces of furniture so I will have a workbench, drop saw, router table, etc...
Looking for inspiration! Thanks in advance.

Insulation is everything. Without it the tools will rust, plywood will grow mould and paper will turn soggy. You will struggle to get out to it between November and March due to the cold and the tools will be frozen lumps of metal. Insulation can be pricey but you only cry once.:D

cletus

recipio wrote: »

Insulation is everything. Without it the tools will rust, plywood will grow mould and paper will turn soggy. You will struggle to get out to it between November and March due to the cold and the tools will be frozen lumps of metal. Insulation can be pricey but you only cry once.:D

You'll probably also want a vapour barrier of some description, and I'd be looking at how the roof is affixed. Are there big gaps at every peak of the corrugated iron?

Last thing would be heat, or at very minimum, a dehumidifier for removing moisture

Bonzo Delaney

I wouldnt go to over board on insulation unless you instal a heat source there. Otherwise pointless.Cross ventilation would be more important to curtail condensation

Calahonda52

recipio wrote: »

Insulation is everything. Without it the tools will rust, plywood will grow mould and paper will turn soggy. You will struggle to get out to it between November and March due to the cold and the tools will be frozen lumps of metal. Insulation can be pricey but you only cry once.:D

Insulation without a permanent heat source is a waste of time unless you add enough to deal with the issues raised in the link below.

https://www.greenspec.co.uk/building-design/decrement-delay/

without a heat source the temp inside the shed will eventually be the same as the outside, or pretty damn close to it.

RH is the problem at lower temps and if the "lumps of metal" don't heat up, the water vapour condenses on them as the air temp drops
http://www.dpcalc.org

this will be an issue if you work in the unheated shed in the cold and the moisture vapour you exhale has to condense somewhere

so a dehumidifier would be a better idea

recipio

Calahonda52 wrote: »

Insulation without a permanent heat source is a waste of time unless you add enough to deal with the issues raised in the link below.

https://www.greenspec.co.uk/building-design/decrement-delay/

without a heat source the temp inside the shed will eventually be the same as the outside, or pretty damn close to it.

RH is the problem at lower temps and if the "lumps of metal" don't heat up, the water vapour condenses on them as the air temp drops
http://www.dpcalc.org

this will be an issue if you work in the unheated shed in the cold and the moisture vapour you exhale has to condense somewhere

so a dehumidifier would be a better idea

I had presumed the OP will have some heat source. My experience is that the tools are freezing in Winter and my hands are numb after 20 mins or so.
Some low level of heat + insulation is the key.

magicbastarder

Calahonda52 wrote: »

RH is the problem at lower temps and if the "lumps of metal" don't heat up, the water vapour condenses on them as the air temp drops
http://www.dpcalc.org

this will be an issue if you work in the unheated shed in the cold and the moisture vapour you exhale has to condense somewhere

my block shed is unheated and uninsulated, and i've rarely had an issue with condensation on the tools. a couple of times though, after a period of decent cold, there's been a weird upswing in temps and humidity, and i've seen condensation beading on the tools.
unfortunately the window in my shed is north facing so i get no solar gain.