Insulating a concrete slab prefab garage

[ryiah]

Hi,

I'm looking for a bit of advice. We have a concrete slab pre-fab garage and I was wondering if you can insulate them - or is it a waste of time to do that?

The roof is asbestos cement, where the roof meets the slabs you can see outside.

Would the roof need insulated too and would any 'open air' parts need to be covered up? E.g where the roof meets the slab and around the garage door?

The concrete slab is 16 inch wide x 77 inch Height, the 'recess' in each slab is 13 inch. There are 14 slabs lengthways and 7 slabs widthways.

If it was worthwhile insulating it, how would I go about doing this? Would I use insulated plasterboard? Or stuff the 'recess' in the slab with insulation and then plasterboard/plywood on top of that? I take it I'd need to attach batons around the concrete slab to attach the plasterboard/plywood to the slab?

Images are here: //www.diynot.com/network/ryiah/albums/6631 - excuse the mess of the garage - it's used for junk just now. I'd like to insulate it because I'm thinking of keeping rabbits in there - I don't want them to be too cold, it reached minus 13 earlier this year!

Thanks in advance

 

[foxhole]

Cheaper and more efficient to insulate the rabbit hutch.

 

[ryiah]

Hi,

That doesn't really help me keep warm inside the garage though!! I'd like to go in there in winter and spend some time with the rabbits without having to wear several layers of clothes, gloves, scarf and hat!

 

[ladylola]

Presuming that you don't want to spend a fortune on it ?
Fibre board and sticks like and don't forget that you will need some kind of heating in there else all you are doing is trapping the cold inside too.

 

[ryiah]

Presuming that you don't want to spend a fortune on it ?
Fibre board and sticks like and don't forget that you will need some kind of heating in there else all you are doing is trapping the cold inside too.

Hi,

Thanks for your reply. Yes, we would like it done cheaply as possible. We got a few quotes from joiners and they are around £2000 certainly don't want to spend that much! So we really need to do it ourselves.

I will have a heater in there, when I am in there.

How would I attach the wood batons to the concrete? I'm guessing I'd have to use some strong glue, If I start hammering nails into the concrete, it'd probably crack?

 

[conny]

Assuming those 'joints' are about 4" wide?
Rawplug and screw some battens to each one.
Fill in between with polysyrene blocks to the level of the battens.
You could then plasterboard/plywood over them
The gap between the roof and walls over the door can be filled with pre-shaped sponge/foam inserts from any decent DIY outlet.
The roof will need a bit of thinking about.

 

[foxhole]

Hi,

That doesn't really help me keep warm inside the garage though!! I'd like to go in there in winter and spend some time with the rabbits without having to wear several layers of clothes, gloves, scarf and hat!

Well you did ask if it's a waste of time, the main heat loss will be thru the roof and doors both of which are difficult to insulate, you could put heavy cloth across door but a false ceiling will bring it too low.

 

[wreckedit]

Covering the floor with some old carpet will help a lot. Put it on a layer of that thin polystyrene will also help.

 

[wreckedit]

Have you thought about knitting hats, coats and mits for the rabbits.

 

[ryiah]

Ahh We just can't decide what to do. I take it, it would be pointless just insulating the walls as most of the heat will go through the roof and garage door so no heat would ever be retained? Would it help a little just having the walls insulated?

I think I might be better off just buying a large shed and insulating it with polystyrene! Then we have the cost of getting electrics to the garage!

Garage Pros: Electricity, large, close to house
Cons: expensive to insulate, can't fully insulate

Shed Pros: easy to insulate, can take it when moving house.
Cons: far from the house, no electrics, smaller

Decisions, Decisions!

 

[ajrobb]

you could erect an insulated shed inside the garage - no rain or wind loads to worry about

 

[ryiah]

you could erect an insulated shed inside the garage - no rain or wind loads to worry about

Haha - I did actually think of that!

 

[Crispier]

you could erect an insulated shed inside the garage - no rain or wind loads to worry about

I cant see what all the fuss is about, over clad the garage roof with insulation and box section.

batten the walls, infill with insulation and a vapour barrier then either ply or OSB to clad. Just finished mine for less than £500 inc, electrical upgrade.

 

[foxhole]

you could erect an insulated shed inside the garage - no rain or wind loads to worry about

I cant see what all the fuss is about, over clad the garage roof with insulation and box section.

batten the walls, infill with insulation and a vapour barrier then either ply or OSB to clad. Just finished mine for less than £500 inc, electrical upgrade.

I think rabbits in the stew by now, 2 year old post.