Got serious problems with condensation in my workshop so was thinking of using spray foam to cure it. Has anybody any experience with it and if you have any good companies to look out for?
don't try this with std foam from builders merchants even the less expanding sort, it just plain doesn't work. Kingspan type foam blocks with foam filling the gaps is maybe the best but if the water is there it will still find some place to condense I have found so ventilation and insulation need to work together.
I have a bad problem myself in one of my buildings but a better roof (currently fibre cement) and some ventilation is planned along with other works once things get better weather wise. Makes it near unworkable as an area at times
Try hiring a dehumidifier for a week and see how you go before you invest in one. It will move warm dry air as the heat generated from the compressor will give some heat to the w/shop. depending how big the w/shop is of course.
bin there on that one, for the dehmidifier, you should make sure there is no access to the outside air or the dehumidifier will try to dry the world out.Best solutions I came up with were:
A- small gaps and or vents for ventilation, and a fan on low speed at end of workshop to move the air around
B-an electric tube type greenhouse heater under my bikes and a gain a fan on low speed to push the air around
Also, air the workshop/garage on good days, hope that helps.
Agreed, far better to stop the ingress of damp air, than dealing with the resulting problem.
If you don't all that will happen is the damp air will condense on the next coldest item.
It's a common misconception esap with d/glazing, just because the windows aren't dripping, doesn't mean you have got rid. It's just moved... to the corner at the back of the sittee/bed/wardrobe etc.
Dehumidifiers are not cheap, but are worth their weight in gold IMHO. (I have 3)
Problem is with the whole workshop its a half round steel shed. Not sure what its been originally but it was used as a storage shed and I was given it for nothing. The sheets are around 5-6mm thick!! Its great for welding things too, brackets, etc but condensation is terrible. Think I can rule a dehumidifer out its too big a shed. They are great things I have one at home. It could get about x2 tractors in but its used more for my lathe, drill and storing stuff at the minute although I do work in it. Thought spray foaming would be the way to go with it.
A company I used to work for had the machine shop roof sprayed foamed, it certainly worked well keeping the heat in and summer sun out. I too have been thinking the same of doing my shed to stop the condensation in the cold, has the added advantage of sealing the place up a bit better. But it's not cheap when you start working out the M2 http://www.spray-insulation.co.uk/product range.htm
Mmm, looks like spray foam may will be the best option. A place I work at had a roof sprayed, about 12x30mtrs, I cant remember the cost but it was less than I thought, £2-3k
I was going to try and do it myself and keep costs down plus the fact I can maybe clear one half and spray and then move everything back again and do the other half. Wondering if anyone had any experience of doing it?
I have tried it myself but result wasn't good! seen it done on a few potato stores with corrugated sheets as has been said you can't use normal off the shelf foam it just doesn't work, I know been there tried that. You need the two part closed cell low density foam it's used a lot for canal barges and doesn't expand as much. It sticks well and is messy but works very well! Good luck hope you manage to sort it out
A good start is to treat the external brick work with Thompson weather seal. As others have said you need to solve the damp issue before you start, the weather seal is a good place to start. Then you can board it out and use kingspan style boards but leave an air gap between the insulation and brickwork then fit air vents top and bottom to allow air movement.