Insulating the garage

[JhnBssll]

Thanks for all the input guys - Where to start?!

Regarding the concrete floor, I intend to leave it uninsulated - simply because I've got an engine crane that gets used occasionally, and the combined mass of the crane and serveral hundred kilos of engine rolling around on it worries me a bit I may re-think that later, but retrofitting insulation to the floor shouldn't be too much of a faff as long as I leave some vapour barrier accessible at the bottom of the walls to seal against.

re. air gaps, yes I will batten the walls with dpc between timber and brickwork, then put the insulation board on top of that to leave the 25mm gap.

re. insulating the roof externally this would be a much bigger task than doing it internally since it's joined to next doors garage and shares the same tiled roof. I'm going to batten the rafters (they're only 70mm deep) then fit 50mm celotex internally with a 50mm air gap between the board and the felt above it. That should do the job, but I will need to cut ventilation in to the soffits as they're unvented at the moment.

@jowwy - what thickness of insulation board did you use, and what sort of temperatures are you maintaining? Are you heating it? Would be interesting to know what I might be able to achieve, but I'm sure it'll be better than it is now

 

[JhnBssll]

I've made a bit of progress today with items 1 and 2 on my list - I had a bit of a clear out and then ripped all the old board out of the roof. This is what the previous owner had "installed" and I had put up with for a decade

and now...

Loads better already I had to carefully mark where the projector was mounted before i took the old boards down to try and avoid messing around with the vinyl screen on the garage door

Fortunately I seem to have it back where it was originally and all lines up Everything was covered in frost by the time I'd piled it back in for the night, -0.6 outside and +2.9 inside which rather sums up why I'm going to these lengths I've left a couple of boards loose and a few missing in the corner where the fan is so I can pass insulation up - I nearly forgot

I've got a loft ladder to collect from screwfix when its available, then I'll be able to get in and out of the roof space easily and get to work insulating up there. Once thats done I'll move some stuff up and prepare to strip everything off the walls No going back then I currently have no idea when the insulation will arrive so no planned timeline on this one, it'll get done as and when to fit around the other jobs

 

[Gunk]

Detatched garage with 'loft space' Too many bikes, roof racks and tools in mine. MrsF bought me 3 floor to ceiling shelving units a few Xmas'es ago and even with them and a steel cabinet, there is still too much 'stuff'.

Watching with interest !

I have the same problem!

 

[Ridgeway]

He builds wheels, restores Bromptons, fettles Italian Carbon super bike, extends his house and now this

Us mere mortals have no chance

 

[JhnBssll]

He builds wheels, restores Bromptons, fettles Italian Carbon super bike, extends his house and now this

Us mere mortals have no chance

I like to keep busy thats for sure

 

[jowwy]

Thanks for all the input guys - Where to start?!

Regarding the concrete floor, I intend to leave it uninsulated - simply because I've got an engine crane that gets used occasionally, and the combined mass of the crane and serveral hundred kilos of engine rolling around on it worries me a bit I may re-think that later, but retrofitting insulation to the floor shouldn't be too much of a faff as long as I leave some vapour barrier accessible at the bottom of the walls to seal against.

re. air gaps, yes I will batten the walls with dpc between timber and brickwork, then put the insulation board on top of that to leave the 25mm gap.

re. insulating the roof externally this would be a much bigger task than doing it internally since it's joined to next doors garage and shares the same tiled roof. I'm going to batten the rafters (they're only 70mm deep) then fit 50mm celotex internally with a 50mm air gap between the board and the felt above it. That should do the job, but I will need to cut ventilation in to the soffits as they're unvented at the moment.

@jowwy - what thickness of insulation board did you use, and what sort of temperatures are you maintaining? Are you heating it? Would be interesting to know what I might be able to achieve, but I'm sure it'll be better than it is now

I only went 25mm John and then 12.5mm plaster board on top. I do heat it in the winter but only 2 x 30min Blasts of heat from an 800watt oil filled radiator and it stays above freezing. But I haven’t done the roof yet or the main front wall.......

that’s a job I’m doing this spring/summer

 

[jowwy]

Obviously mine is a timber clad man cave rather than a garage though.......and it’s 3.6mtrs x 2.4mtrs

22mm tongue and groove, 25mm celotex and 12.5mm plaster boards

so in the summer I will be insulating the roof from above with 25mm celotex and 12mm osb and will refelt.

The whole front will be taken off and rebuilt with 50mm celotex, new thermal door and a double glazed window, will then be clad with half log tongue and groove

 

[Lookrider]

You mentioned the secure work bench...I had inherited the same ..
Ripped it out and made a mobile bench from most of it ...a bench on castors allows you loads of usable space as you can move it around as the garage gets filled up/emptied all the time
Walls ..i put slatwall on my garage ..that's the stuff you see in all the shops ..its brilliant stuff
never again drill the wall as any hooks slot in neatly everywhere ....
Its already painted white to reflect heat and light ....
Its 18mm MDF giving high insulation .
And I got mine from an empty shop for free...theres empty shops every where just ask around
Its made a massive improvement to the look of my walls ..I now call my garage the bike shop
For units I got tambour doors
These slide open I to tbe unit save g space ad theres no door to open at right angles
It also works good as you cam leave them open when at work and you cam see what's inside
As opposed to opening g and closing g doors to find what you have hidden away somewhere

Every other material like celotex I would source on gumtree ..again builders will have piles of offcuts lying around ...or visit a large builder or roofer or even ask where you see a new house/extension being built
They gladly give you it as they need to pay to get rid if it

Good luck ..you seem to know what to do anyways

 

[GM]

Taking a keen interest in your project John as I'm doing virtually the same. I started mine the beginning of September a little break after I finished my front wall. First job was to get the old asbestos roof removed by specialist. Then build up the side walls and put in door and window lintels, the old 30's built just had timber which was rotting away. Then joists, 18mm exterior ply, roof window, covered with EPDM. Which is where I'm up to, electrics and cladding the walls ceiling starting soon.

 

[JhnBssll]

You mentioned the secure work bench...I had inherited the same ..
Ripped it out and made a mobile bench from most of it ...a bench on castors allows you loads of usable space as you can move it around as the garage gets filled up/emptied all the time
Walls ..i put slatwall on my garage ..that's the stuff you see in all the shops ..its brilliant stuff
never again drill the wall as any hooks slot in neatly everywhere ....
Its already painted white to reflect heat and light ....
Its 18mm MDF giving high insulation .
And I got mine from an empty shop for free...theres empty shops every where just ask around
Its made a massive improvement to the look of my walls ..I now call my garage the bike shop
For units I got tambour doors
These slide open I to tbe unit save g space ad theres no door to open at right angles
It also works good as you cam leave them open when at work and you cam see what's inside
As opposed to opening g and closing g doors to find what you have hidden away somewhere

Every other material like celotex I would source on gumtree ..again builders will have piles of offcuts lying around ...or visit a large builder or roofer or even ask where you see a new house/extension being built
They gladly give you it as they need to pay to get rid if it

Good luck ..you seem to know what to do anyways

The workbench is really good, there are a few bits I would do differently but whoever built it has done a decent job - it would probably withstand a small thermonuclear explosion If I didn't need to insulate behind it I would keep it in place but unfortunately it needs to come out. It's all nailed together and I fear I'm going to have to destroy it to move it, so I doubt theres much chance of it going back together afterwards I have been thinking along the lines of a worktop on metal legs with a couple of tool chests on wheels underneath, so similar to your suggestion I'm just ordering up some screws and plastic washers for the insulation board but at some point I'll have a go at working out a nice space-efficient layout for the new permanent fixtures

 

[Drago]

I love these threads that JhnBssl (sureky a pseudonym for Jacqueline Bisset?) does, pictures and all. Great stuff.

 

[jowwy]

Taking a keen interest in your project John as I'm doing virtually the same. I started mine the beginning of September a little break after I finished my front wall. First job was to get the old asbestos roof removed by specialist. Then build up the side walls and put in door and window lintels, the old 30's built just had timber which was rotting away. Then joists, 18mm exterior ply, roof window, covered with EPDM. Which is where I'm up to, electrics and cladding the walls ceiling starting soon.

Any picture of the project.....we like pictures don’t we John.

 

[GM]

Any picture of the project.....we like pictures don’t we John.

I was just about to edit my post with some. So here's a few, more as I progress!

 

[jowwy]

I was just about to edit my post with some. So here's a few, more as I progress!

View attachment 568212 View attachment 568213 View attachment 568215 View attachment 568216

Looks good....what you going to use it for???

sorry for derailing your thread John

 

[GM]

Looks good....what you going to use it for???

sorry for derailing your thread John

My hide out come man cave ...Bikes and a couple bits of gym equipment, turbo, rowing machine, at the far end. I'm toying with either a Pottery wheel, Lathe or a Pool table at the front. Basically to try and keep it clutter free.