Lining a Shed - to breathe or not to breathe?

[Tarquintar]

I've a large wooden shed, around 15' x 8', a former garage so nice and strong, but it's clad with feather edge board with natural gaps that come and go with the weather. It's waterproof but not ideal for keeping tools in during the winter months as it gets damp.

I'm looking at putting some insulation and ply on the inside but before doing so should I attempt to fill the gaps in the featheredge with silicon - not easy - or just let the shed breathe?

 

[blup]

If its just hand tools wrap or cover them in insulation, the shed doesn't need it if you dont work in it and its not heated. That said, a gap between insulation and the inner wall should suffice.

Blup

 

[Mike13]

In an unheated shed then it will get condensation on the tools with the day/night temperature fluctuations. A bit of insulation to slow and reduce the min-max variation will help a bit, but you wont stop the bloom of rust without covering them or keeping in dry boxes.

 

[cwhaley]

My shed is a similar size. I just put a few hit and miss vents in at either end. Far cheaper. All of my tools and machinery are in there and none develop rust. I have a much smaller shed just for garden tools and I coat these in oil before the winter every year. All nice and sharp.

 

[Odds]

I wonder how many folk oil their tools before winter sets in - does anyone use Linseed oil anymore?
It's become a ritual for me to apply linseed oil at the end of every year. I love the aroma, the way it fills the shed, mixing in with wood and tobacco.

 

[cwhaley]

Yes boiled linseed oil is what I use! The smell makes me want a bag of chips every time I open it. It's up there in the realm of se*y smells such as steam traction engines and old oily diesels.

 

[Tarquintar]

Just to clarify.........I do use it to store tools and yes, some do get a bit of fine rust on them, but this takes years so not plagued with condensation.

I'm asking now because I've a few hundred quid's worth of Makita power tools I'm looking to set up on a bench, to make it more of a workshop.

 

[Koolpc]

I use linseed oil to cook my chips!

 

[blup]

I wonder how many folk oil their tools before winter sets in - does anyone use Linseed oil anymore?
It's become a ritual for me to apply linseed oil at the end of every year. I love the aroma, the way it fills the shed, mixing in with wood and tobacco.

I oil and sharpen garden tools after every use but leave hand tools like screwdriver bits. This last cold winter was the first time the wera bits got rust whereas the Bosch bits go rusty at the sound of a bad weather forecast

Blup

 

[ellal]

Get a low power dehumidifier and set it on a timer to run in the early hours when the moisture is more likely to form.

I've got a solar panel which via a leisure battery/inverter normally runs all the LED lighting/chargers etc and can be remotely switched over to a dedicated socket if needed.

 

[Tarquintar]

Get a low power dehumidifier and set it on a timer to run in the early hours when the moisture is more likely to form.

I've got a solar panel which via a leisure battery/inverter normally runs all the LED lighting/chargers etc and can be remotely switched over to a dedicated socket if needed.

Many thanks, but there are gaps between the featheredge boards.

 

[Deluks]

No point in sealing the gaps.

Just make sure the insulation (if you decide to go that route) isn't touching the back of the feather boards.

 

[ellal]

Many thanks, but there are gaps between the featheredge boards.

However you mentioned putting ply on the inside.
I'd recommend OSB3, and if not heated forget the insulation.
But a dehumidifier would then help out.

And as for small items such as drill/screw bits, store them in plastic boxes to prevent rust.

 

[conny]

I've a large wooden shed, around 15' x 8', a former garage so nice and strong, but it's clad with feather edge board with natural gaps that come and go with the weather. It's waterproof but not ideal for keeping tools in during the winter months as it gets damp.

I'm looking at putting some insulation and ply on the inside but before doing so should I attempt to fill the gaps in the featheredge with silicon - not easy - or just let the shed breathe?

@Tarquintar, When you say "feather edge with natural gaps," what exactly do you mean?
Is it horizontal shiplap style with gaps that open up in warm/hot weather? Or are they vertical overlapping boards, (hick on one edge and tapered to a thin edge on the other side)? Either way, I don't think they should open up gaps when the weather changes.

 

[Tarquintar]

Vertical overlapping boards. It was built as a garage around 70 years ago! Much of the timber cladding has been replaced, which is thinner than the original used.