Open ceiling insulation in workshop?
#11
Setting up my workshop in new house. One feature that is different than in my last house is that the ceiling is unfinished. As you can see from the pictures, it has open fiberglass insulation. It dawned on me that I might want to consider whether there are any health risks to being exposed to the open insulation, either in a static sense just being in such a room or because dust will surely circulate through the room regardless of the efficacy of my dust collection? As you can see, with all the piping etc (is below master bath, which has hot water heated floor), there may not be much I can do, though I do wonder if a layer of plastic or something might be possible. That said, if risk isn't too material, leaving as-is is surely the easy route. 

Thank you for any thoughts!

   

   
Plans? Who needs plans? They're in my head!
Reply
#12
seems to me you're going to be breathing some amount of fiberglass fibers when you're working in there.  more so if you happen to touch the insulation for some reason.


but I couldn't tell you what amount you'd be breathing.

looks like a lot of the ceiling could be covered fairly easily in sheetrock.  maybe attach some 2x2's to the bottom of the joists and then attach the sheetrock to that...but that would lower your ceiling height a bit.

Reality is that which, when you stop believing in it, doesn't go away. - Philip K. Dick

Mark

Reply
#13
It's only a problem if the fibers become airborne.  I guess you could staple up some plastic sheeting for a quick fix, and an even quicker fix might be getting a few cans of spray shellac and give them a coat.  I don't know what either may do the insulating properties of the glass.

I thought of this when I recently installed soundproofing in my shop ceiling to quell the complaints from my bride, and all the 'soundproofing' insulation was rock wool.  I didn't like that, so I installed some made totally from recycled denim; a whole lot less scratchy to install as well.  https://www.bondedlogic.com/ultratouch-d...nsulation/
Credo Elvem ipsum etiam vivere
Non impediti ratione cogitationis
Reply
#14
I would close it up. as it is, it will collect lots of fine saw dust and be hard to deal with then.
Life is what you make of it, change your thinking, change your life!
Don's woodshop
Reply
#15
I had the same situation in a previous shop, ee had radiant hot water heat installed in the family room/kitchen which was directly above the shop with the reflective side of the batts facing up. The contractor installed Tyvek over the insulation primarily to stop particles of fiberglass from filtering down into the shop air. He felt activity in the rooms above would cause the fiberglass to shed. A side bonus was the almost white Tyvek reflected a ton of light.

gary
I've only had one...in dog beers.

"You can see the stars and still not see the light"
The Eagles: Already Gone
Reply
#16
(01-18-2022, 06:04 PM)Woodshop Wrote: I would close it up. as it is, it will collect lots of fine saw dust and be hard to deal with then.

What he said.
Reply
#17
(01-18-2022, 11:51 AM)Tahoe Gator Wrote: Setting up my workshop in new house. One feature that is different than in my last house is that the ceiling is unfinished. As you can see from the pictures, it has open fiberglass insulation. It dawned on me that I might want to consider whether there are any health risks to being exposed to the open insulation, either in a static sense just being in such a room or because dust will surely circulate through the room regardless of the efficacy of my dust collection? As you can see, with all the piping etc (is below master bath, which has hot water heated floor), there may not be much I can do, though I do wonder if a layer of plastic or something might be possible. That said, if risk isn't too material, leaving as-is is surely the easy route. 

Thank you for any thoughts!
When I set up shop in the basement of our new house 31 years ago, I did not want to shrink the 9-ft. height so screwed 1/4 in. lauan plywood (cheap back then) to the joists, then painted it white.  Easier to handle and thinner than sheetrock. Screws are semi-exposed in case I need to remove one or more sections for whatever reason.
Reply
#18
I would evaluate the insulation, first.
Not so much its efficacy as insulation, but if you see any mold or such.
If you add plastic  you will be introducing a vapor characteristic it currently does not have.  If it has been problem free and you want to cover it I would use construction paper or Tyvek.

(edit: or GaryMc's ply idea. Just something that mimics your current vapor transmission characteristic)
Reply
#19
Another consideration is that fiberglass insulation is not fireproof.  I believe the building code says it is supposed to be covered with 1/2" sheetrock or 3/4" plywood.  Depending on what you do in your shop, that might be a consideration.

If that were my basement, I would inspect it, as somebody else said, and then I'd fill the area left with mineral wool and then install drywall.  That would add insulation and noise isolation.

Mark
Reply
#20
Is your shop area heated?

Doug
Reply


Forum Jump:


Users browsing this thread: 1 Guest(s)

Product Recommendations

Here are some supplies and tools we find essential in our everyday work around the shop. We may receive a commission from sales referred by our links; however, we have carefully selected these products for their usefulness and quality.