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Wood store ex Stable

P

PAC1

Old Oak
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Hi I am looking for cheap solutions to condensation.
I have converted a stable into my wood store 3.6m x 3.6m. The stable was constructed of 100mm blockwork rendered with a metal sheet roof on timber purlins. I had hoped that condensation would not occur since there were no horses, no heating and the stable has three small opening windows to give some airflow. Sadly I was wrong either there is not enough airflow or I am going to get condensation as the air hits the very cold metal surface in any event. I tend to the view that with enough ventilation the problem is fixed, but that may mean inviting the whole neighbourhood to sleep in my wood store.
So my thoughts are to first see if I can increase the ventilation. I could take out the glass and replace it with some fine mesh or even make a mesh top door to the stable. If that does not work my second line of thought is to hang something like hessian or breathable membrane between the purlins so that any condensation drips onto this and evaporates at its leisure. A third approach is just to put a canopy on each wood rack to deflect the drips onto the floor. This is reasonably easily achievable with some onduline or similar.
I do not fancy re roofing or insulating the roof as it is perfectly fine and insulation will just attract four legged lodgers who no doubt will chew it up as well.
Any ideas?
 
I think you've probably summed up your options pretty well. Assuming the normal huge roof overhang, having a mesh replacement for the top half of the door would be a starting point. You could follow this up with louvre panels in place of the glazing (cross ventilation is really important to aid air flow). A kitchen-type extractor fan on a timer would help a lot too.

If you can do Onduline at low level, you can do it at high level, and this would give you the opportunity to catch the water in a gutter and divert it outside. An inner roof, if you like. Some sort of battening arrangement off the purlins would give you something to fix the Onduline to. The void between the two rooves, though, would definitely need ventilation, otherwise all sorts of nasties would grow there.

That's a wonderful facility! Are you going to make permanent racks, which might make access easier?
 
I’m very interested to see what sort of racking you install. I’m using an old stable as my workshop and I’m close to converting the room next door (formerly had a generator in it before the house had mains electricity and, before that may have been a tack room) into a wood store. We’ve been using it for storing firewood, but I’ve been burning my way through that over the winter and I’m almost at the point where I could put some racking in for proper timber.

For your condensation problem, at my local rifle range we painted the inside of the metal roof panels with a grey, gritty cement-like stuff which has helped stop the condensation. It was a bit of a faff to do though as you really need to spray it.
 
Thanks Mike. I think the half door fly screen is going to be the first thing to do. It is quick simple and easily removed whilst providing plenty of ventilation.
I discounted under drawing the roof with onduline for the reason you give.
It is a brilliant facility with 3 stables and a hay store. The hay store is now my log store. I considered turning the lot into a workshop but I already have a 54m2 workshop. The other two stables will be a replacement shed and general store
I plan to have two fixed rack systems on opposite walls and a plywood cart on wheels in the middle.
I have one of the racks built and in use. I need to clear out about 3 tonne of paving slabs before I can build the second rack. I am limbering up for that task
The second rack system will be on the outside wall so I intend to make it floor standing and rake it back rather than fixing to the outside wall.
 
Nick the current rack is just 3x2 bolted together with a brace to keep the shelves level. I bolted the uprights through the wall and put a large plate washer on the other side. I have probably 1 tonne of oak on it
The one I have to build I am still working through in my head
 
PAC1":nq6q1von said:
Nick the current rack is just 3x2 bolted together with a brace to keep the shelves level. I bolted the uprights through the wall and put a large plate washer on the other side. I have probably 1 tonne of oak on it
The one I have to build I am still working through in my head
Click to expand...

Thanks
 
I made a flyscreen for the top half of the stable door and fitted it at the weekend. Nothing fancy just spare tile lath, flyscreen and some cheap bolts. It is early days but it seems to work. I need some frosty mornings to test it!
 
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