# Metal or wood?



## nosuchhounds (13 Dec 2021)

I have outgrown my small (very small) garden shed workshop and I am looking at something larger, around 15' x 8/10'. I am in the process of researching and have had a few people mention that metal produces condensation. The metal buildings i had found were cheaper and i had planned on insulating and adding vents to the build anyway. Sadly budget will be relatively tight. At the max, £3k. Can anyone suggest any ideas, I'm open to anything. The sheds you see advertised on various sites can be of varying quality


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## Jameshow (13 Dec 2021)

I'd go timber haven't seen anything decent in metal for less and the timber insulates too.

Look at Mike G way.

I recently looked at a 24x12 workshop which I reckoned I could build for 3k (un-insulated) so building smaller you should scrape under 3k. (Self built)

3x2 timbers, 22mm cladding, ply floor and onduline roofing.

Cheers James


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## Hornbeam (13 Dec 2021)

My day job is steel cladding and testing etc so I may be biased. Like any product is its not designed and installed correctly it wont work and it wont last. Any workshop construction if you are going to use it in the winter needs to be insulated. Properly selected painted steel cladding will last more than 25 years without any significant maintenance, Maybe I am splitting hairs but metal does not produce condensation. Air with high levels of humidity condenses out onto cold surfaces. Because metals have high conductivity then you get condensation. If the air is humid enough and there are cold enough surfaces incuding machinery and tools you will get condensation.
If people are interested, I could do an article on metal shed construction but it might take some time


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## nosuchhounds (14 Dec 2021)

Hornbeam said:


> My day job is steel cladding and testing etc so I may be biased. Like any product is its not designed and installed correctly it wont work and it wont last. Any workshop construction if you are going to use it in the winter needs to be insulated. Properly selected painted steel cladding will last more than 25 years without any significant maintenance, Maybe I am splitting hairs but metal does not produce condensation. Air with high levels of humidity condenses out onto cold surfaces. Because metals have high conductivity then you get condensation. If the air is humid enough and there are cold enough surfaces incuding machinery and tools you will get condensation.
> If people are interested, I could do an article on metal shed construction but it might take some time



That would be interesting and helpful I think!


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## JDW (21 Dec 2021)

If you can build your own then do it. You'll get a much more solid build for less money.

Thanks to lots of help I've received in this forum, I've (almost) built a 10x10 flat roof workshop (my first buiding build).

2x4 studs and joists (C16)
2x5 rafters (C24)
OSB floor, insulated with 50mm PIR
Roof is 18mm ply covered with breathable membrane and heavyweight felt.
I've clad the outside with 16mm treated T+G shiplap (some salvaged, some new).

I will be installing wall (50mm PIR) and roof (100mm PIR) insulation and ply lining.

I think for a 10x15* £3k is about right. If you did build to this spec and your money didn't stretch to the wall and roof insulation you can always install it later (preferably before winter )

*with roof slanted on the short span


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## Spectric (21 Dec 2021)

A wooden structure will give you more flexability in dimensions and be warmer, also better quality as the metal sheds I have seen are more for storage and not that secure either. Think of it as just four stud walls with a roof and cannot comment on floor or flooring as you have not mentioned what you will be doing in there, handtools and big heavy bench, any machinery and wood, metalwork or both.


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## recipio (22 Dec 2021)

Hornbeam said:


> My day job is steel cladding and testing etc so I may be biased. Like any product is its not designed and installed correctly it wont work and it wont last. Any workshop construction if you are going to use it in the winter needs to be insulated. Properly selected painted steel cladding will last more than 25 years without any significant maintenance, Maybe I am splitting hairs but metal does not produce condensation. Air with high levels of humidity condenses out onto cold surfaces. Because metals have high conductivity then you get condensation. If the air is humid enough and there are cold enough surfaces incuding machinery and tools you will get condensation.
> If people are interested, I could do an article on metal shed construction but it might take some time



I see commercial workshop companies offering insulation in metal sheds up to 100mm. What in your view is the optimal thickness and is it different in walls and ceilings. ?


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## nosuchhounds (22 Dec 2021)

JBD007 said:


> If you can build your own then do it. You'll get a much more solid build for less money.
> 
> Thanks to lots of help I've received in this forum, I've (almost) built a 10x10 flat roof workshop (my first buiding build).
> 
> ...



Lovely work that!


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## deema (22 Dec 2021)

I’d build a wooden frame (it will be simpler and cheaper structure than for a wooden clad building) and clad it in something like Kingspan insulated industrial panels. There is a wide range of colours, and thicknesses of insulation. They are strong, easy to fit, noise reducing, warm and add a lot to the structural integrity to the building. Best of all they are one of the cheapest cladding solutions. Think industrial building cladding which is what I’m proposing. You can get insulated roof lights. I’d put an industrial pedestrian door on, they are multipoint locking, insulated and very resistant to the two legged rodents.

Insulated metal panels do not condensate. I have 100mm insulation in the floor and 60mm in the walls and roof. The workshop is 45’ by 30‘ and 10’ to the eves, takes around 30 min to heat up to 15 degrees at the mo from a single electric fan heater. I can get it over 20C for when I’m painting on the coldest of days.


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## clogs (22 Dec 2021)

a shed that size needs only a 150x50x3mm box section for the legs n roof supports.....
100x50x3mm would also do....once welded u could get it all galvanised for a nicer finish.....cost for that would be around 80 -100 squids....they norm take a week for this service....
I build that kinda shed all the time......
as for the walls n roof I use 50mm insulated double skinned panels....we get reg temps over 40deg and down to at least 3-5 deg in winter with no condensation....
a cold winters day will start at say 3 deg and get upto 15-18 deg by lunchtime easy....
there are plenty of used insulated panels around in the UK and poss with thicker insulation.....
steel legs and roof supports bolted together make for a fast assembly, doors n windows can be put almost anywhere... 
organised properly the whole thing could be built and watertight by 2 people in a weekend..
just a small amount of welding for the junction plates is needed and if u cant do it it won't cost much to get it done....
Stregnth....
Note, the front beam in this photo is at max loading with only supports on the ends....these roof panels are used and single skin.....
it's a 150x50x3mm box section beam..7m long....also note the roof panels have 150x50x5m wooden joists so it's quite heavy...it's been up for over 2 years now and we get really high winds.....
due to planning rules it cant be bolted down to concrete, so each corner is ratchet strapped to a 1 ton maxi bag of stone to stop it flying away...deflection of the steel beam over the 7m is aound 1.25inches...
I would like a center support but access for the forklift is really important.....all this material will be taken down and reused for the new workshop being built this winter.....except for the used roof skin......



.....


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## Jameshow (22 Dec 2021)

If I were building my own shed I'd use cold room wall panels. 

Simply put a floor ring beam around slot in the panels removing the kingspan if needed, slot in position add wall plate to top. 
Roof with insulated steel sheeting. 
Add uPVC door and windows as required glued in with foam. 

Cheers James


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## JDW (6 Jan 2022)

Thank you, are you an experienced woodworker? (I'm not)


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## JDW (6 Jan 2022)

nosuchhounds said:


> Lovely work that!



Thank you, are you an experienced woodworker? (I'm not)


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## Awac (6 Jan 2022)

Have a search online for "Workshop Practice Series 23 Workshop Construction" cheap little book, full of building advise and ideas.


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