Our local Home Depot rents a drywall lifter for $27 for 4 hours or $38/day.
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Well Jon, your decision on the 3/8ply IMO is a good one. You would have been really, really, really pissed off when you carried a nice 8’ long stick of lumber into your newly suspended and insulated ceiling shop only to rip down 1/2 the tiles and insulation when you forget it’s freaking 8’ long while lifting it to turn it flat on the chop saw.
Bob - I’m in the middle of nowhere here. Closest HD is Altoona or yours in State College. Better part of 2 days just in pick-up and drop off 
Been there, done that with the awning tube from the old RV. Swung it around and put a slice in the sheet metal of my leased car. I had to fix it, so I ate the high deductible and had it done.
Would you approve of corrugated galvanized screwed to joists? I may do that for at least some of it. Need something to upgrade the look
Sorry…I thought Home Depots were everywhere!
It’s your shed but you can’t hurt that on the ceiling!
BTW …there is a John Myers in Chambersburg. They have good product rt 641 to rt 997 to rt 11isn’t as bad as 533. You could also do rt 75 to rt 30
How far is Paul b’s hardware
Probably better product than Lowes or Home Depot, but I want to take advantage of the Depot’s free financing deal.
Today was power wash the tool shed vinyl and metal siding on the garage day. I didn’t take a before and after of the garage, but the dramatic difference on the tool shed was similar on the garage metal and the house vinyl.
My brother and sister-in-law are coming down for the FEBT reunion this weekend. I don’t want the view from the train to look bad!
I’ve been preoccupied with prep for my brother’s visit and then the 3 day FEBT Reunion activities. I got back to the planning yesterday.
I’m still struggling to make a decision on what to use for a ceiling and what insulation to use. I’d like to use a high R value in the cieling and create some empty box storage above the ceiling. I’ve decided, due to cost, that the actual cieling will be primed 3/8" plywood paneling. The framing and insulation is still an open question.
I could use 2x4 rafters on 16" centers and R15 insulation with some plywood above for storage. Estimated cost of rafters and insulation is $450
OR -
I could use 2x6 rafters on 24" centers with R21 insulation and still use plywood decking above where needed. Estimated cost of rafters and insulation is $635
OR -
I could use 2x4 rafters on 24" centers and R38 insulation. The insulation would extend well above the rafters. I could use a few sheets of 1/2" rigid foam insulation board above the insulation to store empty boxes on. Estimated cost of rafters and insulation is $685
Using 2x6 rafters I will loose 2.5" of ceiling height as shown below…
Even though the R38 is the most expensive option, it maintains the ceiling height and uses less rafters so less labor. Also, I expect I’ll save quite a bit on Propane with the additional insulation. It will probably be the winner.
I think you are over thinking unless you are planning on living in the shed. Knowing what I have learned at to young of an age I personally would keep the open rafters and possibly put rafter ties on the ends just like in the center. Then put plywood on top of the rafter ties for extra storage. As for the rest of the ceiling I would keep open and vaulted. Put some R13 between the rafters with air space then sheet over it with 1/4" osb and call it done.
If you joist out that entire ceiling for above storage then your kids are gonna have to throw away all that shit you put up there and haven’t touched since you moved and never will again cause your dead or going to a nursing home.
Well, you are correct that I’m old. And because of that I like my work area warm. The lower cieling and thicker insulation should save quite a bit of money in Propane.
I won’t be sleeping there, but I do hope to spend a lot of time inside this winter.
Jon,
Having worked through similar things a year ago, I’m loaded with opinions. I apologize in advance for being over-confident, there surely are other approaches. But, here goes.
I have to agree with Rooster on several points.
I wouldn’t do a rigid foam over squishy insulation, because the foam board isn’t that rigid. You’d have to limit what you put up there.
My first question is, How will you access the above-ceiling stuff? With every third space left open, or? How do you close those access spaces with insulation? Hinged panels? And will you put lighting in this attic area? If it’s not easy to get stuff up there and back down, it’ll just be a deep six zone.
The vaulted approach has advantages. Your existing rafters (diagonals) are what, 2x4? You could double their depth by adding another set of 2x4’, using long deck lag bolts to secure them. That way you’d have space for baffles against the roof sheathing (a must; air must flow between soffits and ridge) and 6" of insulation betweeen the newly-widened rafters.
You could leave the back side of the insulation exposed, or panel all that and paint. That’s what I did. I don’t necessarily recommend that, because it was SO tedious to work above the joists and notch around them. If you want to know how I did, let me know.
Regardless, the ceiling joists (horizontals) can become a rack for long stock. All is visible, no extra lighting needed.
Also, you can make plywood shelves at the ends of the joists, partial or all the way down the shed, for small item storage. That would leave ladder / access space down the middle, with things to left or right in easy reach.
FWIW I’m using the exposed joists for a mix of lumber and sheet scraps. With a ladder nearby, it’s worked quite well to get stuff up and down.
If I did that, it would only be for empty box storage, nothing that would compress the fiberglass or damage the foam board.
I plan on a single hatch, 24" x 36". A plywood cover perhaps with insulation attached. The access could accommodate pull down stairs in the future. If there will be lighting, it will be just a single bulb fixture near the hatch.
I’m resisting the vaulted cieling for several reasons. It would be more expensive, requiring more insulation and cieling panels. The additional cost of sistering all the roof joists to accommodate more insulation would push me over budget. I don’t enjoy working on a ladder and above my head, so installing all that would not be my first choice.
I’m going to give this another hard look today. I’ll look at the option of using the level of the existing rafters which would give a higher cieling and use less wood.
But first, I need to winterize my camper. We have a freeze warning for tonight!
Yep, that’s Jon !
SOB how long has he been stuck up there?
I have no idea!!!
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Jon I’m with you about keeping warm so I like your last idea but why so tall it just makes a bigger space to heat.
As usual, Rooster is right. If I use budget as a guide, using the existing rafter height, I’ll call it semi-vaulted, by adding 2x4’s on 16" centers where they are missing and using R15 insulation comes in as the least expensive option at just over $400 without any paneling.
But then, dropping it to flat across is only $20 more. A lot less space to heat.
Spending the extra $20 once seems like it will save you plenty in the long run.
Yes, and it’s a simpler install. The rafters can rest on the top plate rather than being suspended in mid air trying to keep them all at the same height!
I think I have made all of my decisions except the ceiling panels.
So far I have looked at…
3/8" smooth primed paneling @ $30/sheet
1/8" Primed Eucalyptus hardboard @ $13/sheet
1/8" Pre-Finished Tile Board hardboard @ $20/sheet
1/8" Sanded plywood @ $19/sheet
- OR -
Buy extra of my wall paneling w/grooves on the face and paint it @ $20 /sheet.
The cheaper hardboard products are not recommended for cielings and need to be installed with gaps and caulk for expansion. I think that rules them out.
I was leaning toward the wall panels, but after reading their install guide, it’s the same product as the other 1/8 hardboard, which now I’m not sure I want for walls!
@Rooster suggested 1/4" OSB. I’ve never liked OSB but I’m thinking 1/8" anything direct to studs is not going to be durable enough. I’ll probably circle back to the 3/8" primed paneling I was going with yesterday and use it on the walls as well!
Jon,
Is foil board an option?