workshop heating options

[OPJ]

Can anyone suggest a good non-payment source of rubber sheet, to make a skirt for the bottom of the up-and-over door? Half the fun of this is doing it on a near-zero budget!

Last year, I bought one of these from Toolstation (I'm sure they were £4 cheaper?). It works well and has made a difference - of course, if you use the same door for access, you're still going to have some trouble with the cold... Only problem is that the concrete below the door dips slightly in the middle, meaning some draughts and water creep in where the excluder doesn't quite reach.

It might also be worth looking for a brush-type excluder, as opposed to something with a rubber strip - I think Screwfix used to do them? While you're budget approach is commendable, £16 isn't likely to empty many bank accounts.

Ventilation can be higher up as well, which should help to keep your toes warmer! :wink:

 

[Eric The Viking]

Can anyone suggest a good non-payment source of rubber sheet, to make a skirt for the bottom of the up-and-over door? Half the fun of this is doing it on a near-zero budget!

Last year, I bought one of these from Toolstation (I'm sure they were £4 cheaper?). It works well and has made a difference - of course, if you use the same door for access, you're still going to have some trouble with the cold... Only problem is that the concrete below the door dips slightly in the middle, meaning some draughts and water creep in where the excluder doesn't quite reach.

It might also be worth looking for a brush-type excluder, as opposed to something with a rubber strip - I think Screwfix used to do them? While you're budget approach is commendable, £16 isn't likely to empty many bank accounts.

Ventilation can be higher up as well, which should help to keep your toes warmer! :wink:

Aye. good thought. It might do for the top of the door, as the door doesn't meet the lintel, with rather a big gap. Down below, it only just clears the padlock staple on the outside, so something very flexible is important.

 

[Lons]

A good way of sealing the bottom of an up and over door from rain and draughts is to close the door and screw a length of 20 - 25mm thick timber to the floor against the door - a silicone bead under it stops water, You can also fit a length of excluder along the front edge if necessary (folding or bubble types work). Best timber to use is treated and slaters laths are ideal at about 40p metre.

Does the job and still allows access over it for a car.

:-k Bet there aren't many of us use our garage for that purpose :roll:

cheers

Bob

ps - I'd forgotten about the DPC. I have used it on our last house and it works flat around the sides and top if fixed carefully. It's remarkably strong and durable - and cheap!

 

[misterfish]

I use a cheap 2kW electric convector heater from Argos. This has a timer and thermostat and works well. Mind you my workshop is well insulated - floor, walls and roof. My workshop at the previous house was uninsulated and draughty and impossible to heat in cold weather, hence the insulation in the current one.

Misterfish

 

[woodbloke]

If it gets really cold then I use a 1.5Kw oil filled rad which I can use with a plug in thermostat...it also doesn't take up much room against the wall. I also have some 1" polystyrene and ali foil behind it to reflect the heat back. The 'shop is well insulated as well so doesn't take long to warm up, but I usually wear a thick jumper and woolly hat as well - Rob

 

[Dibs-h]

What about if you have a timber floor - is a wood burner (home made or bought) still suitable? I assume as long as you put a concrete\stone plinth (slab) down you'd be ok?

Dibs

 

[eggflan]

Couple of concrete blocks under it will be fine , you would need to be carefull with any sparks but a firegaurd could be used i reckon :wink:

 

[9fingers]

The real key to a warm shop is no draughts first, insulation second and economic heating third.
My shop is around 100 cubic metres in volume and is plenty warm enough with a low power oil filled radiator on a thermostat. First thing on a really cold morning I use a fan heater for 10 mins or so and from then on working keeps me warm.

If you go the wood burner route and have the room, I'd build a framework at the back and sides clad with foil (fronted!) plasterboard to help keep offcuts and anything else falling towards the heater as well as having say four decent sized paving slabs for it to sit on.

A wood burner needs air and so it is best to bring in a pipe from the outside to deliver air just near the stove intake so you warm air does not go up the flue dragging in cold air to replace it.

Also make sure that any dust extractor you have does not exhaust outside or the draught for the fire will be upset when that is running in addition to pumping out your nice warmed air.

Bob

 

[jeffinfrance]

sound advice there bob, thanks.

jeff

 

[Bucks]

I haven't tried it yet but it is on my to do list which is to screw a length of rubber hosepipe to the bottom of the garage door, should make a good draught excluder/water seal.

With regards to heater I used to use a small fan heater, but I have just fitted a kitchen plinth heater in the plinth of one of my cupboards (takes up no space at all) I hardly ever use it, its only to take the chill of in the extreme cold.
on the odd occasion when I do have to us the heater, I do make sure there is no sawdust on the floor around it & give the heater a good blow out with my compressor.

 

[jamiecrawford]

For working at my bench I use one of those three plant pots over some tea lights things. Got the idea from some American site; small then medium pot inside of a larger one, held fixed with threaded bar and bolts with an inch or so between, sat over a tray with four candles. Pots warm up, as does the air between, surprisingly good, but only if your hovering nearby... I keep getting tempted to just smear myself in Deep Heat.