Can I properly insulate a concrete shed?

[Benjic93]

Hey GR420, Hope everyone's doing well.

I'm looking at some advice on how to insulate this shed. I'm sure I made this type of post a long time ago with many giving me answers BUT circumstances have changed. I was previously renting the property and didn't want to make permanent changes. I now OWN this property and can now do what's necessary to make it the ideal grow environment.

This is an old picture. I've currently got a 2m x 1.5m x 1m tent housing 15 flowering plants and a 1m x1m housing about 14 vegging babies. Humidity is a bitch in the flower tent which already has a dehumidifier running practically 24hr.

Early mornings the shed is full of condensation. Running down the walls, when winter hits condensation starts dripping from the roof.

The shed is roughly 6m long 2m high 2m wide. Concrete is maybe 3inch thick. Roof is some type of stone chip/tin. Exterior is all stones chip.

Will I need to make a stud wall? Kingspan in-between, layer of vapour barrier then plasterboard? OR without plasterboard and vapour barrier and just have the stud and insulation or can I get strong adhesive spray and just stick kingspan to the walls and roof? Is it easy to drill into concrete if stud wall was the option?

I'm thinking source a core drill and install a bathroom type fan to blow outside also if that'd help? Small rectangular vents perhaps for air to come in?

I'm a chef by trade and the only tools I own is novelty ' best dad' screwdriver set. ( which will change over time now as a homeowner) so I'm out my depth but willing to learn to get a great grow spot and not have to fight the elements every season. I can't even hire a professional to come in due to the use of the shed and have to pay probably over 1k

Thanks for reading and any advice.

[Greenthirteen]

Hi,

I have just one almost exactly this, however I run a completely closed/sealed room with co2 enrichment.

I have a brick room with concrete floor and it had a sloped tile roof. I created an internal structure inside the room, I did not actually bolt or screw anything to the walls, I just created a wooden rib cage structure on all six sides that supports its self. I then cut foam insulation and fitted it inside the ribs and covered the whole lot with OSB board.

The dehumidifier keeps the room hot, I have an air conditioner to counter the dehu in the summer and a co2 controller. I also do have a heating system. All this stuff is on controllers so I can dial in any environment I want.

In the past I made all separate rooms but for this room I have just used tents.

I use Meaco air con, dehu and fans. It’s a British company that makes equipment for our cold, humid environment. It’s the best for these high use applications imo.

Hope this is some help. I love your concrete shed!

[Greenthirteen]

This is the side section and the joist is just pushed against the wall and then the ceiling and floor joists just push it into place. I then just spray foamed in to close the small gap from the imperfect wood and brick.




I then just filled the gaps with wood filler

[Greenthirteen]

I think the floor is very important and I had to get a little creative because the door was already in situ. It’s a false floor filled with insulation board but the door area is as was.




Warning: I cut all this with a circular saw that I have used for years, this time it cost me my hearing and I will have hearing aides for the rest of my life. Please use all protection.

[Benjic93]

I think the floor is very important and I had to get a little creative because the door was already in situ. It’s a false floor filled with insulation board but the door area is as was.




Warning: I cut all this with a circular saw that I have used for years, this time it cost me my hearing and I will have hearing aides for the rest of my life. Please use all protection.

Thanks for all that mate. Yeh I've currently got a maeco dehu inside the tent along with a oil filled radiator, 2x clip on fans and a floor fan. 6" exhaust which is just currently blowing into the shed with a 4" inline. PLUS, in the veg tent another oil filled radiator with a 5" exhaust. No wonder I'm getting condensation.

I may go your route and build a skeleton type structure rather then bolting into the concrete walls. I'd like to build a room around the tents but it's also used as an actual shed so I may aswell convert the whole shed. Sounds pretty simple, I'll find a way to fuck it though. Going to have to buy a electric saw and all sorts.

So in lamens terms, some wood measured, nailed together, cut insulation boards to size. Stuff in the gaps and nail some plywood over the top? I don't really want to go co2 route. Couple vents or something around the shed? Would it also soundproof it abit? Have fans full whack trying to battle the humidity.

Thanks

[Greenthirteen]

I think the floor is very important and I had to get a little creative because the door was already in situ. It’s a false floor filled with insulation board but the door area is as was.




Warning: I cut all this with a circular saw that I have used for years, this time it cost me my hearing and I will have hearing aides for the rest of my life. Please use all protection.

Thanks for all that mate. Yeh I've currently got a maeco dehu inside the tent along with a oil filled radiator, 2x clip on fans and a floor fan. 6" exhaust which is just currently blowing into the shed with a 4" inline. PLUS, in the veg tent another oil filled radiator with a 5" exhaust. No wonder I'm getting condensation.

I may go your route and build a skeleton type structure rather then bolting into the concrete walls. I'd like to build a room around the tents but it's also used as an actual shed so I may aswell convert the whole shed. Sounds pretty simple, I'll find a way to fuck it though. Going to have to buy a electric saw and all sorts.

So in lamens terms, some wood measured, nailed together, cut insulation boards to size. Stuff in the gaps and nail some plywood over the top? I don't really want to go co2 route. Couple vents or something around the shed? Would it also soundproof it abit? Have fans full whack trying to battle the humidity.

Thanks

Ye I’ve always just been a closed room guy, I bet you can run with vents and fans.

I think I saved a huge amount of time not trying to batten it all to the walls. I cut the foam with a circular saw and a bread knife.

I good battery gun/drill/screwdriver is a must and a circular saw. I like Bosch 18v.

Best of luck

[2-Scoops]

You could also put a 2 x 2 frame around it and just staple the diamond reflective sheet to that, you can also add foam insulation behind that, save a few quid on plaster board or hardboard, then again its not biggest cost to use hardboard then staple sheet that but just a thought @Benjic93 .

[jenny787]

Yes, you can properly insulate a concrete shed. One common method is to build an interior stud wall, place rigid foam boards like Kingspan between the studs, add a layer of vapour barrier, and finish with plasterboard. This gives you a neat, finished look and helps manage condensation.