i have a 24'x48' shop sectioned into 2/3s and 1/3 with heavy plastic sheeting. right now there is no insulation anywhere, just sealed weaher tight. the past 2 winters i've used a woodstove for heat. the wood is pretty free, just takes time to cut/stack, and then 20-30 minutes to get going hot on a weekday night. sometimes the garage is a little smokey. if i am working all day, the woodstove will maintain an easy 65* in the shop.

if i worked full days in the garage, it would be fine, but i usually work in 3-5 hour shifts, so i lose a half hour at the beginning just to get a hot fire going, an hour to heat the air, then it is usually hot when i leave and the hot air just slowly cools overnight and is no benefit to me. i have a couple fans so the air circulates well.

so i'm thinking about changing the heating system. how much does one of those propane heaters cost to run? i think they heat up faster and are much easier to control. do they have to be vented?

i'm also thinking about insulation. is it worth while to insulate the ceiling with real insulation? or plastic sheeting? what about the walls?

what have you found that works well?

While building my shop, I had the basic shell up - 34x28 building, 2x6 studs, with steel siding and roofing - that was it.

We put in the 200k BTU natural gas heater and cranked it up the day we sheetrocked the ceiling. It was -20 or so outside.

I turned the thermostat to 70deg early in the morning and when we were ready to start on the job, it was actually cyling off - making enough heat to fill the space, fill the attic area, and go out through the steel siding/roof and the roof vents.. BIG heater.

But.. point is.. as we sheetrocked the ceiling, the heater cycled on/off a LOT less often with JUST sheetrock on the ceiling.

So insulation up top will be a big bonus for you.

At this point, I have 3" of Corbond on my walls behind 5/8" sheetrock (~R21) and the attic is filled to R-50. The 'stat is at 40-45deg most of the time, and in a matter of minutes I can have it at 55deg to wrench (or hotter if I want).

I can maintain 60deg with the 16x8 door open, too.. even with 0-deg temps outside. ;) Not that it's CHEAP to pull that off.. :D

thanks

i'm gonna try the plastic on the ceiling route and see if that does anything for me before i drop any $ on real insulation. i don't have finished walls, just studs and exterior plywood and siding.

my garage is not near a source of gas or oil, thus i was wondering about the propane.

classic example: last night i got in at 4pm and just wanted a little heat. i couldn't get the damn woodstove started so i worked for 4 hours with no heat, and it sucked.

i'm gonna try the plastic on the ceiling route and see if that does anything for me before i drop any $ on real insulation. i don't have finished walls, just studs and exterior plywood and siding.

Insulation and drywall will make a huge huge HUGE difference. Money well spent IMHO.