Building a workshop in an old stone built barn

[steve66]

In my case, an old cow shed, retro fitted an internal stud wall, brackets held it in place off wall, insulated with second hand insulation, double skinned osb, this was done when 9mm osb was half the price it is now. I knew someone who had the contract to replace insulation in houses so I got the insulation free ( plus the odd Xmas decorations)
I put in suspended ceiling that allowed attic space to insulate.

 

[David66]

Thanks Steve - when you say "double skinned OSB" do you mean there was a sheet on the outside of the stud and on the inside, with the insulation "sandwiched" between them? Why did you decide to do that?

 

[steve66]

Same principal in building timber frame houses, modern regs in timber frame houses is 6 inch timber, but 4 inch would suffice.
I wouldn’t be able to afford the insulation as well so I used second hand insulation to save on cost. It’s defiantly improved the building and keeps everything dry.
I have to treat outside walls but I’ve bought machines and sundry items off carpenters who have had similar sheds without insulation and they’ve always been rusty.
Old fiber cement corrugated roof, but I had the room to put in a suspended ceiling as well

 

[steve66]

Part of the suspended ceiling, I’ve re-bagged insulation so not as heavy as they were, just in case any have to come down.
All sheds and buildings I’ve done have been the same, it works for me.
Yes regards one sheet on outside of stud, insulation put in and then boarded again on inside

 

[housemaintenance88]

Hi, you have loads of areas to work on however, if I read right and the drop from left to right is 18", blimey, may I suggest these with some concrete blocks under them to elevate to begin with and then these can adjust giving a further 0"-2" tolerance. https://www.amazon.co.uk/Galvanised...ted+post+base+post+holders,aps,54&sr=8-9&th=1
If you pencil mark the holes through the base on the blocks and then buy some "multi construction bits" to drill WITHOUT HAMMER ACTION and then rawl plug the concrete blocks. I would put freshly mixed concrete around the concrete blocks given you have a flint floor this should hold pretty well and allow you to level the blocks, if you put concrete around, under the blocks you should be able to lay the blocks even in their longest direction upwards to help with the 18" drop. This then would help keep your joist above-off the floor and hopefully stop them rotting.

 

[MikeJhn]

Just punch the floor joists off the existing floor with some timber legs under them, legs on a dense tile or brick on a mortar bed, the floor joists can have multiple supports onto the existing floor so span longitudinally is not an issue, only the distance between joists to span the flooring material, essential to have a DPC between the legs and floor and noggins between the joists, half the time and effort, establish the low side and just spirit level across the floor to the other end of the joist, measure the distance to the floor, don't think I need to go through the whole process, no disturbance to the existing floor and can be taken up easily when you move out. mine has been down for ten years without any maintenance being needed.

 

[David66]

Update - we've moved into our new home and the shed build has begun. Couple of photos below (sorry, last two use portrait orientation, but have uploaded as landscape!).

I have all the framing done. I lost a bit of volume because the stone walls were so uneven. Ended up about 3m by 5m. I laid a DPM, as advised, and for reasons of cost, decided simply to support the joists with timber legs resting on the DPM. After a lot of trial and error (and a laser level!!), the floor is level and the the walls are square (at least as far as I can tell)!!

Today it's insulating and laying the floor. Again, for reasons of cost I've gone with rock wool insulation rather than PIR boards.

More updates to follow

 

[Housey210]

Rent, you say. Be wary of any repairing clauses. I would walk away from it and put the money into a build at your own home.

 

[David66]

Rent, you say. Be wary of any repairing clauses. I would walk away from it and put the money into a build at your own home.

I know...it's a long story. The house is off grid, and in the middle of nowhere (4km down a 4x4 track). It's owned by a friend who's agreed to let us stay there rent free provided we finish the renovations he started about 10 years ago (!). We'll be there for about 3 years, while we build a new house (I say, build, but my involvement will be minimal!). If I didn't fit out the shed I would have no workshop for 3 years "shrug" - with the amount we're saving on energy bills (pre installed solar, wood burning stoves etc) the fit out will pay for itself in around 6 months!

 

[johna.clements]

The DPM will stop water coming up but will also stop it going down. With you uneven cobble floor some of you legs will be in low points.

 

[Fitzroy]

The DPM will stop water coming up but will also stop it going down. With you uneven cobble floor some of you legs will be in low points.

I'd have only put pieces of dpm under each leg then lifted them and stapled to the leg. Additional to avoiding low points it would also let the floor breath from drafts under your floor.

 

[Jonm]

I'd have only put pieces of dpm under each leg then lifted them and stapled to the leg. Additional to avoiding low points it would also let the floor breath from drafts under your floor.

I would be concerned about what mould/fungus will form between the floor and dpm, best if floor can breath, as you say. Personally I would have set small blocks of concrete/tile/brick on mortar to level it and a piece of dpm on top to sit the wood on.

 

[Jonm]

Update - we've moved into our new home and the shed build has begun. Couple of photos below (sorry, last two use portrait orientation, but have uploaded as landscape!).

you are making great progress, thanks for letting us know.