Workshop Heating

[9fingers]

I've been working on building my new workshop for the last year and am drawing to a close on the shell.
I had thought about installing a Hotspot or similar woodburning stove but recent experience is suggesting otherwise.

The workshop is 10 feet x 30 feet and just tall enough to swing an 8x4 sheet corner to corner.
I have 25mm polystyrene insulation under the floor and in the walls and 100mm of fibreglass in the roof. It is also completely draught tight.

Last night we had a frost and inside I left a 750 watt oil filled radiator with the thermostat set fairly high. This morning it was 12 degrees C in there and I was reasonably comfortable after a few minutes of light physical work.

I conclude from this that
a) Insulation and draught proofing is well worthwhile
b) A woodburner is likely to emit far too much heat for a 2700 cu ft workshop.

BTW - sorry I've not taken many pictures during the build. Maybe once I start fitting out the interior I'll be more active with the camera.

To summarize the construction

Construction is single skin 100mm high density concrete blocks clad on the outside with 8" feather board. Pitched roof with fibre cement slates. The interior is clad with 18mm ply on the walls, 18mm hardwood ply on the floor and the ceiling is 6mm mdf. Walls and ceiling will be emulsioned white. Ply walls will mean I can screw cupboards, benches shelves etc anywhere I want to.
There are deliberately no windows for the same reason. An extractor fan will allow cooling in the summer if the insulation allows too much heat in.

Bob

 

[PowerTool]

Think you could be right about not needing a big heater - my workshop is about 8' x 16',and I have a frostwatcher 500w convector heater in and a 2kw fan heater to boost it if needed (the fan heater is currently on the 1kw setting,thermostat set at about 1/3 of maximum,and on a timer so it comes on for half an hour 4 times during the night)
Was 7.2c in there yesterday morning,5.2c in there this morning (and it was a bit nippy round here last night)
My aim is to keep it above 5c,which it seems to manage quite well.

Although if you got a hotspot,it's the right time of year to sit and roast your chestnuts :wink:

Andrew

 

[woodbloke]

My shop is 20x12' and I use a 1.5Kw oil filled rad, running of a timer twice a day. I also have a 1Kw convector heater for a bit of instant heat. The workshop is well insulated (50mm Rockwool in the walls, 100mm f/g in the roof) so although it can be a trifle nippy in the morning, if I stick the oil filled rad on for about an hour and a half it will raise the temp very rapidly. Behind the oil filled rad I have a 25mm expanded polyurethane sheet covered in tin foil which then sits about 50mm from the 'shop wall, so the actual rad is about 100mm away from the wall. I found that when I mounted the rad directly against the wall allot of the heat went straight into the wall an not allot came out into the shop - Rob

 

[OLD]

9fingers i agree the construction should have a low heat loss but you may like to consider some ventilation at some time .
If you want to confirm you could google heat loss calculations to find your heat requirement

 

[9fingers]

Hi Old,

I did look at heat calcs way back when I started the project but found that most were geared around standard construction styles and I knew I would not be doing anything standard so I thought I'd experiment part way through.

On the topic of ventilation, I mentioned above I will be fitting an extraction fan and expect that this plus leaving the door ajar will be adequate. The fan is a bit OTT. 500mm diameter 12 blade fan with a 1 horsepower motor running on a 3 phase speed controller! - I don't think I will get too hot!

I also plan to reverse the fan running on very low speed to generate a slight positive pressure through a dust filter inside a polythene tent within the workshop to use for finishing. When not in use, the tent can fold out of the way.

Regards

Bob

 

[johnnyb]

i have the r2 hotspot in a well insulated 22ft by 12 ft and its fine nice temperature i think. i love that it provides a means to dispose of sawdust offcuts papers etc. it is very adjustable believe it or not. downside is it needs to be installed and once in is a permanent fixture. also it does consume wood over a full day even with the breathers closed esp softwood. probably best used as part of the solution. i use a dessicant dehumidifier overnight on a timer this also provides background heat. remember an electric heater on all day will cost a fortune.

 

[Guy]

im willing to swap the heat i have in mine at the moment for some of your cold. Hit 43C inside there yesterday and have no cooling other than a large fan.

 

[Freetochat]

im willing to swap the heat i have in mine at the moment for some of your cold. Hit 43C inside there yesterday and have no cooling other than a large fan.

[-X :evil: - Thanks for that. Oh, by the way we have frost, rain and winds!

 

[woodbloke]

Freetochat wrote:

rain and winds!

(Off topic a little)....and then some. Doesn't seem to have stopped raining for the last 3 months. Hope the Met guys aren't going to tell us next summer there will be hose pipe bans - Rob

 

[Losos]

Hi Guy,

If you want 'cold' come to Czechland (Officially the Czech Republic) I can offer you -20 (Night) temperatures next month

I have a wood burner, I like the generous amount of heat it gives out and the fact it's a 'dry' heat which I think has helped to reduce the dreaded rust. I think I need a fan or something to move the air around, at the opposide side of the 'shop it's still a bit chilly but it is a 'largish' room.

 

[DaveL]

I think I need a fan or something to move the air around, at the opposide side of the 'shop it's still a bit chilly but it is a 'largish' room.

Thats what the air clean and dust collector (cyclone) do in my shop. 8)

 

[Guy]

Freetochat wrote:

rain and winds!

(Off topic a little)....and then some. Doesn't seem to have stopped raining for the last 3 months. Hope the Met guys aren't going to tell us next summer there will be hose pipe bans - Rob

Sorry i took it off topic
Ill take the rain, may stop some of the bush fires we are having, saturday visibility was down to 200m whilst driving and we are 300 km away from the fires. We have had no decent rain in nearly 2 years with the resevoirs down to less than 40% full, and the largest fire now has a 250Km front. if your interested have a look these 2 sites
http://www.dse.vic.gov.au/DSE/nrenfoe.n ... CB000DB12D
http://www.cfa.vic.gov.au/incidents/inc ... ummary.htm