Hi there,
I have just joined the forum and I am a novice DIYer.
I have a new summerhouse I want to use as my art studio. I need advice on how to insulate and dampproof it so that I can use it (almost?) all year round.
I have been told to use either polysterene or Celotex as insulating material.
In your experience what is best? Is there a big difference in heat retention?
For dampproofing, do I lay the damp proof sheet before the insulating material or after?
I am planning to cover the walls with tongue and groove cladding afterwards.

For the floor. any advice of what type of insulating material to use and "recipe" on how to do it (what order, how not to crush the layer of insulating material when one walks on it, etc...)?

A professional electrician will put power and lights in there, I am not that daring....

Thanks for any advice that will be very appreciated.

Nat

I have a shed I constructed some 25 years ago. I used expanded polystyrene to insulate it. It has shrunk slightly over the years, caused by the fumes from the water proofing ?
Don't forget the floor , I did and my feet get cold. The other problem I have is that my neighbours weeds try to get under and into the back wall, of the shed.
Frank

Sounds quite small to me. How big is it?

Will you use it in the day time only and for how many years?

My plan would be to Do a floating floor on top of the one you have -- 50mm sheet insulation/polythene/floor sheets (t&g chipboard?)

Walls and ceiling I would go for quilt or batts in between the wood uprights then polythene then your finish boards.

I would have a small electric heater on a timer and thermostat and another for manual use.

Fit gutters and down pipes. Good luck

Heat is retained basically by mass (or weight) so none of them will retain any useful ammount of heat.

For your project pur board badly fitted ( it will be near impossible to fit well on your shed ) is not as good as what I have suggested.

Yes pur sheet is very much better than polystyrene in theory but in practice there is more to it.

I have given you a practical economic solution for a shed conversion.

If you are going to put in a floation floor (proably the best thing to do) check that you hace a good ventilation under the old floor because the new insulated floor will reduce ventilation and you could trap the damp underneath. If the shed is just laid on slabs jack it all up by at least 100 (one brick) preferably more.