My Shop Remodel/Upgrade...

[Perplexed]

Unless you all have a better solution than a mini split to keep it cool and keep the humidity down. I didn't have the humidity problem last spring and summer so I don't know why now. It could wreak havoc on my tools and equipment in there if I don't do something.

It will. I speak from experience.

I installed two large ceiling fans in my shop, and they help tremendously with keeping the moisture down to tolerable levels when I’m not in the shop. I do have to keep them going 24/7, though.

I cheaped out with a 240V window A/C unit; since I have no windows in the shop, and the walls are simply a pair of thin gauge sheet steel, I welded up a rolling frame out of square steel tube and installed the A/C in the frame, with plywood, hardie board, and rigid foam insulation in the rest of the frame. When I want to use the A/C, I open the back door of the shop, roll the frame into the opening, and plug in the unit. Works pretty well up to the mid 90s, and I have my work table set in front of the unit.

 

[Parks 788]

A mini split is a good idea. A free-standing dehumidificator may help immensely.

A bit late to bring it up now, but did you lay a vapor barrier under the floor prior to pouring the concrete?

DIdn't build the shop so don't know. Hopefully they did.

 

[Johnny]

If you don’t want to keep an AC running all the time a free standing dehumidifier will keep the moisture at a point it won’t ruin your tools. It will be noticeably cooler in there due to the lack of humidity but not AC type cold.

 

[dennishoddy]

My shop is a 30X40 with 10' walls. Added the biggest window unit AC last fall as it got brutal in there during the summer. It hasn't had a good test yet, but tomorrow's 90 degree plus temps may give me a better idea if I made the right decision.
I'm not the AC expert by a long shot but I've read the mini splits can put out more cold air for a75 larger building.

Update, Went out to the shop at 3pm. It was 96 degrees outside and sunny. Went into the insulated shop and it was 82 degrees. Still cool from the temp dropping overnight. Turned on the 25K BTU AC.
Grabbed a beer to watch some TV, and watched the analog thermometer on the wall, backed up by the digital that is a high dollar industrial temperature controller.
Company bought the wrong model and said anybody wanting one could take one, so I did. It can register from sub zero to over 4000 degrees F. in 10th of a degree.
Both agreed when the temp went down to 75 degrees in about 45 minutes. AC was set to 70 degrees.
Happy camper!
Edit: I have two ceiling fans installed. One pulls the air up and distributes it from the ceiling down, and the other takes the ceiling air and forced it down, so I'm getting real good distribution of the cool air.

 

[Parks 788]

It will. I speak from experience.

I installed two large ceiling fans in my shop, and they help tremendously with keeping the moisture down to tolerable levels when I’m not in the shop. I do have to keep them going 24/7, though.

I cheaped out with a 240V window A/C unit; since I have no windows in the shop, and the walls are simply a pair of thin gauge sheet steel, I welded up a rolling frame out of square steel tube and installed the A/C in the frame, with plywood, hardie board, and rigid foam insulation in the rest of the frame. When I want to use the A/C, I open the back door of the shop, roll the frame into the opening, and plug in the unit. Works pretty well up to the mid 90s, and I have my work table set in front of the unit.

I'll probably get several ceiling type fans or some commercial fans i can mount in the corners that ocilate and blow. My wife pretty much gave me the go ahead to get an AC unit installed. I had a text chat with my neighbor who's a commercial Mechanical Contractor and he mentioned that for the size space my shop is a mini split would struggle to keep up and may not be happy with the performance. Due to the 1200 sq ft and the 16' height, the shop has a lot of volume and a 3-4 ton unit would be proper sizing for the space. He's going to work up an installed quote for me. Will be interesting to see what that price comes back at. Probably in the $5-$6K range. Wife will probably approve.

Ohhh, got no work done on the shop today. Back at it tomorrow.

 

[dennishoddy]

I'll probably get several ceiling type fans or some commercial fans i can mount in the corners that ocilate and blow. My wife pretty much gave me the go ahead to get an AC unit installed. I had a text chat with my neighbor who's a commercial Mechanical Contractor and he mentioned that for the size space my shop is a mini split would struggle to keep up and may not be happy with the performance. Due to the 1200 sq ft and the 16' height, the shop has a lot of volume and a 3-4 ton unit would be proper sizing for the space. He's going to work up an installed quote for me. Will be interesting to see what that price comes back at. Probably in the $5-$6K range. Wife will probably approve.

Ohhh, got no work done on the shop today. Back at it tomorrow.

Fans will be your friends. My old shop with no insulation had a 36" industrial fan that moved a lot of air. Made working in that shop tolerable but not enjoyable.

 

[Snattlerake]

I'm researching camphor as a rust inhibitor for my toolboxes. There are several products out there that claim to emit a vapor in your toolbox. Mothballs attract water. Camphor doesn't.

 

[Parks 788]

Made a little more progress today. Put up 5-6 sheets of plywood and got all but a small section completed. The remaining areas will take a bit more time as I have a small water heater in the front right corner and a garage sink with plumbing lines and drains to contend with. Also, have to get one more 25' stick of 1.5"x3" of C-Purlin to finish out the welding. Have about half the wood's knot holes/blemishes bondoed over. Then paint. Thinking a light gray color. After that in the next couple weeks will start building about a 16' built in work bench. From there it will be figuring out how I'll layout storage/placement of all my tool chests, shelving units, shovels, rakes and other yard tools and how and where I'll park my tractor, zero turn, log splitter and ATV.

 

[Big House]

Was a good, hot, humid and sweaty day in the shop. Got about 6 sheets of plywood hung today. Two doors to work around so that took some extra time. May get some done tomorrow but going to Stillwater to watch my son play in a Rugby match. Will have to spend some time moving full shelving units away from the walls so I can continue hanging plywood on the last wall. have about 50 more feet to hang so making some progress.

And damn! It was humid today. The entire concrete floor was like an ocean from the concrete floor sweating. Completely wet. had all doors and windows open with two fans blowing but didn't help. Told my wife about it and then she saw it. Tonight she asked if an AC would help and told her, yup. So, now looking for a the biggest Mini Split I can find that will cool a 1200sq ft shop with 16' ridge. Unless you all have a better solution than a mini split to keep it cool and keep the humidity down. I didn't have the humidity problem last spring and summer so I don't know why now. It could wreak havoc on my tools and equipment in there if I don't do something.

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Agriculture

bigassfans.com

 

[Parks 788]

Got a fair amount of work done in the shop this weekend. Finished out hanging the plywood on Saturday. Was a bit challenging due to extra cutouts for plumbing and other stuff in the way. Used bondo to fill in the knot holes in the wood. and got about 2/3 of the walls primed until I ran out of primer. Need one more gallon of primer and will have to pick up a thrid gallon of the finish paint. Wife helped me cut in around the doors, windows and bottom and top edges of the wood. Can believe how fast the additional help made things go.

HOpe by end of next weekend I will have all the painting done and will start building my 16'-20' work bench.

Here is how it sits tonight.