From storage to "workshop," part of my three-year plan

[Dan_Johansson]

Hello everyone!

Eventually, my current hobby room needs to be transformed into a bedroom for an upcoming teenager, and I am thinking of converting a current storage space of about 12-15 sqm (which is also connected to the garage) into a "workshop."

Right now it is unheated, but there is about 75 mm of insulation in the walls and plastic inside the drywall. Built in the mid-70s. Flat roof, I can't imagine there's much more insulation in the roof than in the walls...

The idea is to have it heated, maybe 10-12 degrees...

Since I do some metalworking, a concern is that sparks from the angle grinder might smolder somewhere, and I have considered securing the walls as best as possible against this, maybe by building up with two layers of thin leca blocks at the bottom after the walls...

The question is whether it's worth adding more insulation to the walls, or if it costs more than it saves?
How "flammable" are regular drywall sheets? Or should one aim for some cement-based wet room board?

 

[huggan]

I would recommend mineritskiva as a surface layer.

 

[norrbottenssnickaren]

I would say that plasterboard works just fine... I have double plasterboard myself in my converted garage where half, about 30m2, is dedicated to metalwork.

I don't think I have anything to worry about.

 

[swe.jocke]

Thinking that, for fire spread elimination, you are forced to use double gypsum between apartments and also ensure that the seams do not overlap. Therefore, double gypsum should work great!

 

[Dan_Johansson]

I think that the paper might possibly be a good place for a spark to lie and smolder, but maybe that's exaggerated?

 

[norrbottenssnickaren]

I think that the paper might possibly be a good place for a spark to lie and smolder, but maybe that's an exaggeration?

Have burned hard. Against. The plaster... It can become black but nothing more

 

[Rickard.]

I don't think plasterboard is a good surface in a workshop. It's fine for parking a car in a garage but far too sensitive in a workshop. The minimum is to apply fiberglass cloth + paint to make it more resistant to heat and water splashes.

 

[Dan_Johansson]

I don't think plasterboard is a good surface in a workshop. It's suitable for a park-the-car garage, but it's too sensitive in a workshop. The minimum is to apply fiberglass fabric + paint to make it more resistant to heat and water splashes.

You're right, there will probably be some form of surface, so maybe it's just as well to add an extra layer of plasterboard and skip the insulation ... That way I can avoid taking up the limited floor space... If it becomes too expensive to keep it warm, it might be more beneficial to buy a cheap LLVP?

 

[Workingclasshero]

I have single drywall in my garage and small workshop 57+18 sqm.
The hole between is about 2x2.20, and there I have a slip curtain that dies with counterweight, so when I release the curtain it slides to the side by itself.
Today, I had double drywall installed and sealed everywhere.
In the 18 sqm workshop, I installed a Panasonic that heats the small room when it's 0 degrees outside, it's around 10 in the large workshop.

That's how I have it.
My tip is to double drywall, spackle, wallpaper, and paint.
External electricity placed in baskets on the ceiling and pull down outlets.
Compressor in the attic.

 

[Dan_Johansson]

I have single-layer plasterboard in my garage and small workshop 57+18 sqm. The opening between them is about 2x2.20, and I have a welding curtain with a counterweight there, so when I release the curtain, it slides to the side by itself. Today I would have installed double-layer plasterboard and sealed everything. In the 18 sqm workshop, I installed a Panasonic that heats the small room, when it's 0 degrees outside it's about 10 in the large workshop.

That's how I have it. My tip is to install double-layer plasterboard, fill, wallpaper, and paint. External wiring placed in baskets in the ceiling and drop down outlets. Compressor in the attic.

There's a layer of plasterboard, but it's only painted, so it's pretty worn in some areas...

An alternative might be to use OSB/plywood and apply fabric to it?

 

[Rickard.]

Personally, I don't see any advantage in having 2 layers of plasterboard unless you're applying heat to it for an extended period, in which case you should really think about what the heck you're doing

OSB or plyfa, plasterboard, and fabric won't ignite from welding/grinding if it's sealed so that the sparks can't reach the wood.

Regarding the insulation, you can contemplate back and forth, but depending on where you live, it might suffice, as it's still a fairly small area to heat. I would probably make an effort to make it windproof from the outside and live with a few slightly more expensive months.

 

[Dan_Johansson]

I personally see no advantage to 2 layers of gypsum unless you apply heat to the gypsum over a long period, in which case you should think again about what the hell you are doing

Osb or plyfa, gypsum and fabric will not ignite from welding/grinding if it is tight so that the sparks do not reach the wood.

Regarding insulation, you can ponder it back and forth, but depending on where you live, it may suffice since it is a relatively small area to heat. I would probably make an effort to make it airtight from the outside and live with a few slightly more expensive months.

I live on the west coast, near the largest water reservoir in Sweden, so long periods of really cold weather are rare...

I took the "Hot Work" course 20 years ago, let's hope that my sense hasn't worsened since then...

I suppose part of changing the surface layer (and adding a board of some material) would be to both get a "new feeling" and make it a bit easier to put up things...

 

[Rickard.]

I think additional insulation seems ridiculous in 15sqm if it's 75mm or equivalent.

I missed that it was already "finished." I imagined it was open. I would probably still take down the drywall and then put up what I wrote above. I just did this in my workshop/sometimes garage of 50sqm and took the opportunity to reroute some electricity while everything was down. It doesn't take long to tear down single drywall, and I saved about 1/4 square floor .

Addition: 2x drywall is, of course, not a bad wall, more of a personal quirk that I both hate mollys, and the studs are always misplaced.