Designing an insulated shed

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Harry Muscle - 31 May 2005 16:01 GMT

I'm starting to design an insulated shed I want to build later this
year. I'm pretty decent with woodworking (not a pro, but I can build
things no problem), but I've never build a shed before, so I have a
couple of questions. Since I want to use this shed for projects
throughout the year, I need to insulate it since I want to heat it in
the winter (I'm in Ontario, Canada). I still haven't finalized the
size, but it's gonna be either 10x15 feet or 12x12 probably. My first
question is to do with the roof ... do I need an attic in such a shed?
I know the point of an attic in a house is to keep the roof the same
temperature as the outside to prevent snow from melting and refreezing
on the roof ... is that the only point of an attic in an insulated
building? Do I need this on a smaller roof? If anyone could shed some
light on how I should be designing and insulating the roof part of this
shed, that would be great.

Thank you,
Harry

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NuckinFutz - 31 May 2005 23:44 GMT

Harry

You dont need an attic. In fact I would take the space under the roof and
use it for storage. I would just insulate betwen the joists with either
sprayed foam or batts. The real issue will be condensation removal which
can be handled a number of diffrent ways. If you use batts then a
traditional soffit will work fine. Beleive it or not the majority of water
vapor on the interior of a house is caused by sweat and breathing as well as
toilets and sinks. Cold winter air has little of no moisture content even
when its snowing. The water vapor has turned into Ice/snow and is now a
solid which is why it falls through the air as opposed to remaining
suspended within it as vapor.

> I'm starting to design an insulated shed I want to build later this
> year. I'm pretty decent with woodworking (not a pro, but I can build
[quoted text clipped - 4 lines]
> size, but it's gonna be either 10x15 feet or 12x12 probably. My first
> question is to do with the roof ... do I need an attic in such a shed?

I would go with 8x12 or 12x12 or 12x16 Odd sizes just waste lumber and cost
more per square foot to build. Plus they require more lumber cutting. Ever
seen a 7'6"" sheet of plywood?? me neither. In an 8x15 foot shed 15
requires 2 8 foot pieces of plywood. This is the same number as an 8x16
shed. the 15' shed you have scraps left over the 16' you dont so the extra
foot is basically free space. Try to keep things in multiples of 4' then
worst case you have to cut the sheet in half and you still have two usable 4
foot pieces as opposed to one 7'6" piece and 1 6" piece. The leftove 6"
aint good for much. this goes for the flooring (if your floors will be
plywood) as well as exterior wall height.

> I know the point of an attic in a house is to keep the roof the same
> temperature as the outside to prevent snow from melting and refreezing
> on the roof ... is that the only point of an attic in an insulated
> building?

Not true! the space in an attic is almost NEVER the same temperature as the
outside simply because the shingles collect and absorb heat. An attic in
the summer is a nasty place to be. During the winter the attic space is
quite often above freezing during the day and below freezing at night.
Freezing and thawing freezing and thawing. The key in Ontario is the roof
pitch. You will need something fairly steep.

>Do I need this on a smaller roof?

If anyone could shed some light

HeHeHe you made a funny

> on how I should be designing and insulating the roof part of this
> shed, that would be great.
>
> Thank you,
> Harry

Hope this helps. I'm not a tradesman but I've built a few of these. Also
Home Depot has a book of shed plans and they are also all over the internet
for 15 bucks or so.

Good luck

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Homeowner Forum / Construction / May 2005

Designing an insulated shed