New shop ideas

[scottp55]

Tim,
Up to 80% of heating/cooling can be lost through heat transfer in uninsulated slabs.
For monolithic slabs, the easiest way is to simply put insulation on the concrete forms, and let the pressure of the concrete hold it flat.
Something is needed to protect blue foam from UV/etc. I used treated plywood on my house 19 yrs ago and still good, and just mason nailed or Tapcon'd as needed, but imagine there are other things available now. Ask contractors, but maybe avoid stucco as it can peel
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q_6T0G-Cny8
Cheap way to save a lot of cash over the years.
With the slab and the earth underneath it creates a huge thermal mass...It's whats keeping my house at 72F now, when it's 85F outside right now(No AC here)
Hope it helps.
scott

[Tim Lucas]

Tim,
Up to 80% of heating/cooling can be lost through heat transfer in uninsulated slabs.
For monolithic slabs, the easiest way is to simply put insulation on the concrete forms, and let the pressure of the concrete hold it flat.
Something is needed to protect blue foam from UV/etc. I used treated plywood on my house 19 yrs ago and still good, and just mason nailed or Tapcon'd as needed, but imagine there are other things available now. Ask contractors, but maybe avoid stucco as it can peel
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q_6T0G-Cny8
Cheap way to save a lot of cash over the years.
With the slab and the earth underneath it creates a huge thermal mass...It's whats keeping my house at 72F now, when it's 85F outside right now(No AC here)
Hope it helps.
scott

Ok, not sure if that would be good here, a Hard winter is 3 or 4 times All winter we drop below 20F so our soil freeze depth is maybe .25 inch. Summer is a little different and I could see how it may help but not sure it would be worth the cost, my dogs only have to dig down a couple inches to find cooler dirt
Thanks for the idea though
Tim

[bleeth]

Tim: I would pass on a dirt floor since there are so many issues with everything from cleaning up to keeping tools and tables level, but, I hate concrete as it is such hell on the feet and legs. If you do a bit of a concrete ramp at the entrances or drop the wall footer and excavate down enough inside you can engineer support for a 3/4 T&G plywood floor or heavier T&G plank and not only run your dc and power for tools and equipment under it but also save much wear and tear on your body over the long haul. I know it raises the cost, but in the long haul you will be glad you did. The more advance planning you do the happier you will be. Since you, like me, are in the beautiful but humid and insect prone state of Florida a cypress plank floor would last forever and stay termite free.

[Tim Lucas]

Tim: I would pass on a dirt floor since there are so many issues with everything from cleaning up to keeping tools and tables level, but, I hate concrete as it is such hell on the feet and legs. If you do a bit of a concrete ramp at the entrances or drop the wall footer and excavate down enough inside you can engineer support for a 3/4 T&G plywood floor or heavier T&G plank and not only run your dc and power for tools and equipment under it but also save much wear and tear on your body over the long haul. I know it raises the cost, but in the long haul you will be glad you did. The more advance planning you do the happier you will be. Since you, like me, are in the beautiful but humid and insect prone state of Florida a cypress plank floor would last forever and stay termite free.

Yes I will have to see how much more cost it would add, right now I put cardboard on the concrete floor from the cabinet boxes and that helps a lot. And no, on the dirt floor

[chiloquinruss]

Scott, the pole barn has 8x8 vertical beams to hold up the structure. So I built 2x4 false walls to go between the beams and then covered everything with 1/2 in ply.

The wiring comes down from the rafters and goes behind the false wall. All of my wall outlets are installed at 48 inches off the floor.

In the picture those black mats on the floor are 1/2 inch thick rubber mats made for covering the floor in a horse barn to protect their hoofs. Most farm supply stores carry them.

All of my work spaces are as close to my ShopBot height as I could make them. I also have a large Harbor Freight cart that is almost as high. All of this matches the bed of my trailer. In a one man shop moving mdf sheets is almost impossible. I slide a lot of material!

The pvc on the walls is for the dust collector. Every tool is hooked up and has its own blast gate. I use the cheap ones from Harbor Freight. http://www.harborfreight.com/4-inch-...rol-97497.html

I am in the process of adding pull down air and power. I hate cords on the floor. I wear bifocals and well . . . . Russ

[jTr]

I've been trying for a year to buy property with home and shop. Taking a swing at a a third one with high hopes it comes together this time...

Anyhow, all properties I've found have pole barns in need of some remodeling/reconfiguration to make my business function. Current target has partial floor- first 30 feet are poured, second half is not. Seriously considering a wood deck instead of full concrete. Have laid out a plan that would keep the 'bot and heaviest equipment on the pavement. Wood deck winds up in assembly/workbench and finish room end of the building. I'd like to hear from others if they've constructed decking vs concrete in a similar manner for similar reasons. As mentioned by others, long term human preservation is primary objective in going for a wood decking.

In the process, I've bought sample LED corn cob style bulbs and plan to sample some with high bay LED fixtures. A dizzying topic by itself, but things are looking very promising to get 300 watt equivalent low bay fixtures in the $100 USD range. Anyone have any good suggestions/ experience to share regarding lighting?

GREAT thread!

Jeff

[scottp55]

Thanks Russ,
Infilling makes the walls much more usable. Many people used that option in the steel buildings I built for 5 yrs.
Yep, cords/hose on the floor bring my wheelchair to a screeching halt, need to work on pull down.
Tim,
If you go stem wall for a wood floor, perimeter insul would keep dirt floor underneath very cool and simple fan arrangement would let you make use of it spring/fall for cooling without AC....still need dehumidifier though probably.
Do you have a prevailing wind direction? Maybe orient building windows and doors to get a cross draft?
Standing Seam roof is MUCH better for high winds and WAY less leakage and problems than standard rib roof sheeting.Can't remember a single callback for a SSRoof, and many callbacks on rib roof after a few years for leaks.

[Tim Lucas]

Thanks Russ,
Infilling makes the walls much more usable. Many people used that option in the steel buildings I built for 5 yrs.
Yep, cords/hose on the floor bring my wheelchair to a screeching halt, need to work on pull down.
Tim,
If you go stem wall for a wood floor, perimeter insul would keep dirt floor underneath very cool and simple fan arrangement would let you make use of it spring/fall for cooling without AC....still need dehumidifier though probably.
Do you have a prevailing wind direction? Maybe orient building windows and doors to get a cross draft?
Standing Seam roof is MUCH better for high winds and WAY less leakage and problems than standard rib roof sheeting.Can't remember a single callback for a SSRoof, and many callbacks on rib roof after a few years for leaks.

Think I will go concrete floor as It will give better resale value for when/if I retire- I will have to check on the SSRoof, using spray form insl should help hold roof together I think ?? Lots of trees so don't have steady wind but am looking at long side to east west as I am within 50 miles of the gulf to the west.
Thanks
Tim

[scottp55]

Tim,
I got injured while picking up rib roof that blew off during a downgraded late season hurricane, so I'm biased.
SSroof I'm talking about is with hidden clips and then hydraulically crimped together, so it's a unit and the clips usually have 3-5 screws directly into the steel purlin.
Rib roof usually have 3 screws in the lowest part of the sheet, and screws have neoprene/plastic gaskets which can split/degrade and that's where the water runs. At the meeting of the sheets they're held together by a thin strip of mastic and short "Stitch" screws, and may times guys don't change the clutch of their guns and so there are a bunch of "spinners"(stripped screws).
All my knowledge is from '84-90 so I'm dated. Urea/formaldehyde foam had just been banned before I started, and a cost effective replacement had not come out before I was a Para. So a definite "Maybe" on modern foam holding it together and preventing leaking
At least leaks were easy to find by the ballooning(bathtub sized sometimes) vinyl back fiberglass(we had to poke the vinyl to release the water(messy).
Probably 80% of the rib roofs were fine for the five years I worked them before I was injured on the Domtar job.
Best if you compare new stuff in your area;
https://www.google.com/search?num=20...10.WRrTJkmBEWQ
I built my house with a 1.4" pitch, so went standing seam, and only have to worry about the yearly penetration checks for silicone degrading.
How thin is slab where you may be driving on it?
May consider adding stealth fiber to concrete depending on soil/water conditions and the type of fill under slab.
Hope any of this "Northern" stuff is helping.
Keep waiting for other people who have built in the South to chime in
scott

[Tim Lucas]

Tim,
I got injured while picking up rib roof that blew off during a downgraded late season hurricane, so I'm biased.
SSroof I'm talking about is with hidden clips and then hydraulically crimped together, so it's a unit and the clips usually have 3-5 screws directly into the steel purlin.
Rib roof usually have 3 screws in the lowest part of the sheet, and screws have neoprene/plastic gaskets which can split/degrade and that's where the water runs. At the meeting of the sheets they're held together by a thin strip of mastic and short "Stitch" screws, and may times guys don't change the clutch of their guns and so there are a bunch of "spinners"(stripped screws).
All my knowledge is from '84-90 so I'm dated. Urea/formaldehyde foam had just been banned before I started, and a cost effective replacement had not come out before I was a Para. So a definite "Maybe" on modern foam holding it together and preventing leaking
At least leaks were easy to find by the ballooning(bathtub sized sometimes) vinyl back fiberglass(we had to poke the vinyl to release the water(messy).
Probably 80% of the rib roofs were fine for the five years I worked them before I was injured on the Domtar job.
Best if you compare new stuff in your area;
https://www.google.com/search?num=20...10.WRrTJkmBEWQ
I built my house with a 1.4" pitch, so went standing seam, and only have to worry about the yearly penetration checks for silicone degrading.
How thin is slab where you may be driving on it?
May consider adding stealth fiber to concrete depending on soil/water conditions and the type of fill under slab.
Hope any of this "Northern" stuff is helping.
Keep waiting for other people who have built in the South to chime in
scott

Dated - my soil is sand with sand mixed in, it drains fast and grows peanuts well. Don't like the vinyl insulation as critters like to live in it, another contractor I know just put up a 40 x 60 metal building and has 3" foam sprayed in just the roof- no radiant heat at all from roof - I understand the fasteners and all, now they use the stainless screws but I am sure after 5 - 6 years I will have to replace them but grandson will be old enough by then