Page 2 of 2 FirstFirst 12
Results 16 to 29 of 29

Thread: Question on concrete room

  1. #16
    Join Date
    Aug 2018
    Location
    Michigan, USA
    Posts
    548
    Quote Originally Posted by Laurie Brown View Post
    No, there aren't any paint stores around here. All we have is a Lowe's and Walmart. The nearest Home Depot is almost an hour away. I'm in a very rural area.
    Lowe's sells a Valspar Duramax paint for use on exterior masonry, stucco and brick - should work in your space.

    If you want to do walls, ceiling and floor, it'll take ~ 45 gallons to do the recommended 2 coats - at about $30/gallon. Not sure if that's within your budget or not.

  2. #17
    Sherwin Williams makes the paint for Walmart. Find the recommeded product from Sherwin Williams, and pick up your paint from Walmart.

  3. #18
    Join Date
    Feb 2018
    Location
    N CA
    Posts
    1,279
    I've used UGH paint. They have an etch component that you mix up and apply. Then roll on the paint. It reduced the moisture in my basement shop and brightened up the place. The previous comment on wearing hearing protection is correct. One of the first things to do, once you get the walls trimmed out is to put some large fabric panels up on the wall to dampen and absorb the bouncing noise.

  4. #19
    Join Date
    Mar 2006
    Location
    Jacobsburg, OH
    Posts
    356
    The building will not be heated or ACed because the owner only uses it for a seasonal business open four months a year. The rest of the time the building has electricity for working on maintenance but that's all. I was thinking there might be something I could apply to the surfaces after old paint is scraped off that itself would not peel and fall off.

    The owner has had the building for over a decade and has no mortgage on it, so it's not going to be closed any time soon. I plan to use the space as long as I need to. If I get to the point where I'm making enough that I can afford to build a new shop on my own property I'll move, but I don't see that happening for at least a couple of years.

    The previous occupant of my space left a lot of wood behind that I'll probably use to build shelving and storage.

    I was wondering if it would be feasible to simply build walls inside the existing concrete ones. I could put up a vapor barrier over the concrete and then frame new walls in inside, which would allow me to insulate as well. Instead of putting up drywall I'd use some sort of plywood or other wood paneling like Norm did in his garage shop video. That would also give me a means to hang things and nail or screw directly into the walls without messing with concrete, and would hide the concrete entirely.

    I did recently purchase a small indoor use propane heater at Lowes that I can use in the shop.

  5. #20
    Join Date
    Apr 2013
    Location
    Okotoks AB
    Posts
    3,495
    Blog Entries
    1
    Quote Originally Posted by Laurie Brown View Post
    I was wondering if it would be feasible to simply build walls inside the existing concrete ones. I could put up a vapor barrier over the concrete and then frame new walls in inside, which would allow me to insulate as well. Instead of putting up drywall I'd use some sort of plywood or other wood paneling like Norm did in his garage shop video. That would also give me a means to hang things and nail or screw directly into the walls without messing with concrete, and would hide the concrete entirely.

    I did recently purchase a small indoor use propane heater at Lowes that I can use in the shop.
    I think building walls in front of the concrete is a great idea. The (unvented?) propane heater, not so much. Aside from the issue of CO poisoning, they produce a tremendous amount of water, which will condense on cast iron machinery and that cold concrete. Even if you fully insulate & vapor barrier those walls, the humidity spikes from the heater will cause all kinds of problems. Do you have an outside wall in your space?

  6. #21
    Join Date
    Mar 2003
    Location
    SE PA - Central Bucks County
    Posts
    65,688
    Quote Originally Posted by Laurie Brown View Post
    T
    I did recently purchase a small indoor use propane heater at Lowes that I can use in the shop.
    If this is a ventless heater, you're going to be dumping huge amounts of moisture into the air while using that heater...'Just an FYI.
    --

    The most expensive tool is the one you buy "cheaply" and often...

  7. #22
    Join Date
    Mar 2006
    Location
    Jacobsburg, OH
    Posts
    356
    Quote Originally Posted by Frank Pratt View Post
    I think building walls in front of the concrete is a great idea. The (unvented?) propane heater, not so much. Aside from the issue of CO poisoning, they produce a tremendous amount of water, which will condense on cast iron machinery and that cold concrete. Even if you fully insulate & vapor barrier those walls, the humidity spikes from the heater will cause all kinds of problems. Do you have an outside wall in your space?
    I do have two exterior walls as well as an exterior door. There is also an interior door that goes to an adjacent much larger room used for storage, which in turn opens into the stairwell and other rooms. This is the heater I got: https://www.lowes.com/pd/Dyna-Glo-10...ter/1000282067

  8. #23
    Do yourself a favor and avoid that type of heater in a closed space if at all possible. Something like https://shop.bestreviews.com/product...xoCKU4QAvD_BwE

    Units like that are about the cheapest vented option and draw combustion air and dump exhaust outside the space.

    If you find some paint that will stick to the wet walls (likely why they are peeling now) and seal up the space or go to the extent of framing interior insulated walls and then pump the place full of wet unvented gas heat it will be a swamp in there. Or find a cheap wood stove and buy a couple loads of firewood. Sucks to tend the stove but good way to get rid of scraps.

  9. #24
    Join Date
    Aug 2018
    Location
    Michigan, USA
    Posts
    548
    Laurie -

    Not sure how much heating capacity you need for your room within a larger building, but that heater isn't real big for a 30x30 space, if you need to do more than just "take the chill off." Another consideration, in addition to the moisture it generates, is how often you're going to have to refill/exchange propane tanks - the description indicates that even with a 20 lb. external tank, the heater only runs for 40-60 hrs. I wonder if electric might be a more attractive option?

    Also, where you're located, I'd guess you'll want to invest in a dehumidifier for the summer months.

  10. #25
    Join Date
    Sep 2016
    Location
    Modesto, CA, USA
    Posts
    9,889
    The fire inspector will not allow plywood walls or hanging fabric sound curtains unless it is fire proofed. A unvented gas heater will dump one pound of water into the air for every pound of fuel gas burned. 20 pounds of propane means 20 pounds of water. Same for NG.
    Bill D

  11. #26
    Join Date
    Mar 2006
    Location
    Jacobsburg, OH
    Posts
    356
    Quote Originally Posted by Mark Bolton View Post
    Do yourself a favor and avoid that type of heater in a closed space if at all possible. Something like https://shop.bestreviews.com/product...xoCKU4QAvD_BwE

    Units like that are about the cheapest vented option and draw combustion air and dump exhaust outside the space.

    If you find some paint that will stick to the wet walls (likely why they are peeling now) and seal up the space or go to the extent of framing interior insulated walls and then pump the place full of wet unvented gas heat it will be a swamp in there. Or find a cheap wood stove and buy a couple loads of firewood. Sucks to tend the stove but good way to get rid of scraps.
    I really can't afford that much right now for a heater. A wood stove is a potential option, but I'd have to knock a hole in a wall for a chimney pipe, which wouldn't be easy.

  12. #27
    Join Date
    Mar 2006
    Location
    Jacobsburg, OH
    Posts
    356
    Quote Originally Posted by Gary Ragatz View Post
    Laurie -

    Not sure how much heating capacity you need for your room within a larger building, but that heater isn't real big for a 30x30 space, if you need to do more than just "take the chill off." Another consideration, in addition to the moisture it generates, is how often you're going to have to refill/exchange propane tanks - the description indicates that even with a 20 lb. external tank, the heater only runs for 40-60 hrs. I wonder if electric might be a more attractive option?

    Also, where you're located, I'd guess you'll want to invest in a dehumidifier for the summer months.
    Electric would probably be best, but in my experience they don't give off much heat and they use a TON of electricity. Or they cost more money than I have a budget for. Ideally I would put in a small heat pump unit, but that's out of my budget right now. I do have a dehumidifier, wouldn't that offset the water put out by the propane heater? I don't really need to get the room super warm, just warm enough that I'm not frozen while I work. 50 would be fine if I could get it to that.

  13. #28
    Quote Originally Posted by Laurie Brown View Post
    I really can't afford that much right now for a heater. A wood stove is a potential option, but I'd have to knock a hole in a wall for a chimney pipe, which wouldn't be easy.
    Knocking a hole in the wall is easier than you think. A simple rental of a rotary hammer, drilling a series of perforations (drill bit) and then hammering out the center, will get you a hole in less than a days time for the rental cost of hammer. I read that your in a rural location but even driving after a rental for $100 a day, and finding a cheap wood stove option (perhaps another 100) and some pipe (if the building is all concrete you could skimp on that as well). And be out of the entire heat issue for less than 500 bucks.

    I guess its going to come down to doing some basic economics with regards to the cost benefit as compared the space itself. Im not sure what the product you intend to make in the space will be but if your looking at working in a dead cold concrete unheated space and all the associated issues with regards to moisture and wood (this is a woodworking forum so Im assuming your talking about wood) your going to be wrought with issues as it pertains to moisture in your space.

    It will effect your tools, your finishes, your wood, your everything....

    Its not to say you need heat and AC but perhaps the space may not be the best option for you. I would be courting the current owner that you may become a rent payer or a payer of higher rent if they would help in some way to make the space somewhat more usable year round. If they refuse, you may better be invested in researching other options. A solid concrete room that hasnt been heated is basically a block of water that you will spend a lot of time and money driving the moisture out of to make it a reasonable space. I'd be concerned about improving someones property who wasnt at all interested in helping with that process and getting the rug yanked out from under me.

  14. #29
    Quote Originally Posted by Laurie Brown View Post
    I do have a dehumidifier, wouldn't that offset the water put out by the propane heater? I don't really need to get the room super warm, just warm enough that I'm not frozen while I work. 50 would be fine if I could get it to that.
    Dehumidifiers use heat to remove moisture. So your basically paying one to do the other. Of course strictly electric heat in an enclosed wet space (no air exchange to rid the space of moisture) isnt going to work well either. It would seem to coming down to quantify what is your least expensive implementation (installation cost) of a substantial heat source that has the lowest per month to operate, to get you to the 50 degrees. Beyond that may be to consider what options can you take with you if you decide to move, or sell to recoup your initial investment, as well as what options allow you to shut the place down and heat it up very quickly based on demand.

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •