Hi,
I’ve taken over a 12’x12′ yard shed for woodworking and tinkering, okay my wife kicked me out of the garage, the storage space for her car disappeared?? The shed is nothing fancy, 2×4 and sheathing walls, 2×6 sheathing, shingle roof. I have been using a portable propane heater to get it warm enough to fool around in comfortably in sweatshirt and fleece vest. Not warm enough for glue ups or finishing, then got an idea while working on an insulated dog house for my lab. The dog house uses 1 1/2 and 2 inch pink rigid insulation. I was thinking maybe using 2 layers of the 1 1/2 inch with a layer of the aluminum foil bubble wrap and then 1/2 inch plywood. I want to use a cleat system on the walls to get flexibility in storage. Part of the shed already has 2×6’s sort of like ceiling joists. I was thinking of filling them with insulation as well and putting plywood top and bottom and using the little loft space created to store wood out of the way. If I place some sort of movable divider wall at 8 feet, would create an 8′ wide, 12′ long, 7′ 6″ high space that I could use an electric oil radiator heater to keep it warm enough for glue ups, I hope. My real question is do you think I need some sort of vapor barrier in the walls and roof. I’m pretty new to woodworking, etc and when and what kind of vapor barrier confuses me.
Thanks,
Rob
Replies
You don't need one if you tape the seams of the rigid foam or foil bubble foil layer. And you are not gonna be in there full time with a high moisture/CO propane heater running ARE you..?
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No vapor barrier necessary, unless you are putting in a shower and a kitchenette. You don't have any vapor to worry about. That small a space with 3" of foam insulation and a space heater will be like a greenhouse after a couple of hours just from your breath.
You should not need a VB in there unless you heat it continually and do some activity that produces a lot of moisture such as host beer and p°rn parties.
The foil bubble wrap is unnessesary and it needs an inch of free air spoace in front of it to take advantage of the reflective properties. 3" of the Dow Foam should give you R15
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The foil bubble wrap is unnessesary and it needs an inch of free air spoace in front of it to take advantage of the reflective properties. 3" of the Dow Foam should give you R15
Actually the bubble foil has a built-in air space (the bubble wrap between two layers of foil) and works as a radiant barrier with or without exterior air space.
But, if the OP is talking about putting 3" of foam and bubble foil in the 2x4 stud bays, then there will be a 1/4" air gap.
And, if the framing is 16" oc, then the wall assembly with 3" of foam in the cavities will have a total assembly R-value of about 13.8 because of thermal bridging (perhaps R-16 with the bubble foil).
Riversong HouseWright
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Edited 2/23/2008 10:16 pm ET by Riversong
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I gotaa start squinting just right with my mouse over your posts again, don't I
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12x12- don't bother insulating.
Stop all the drafts and it's easy to keep it comfortable.
Just make sure you still have some fresh air.
just something to keep in mind - that propane heater puts out moisture and can cause condensation on walls and widows.
this, ofcourse, depends on how you operate the heater and may not be an issue in your case.