Workshop Damp?

[joiner_sim]

:roll: I went upto my small workshop/shed tonight just to put away a box of bandsaw blades that have been delivered. First I noticed just by the door the floor surface looked wet about 3" inwards. This looked like it went all the way along the one wall. My shiplap boarding appeared wet/damp on the joints. I must admit that the shed needs rubbing down on the outside and being re-coated anyway. Everything inside the workshop/shed seemed to be fine. Should I be worried about this?

 

[MikeG.]

Yep!! Water is never good in any building.

What is the shed construction? Is it one of the lightweight prefab jobs with a wooden floor?

You need to work out where the damp is coming from. One way is to wait for a dry period (so that the shed dries out again), then get someone to spray it with a hose whilst you stand inside and examine it for any sign of water penetration.

Once you now what the problem is, the solution normally becomes obvious!

Mike

 

[joiner_sim]

Yes it is a pre-fab job. it was built about 5-6 years ago when I was back at school! Supply & fit job. The shed is on concrete slabs and raised above the slabs by an inch.

I think I definatley need to wait until it is dry, and then definatley get the shed coated with some sealer again.

I think the doorway has let most of the wetness in...... coating the shed with preservative can only do it good.

 

[DangerousDave]

Sim, I can sympathise. I'm clearing out my garage in preparation for a complete workshop refit. I had some 18mm MFC lying flat on the floor, water got in under the garage door during the recent heavy rain and turned the bottom sheet into mush :x Not only that, but these strange fungus things had started to grow in it :shock: The MFC was resting on an old rug and a family of earthworms made their home in this !!! :shock: Its all cleared out now, but the concrete floor is still wet and I have to now wait for this to dry out before continuing with the refit :evil:
Any kind of moisture in the shop is bad news, I'd find out where its coming from asap if I were you. I seem to remember there being a post on here about a rubber strip you can get for attaching to the bottom of garage doors to stop rainwater coming in, but I can't remember who posted it :?

 

[filsgreen]

Hi Dave, It was me I used these.

http://www.maplin.co.uk/module.aspx?ModuleNo=217645&doy=18m8

They do a great job

Phil

 

[p111dom]

I need to do the same. I had to replace the back of my router table because it bached onto the wall where an air brick was. Last year I pulled it out to find thick green mould on the back. Sorted that by siliconing the brick up but I still get water under the door and specs of mould on some cabinets from time to time. I tend to spray them with bleach and the problem goes away for several months. Really need to seal the door, better seal the window and install a dehumidifyer. It's on the to do list. At least I've manager to get a heater in the garage for this winter.

 

[MikeG.]

Sim,

I would be surprised if the sealer is going to be your answer.......that would suggest that the water is making it's way directly through the woodwork. Of course, it won't do any harm anyway, but I think your real answer lies in trying to find cracks and water paths.

These pre-fab sheds have a weakness at the corners where water can get past the vertical joint and find its way in. They also, obviously, have cracks all around the door.

If it hasn't got one, an old-fashioned pentice board above the door head (like a window cill, really, but above an opening), will keep quite a lot of weather off the door. A bit of 4x1 would be fine for this....and extend it past the sides of the opening by 2 or 3 inches. Give it a slight slope, and tuck a bit of damp course under the next board up and down over the pentice board, held with some staples.

You could also plant some cover strips over the face of the door at the jamb (it won't open if you try and do it on the hinge side........unless it is an inward opening door!).....a bit of say 2x3/4" , half on the door, half overlapping the wall.

Probably too late now, but I would always advise that the shed be lifted off the substrate by at least 6 inches.......water bounces up, and will easily saturate the bottom of a wooden building that is only an inch above the ground. Keep the ground clear and low all round the shed, and if you surround it by shingle you get a lot less splashing.

Post some photos........there may be something obvious I'm missing.

Mike

 

[OLD]

I suggest you get someone to play the garden hose on the shed while you find out where the water is coming in and then fix it.

 

[MikeG.]

I already said that !!

 

[DangerousDave]

Hi Dave, It was me I used these.

http://www.maplin.co.uk/module.aspx?ModuleNo=217645&doy=18m8

They do a great job

Phil

Phil, you're a star. Thanks

 

[OLD]

Mike Garnham
Please accept my apology obviously i have not read all of the posts

 

[MikeG.]

No apology necessary! If two of us have said the same thing, it is probably an idea worth trying.......

 

[joiner_sim]

Thanks for the ideas to help me with this small but potentially large worrying problem. I'm not doing any work til at least next weekend, but I'll take some pictures if I can. Also my camera phone which lets me take the pictures has broken, so depends if the digital cameras lying around somewhere i can find it now

 

[devonwoody]

I found some damp yesterday,

I had around a 3" layer of sawdust inside the tablesaw cabinet laying on the concrete floor.

There are no signs of puddles or dampness laying anywhere in my garage but that sawdust looked like mice might have been using it as a litter tray for wee wees.

Could it be condensation dropping down from the underside of the c.i. tabletop or dampness coming up through the concrete?

 

[MikeG.]

Devonwoody,

a simple way to sort out the source of your damp would be to clean up the floor, let it (or force it to) dry out, then place a piece of plastic on the floor. Good thick clear plastic is best.

If in a week there is moisture underneath the plastic, it is coming up from below. On top of the plastic and the source is above.......no moisture, then it was the mice all along!

Mike

 

[devonwoody]

I will let you know the result. thanks.