Finally My Pole Barn/Workshop Has Started

[USAFpj]

David, your Western NC climate is a lot like mine here in NW SC. Do you think that it will be feasible for you to be comfortable in the shop without HVAC for now?
If not, have you decided a route yet?
Any condensation issues as of yet?
Last question for now- do you have any regrets? Door size, windows, overall size, etc...

 

[hunterridgefarm]

David, your Western NC climate is a lot like mine here in NW SC. Do you think that it will be feasible for you to be comfortable in the shop without HVAC for now?
If not, have you decided a route yet?
Any condensation issues as of yet?
Last question for now- do you have any regrets? Door size, windows, overall size, etc...

I plan to start electrical as soon as planting is complete. I do not think I will add AC but my wife did suggest a large ceiling fan which I think is a great idea.

No condensation yet, I left the door open for 7+ days to allow air to circulate. I have had it closed for the past 5 days with temps ranging from 35* morning to 76* afternoon. I open the large door when I get home from work and have not seen any condensation. The humidity is higher but no condensation on anything. The builder told me to leave the door open for a week or two because of this and I told him I had already planned to do that.

Regrets, not really, I thought about putting a window in the top gable end for air circulation and will do this on the back side as soon as I get the loft built. I had thought about putting a garage door in the back but I don't think I would use it that much and I wanted to put the loft in the back.

I will extend the building sometime in the future and put a man door in the back to access the extension which will be an open shed for equipment or possibly enclose it.

I am leaning towards the open shed extension and enclosing the lean to in the future.

David

 

[KennyG]

I don't have to deal with heat like you guys in Carolina do, but I'm amazed at the difference since I insulated my pole barn (with a ceiling). The concrete seems to suck up heat and the building doesn't pick it up from the roof, so it's comfortable inside even when it gets into the 90's outside.

I kind of have the opposite problem in the spring. We finally get a nice 70 degree day and I have to open all the doors because it's 45 degrees inside.

 

[ultrarunner]

Kind of the meat locker affect...

Someone I know said insulation was a total waste and he was sorry he went to the trouble... he said his shop isn't any warmer... but, he has nothing to heat it so the temp always stays on the cool side even when it's nice outside... according to him.

 

[sld]

Kind of the meat locker affect...

Someone I know said insulation was a total waste and he was sorry he went to the trouble... he said his shop isn't any warmer... but, he has nothing to heat it so the temp always stays on the cool side even when it's nice outside... according to him.

When my brother built his house the builder convinced him not to insulate his garage. He said it was a waste if he wasn't going to heat / cool it.

I know I would rather have it insulated. If you have a front and back door opening for ventilation you can get it to ambient temps in the summer pretty easy. In the winter, the heat from your car will even be beneficial. Plus the wall it shares with the house will add some heat too. My garage attached to the house is insulated with no heater. I have never seen it drop below freezing in there. It does face south so that probably helps a little.

If you don't do it when you build (and sheet rock everything) it is very hard to add it later.

 

[ultrarunner]

When I was working on cars a lot the one thing I didn't like was working in the cold or on cold car parts...

The shop then was small 18 x 20.... just right for one car and tools... being insulated just diving in a warm car and parking it while having a bite for dinner was long enough so that everything warmed up enough.

My shop in Olympia is large and it never gets warm in the winter... the only person I know with similar keeps it very nice with in floor radiant heat and an outside wood boiler...

 

[pinetree10]

The covered exterior areas are a smart move and look good too. Nice building.

 

[blucoondawg]

Those book shelf type girders are common in pole building construction where insulation is involved it gives a place to attach the insulation and whatever interior wall covering. One nice thing with insulation is it keeps the garage nice and cool in the summer when it's hot outside

 

[woodchipper]

Congratulations on this well layed out pole construction! You did not spare much as well! Insulating the interior will help regulate your day and night time temps.
Well done and enjoy your new shop! :drink:

 

[hunterridgefarm]

Thanks for the reply's.

Started putting the osb on last week then had to stop to lay plastic for planting. Hopefully can get back on it this weekend. I decided to attache the osb with screws so if I ever need to remove a piece it would be easier.