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Insulating wood floor in a pole shed

[email protected] | Posted in General Questions on

I have a 24×36 dirt floor, uninsulated, open, metal sided and roofed pole shed that is currently being used for hay and junk storage.

I am planning to turn the pole shed into a wood working shop by adding all the obvious upgrades, but I am vacillating between concrete and wood for the floor.

My current shop has concrete, which is fine, but I have always been drawn to the idea of a wood floor for a wood shop.

If I go with a wood floor then it will be on short piers over a crawlspace.

I have read some excellent info on GBA regarding insulating crawlspaces when dealing with home construction and energy and logevity performance, but since the shop will be minimally heated in winter when I am not actually in it, and since it won’t have any breaks in the floor for piping or the like, would anyone have any thoughts about the best way to insulate the floor if I were to decide to go with wood?

Thanks for any inputs/ ideas!!

Regards,

Oberon

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Replies

  1. GBA Editor
    Martin Holladay | | #1

    Oberon,
    If you have the head room, I suggest that you made a site-built SIP. First, install the OSB or plywood subfloor; then a thick layer of rigid foam; and then a second layer of plywood or OSB, screwed through the foam to the subfloor below.

  2. [email protected] | | #2

    Martin,

    I have plenty of headroom, and that is a great idea!!

    Thanks and that is the route I am going to take.

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