Workshop Conversion - Phase 1:

The first stage was to board out the loft area using 18mm T&G chipboard (sold as 'Loft-packs'). Then the wall and door framing were installed. As the roofing timbers are rather small, the frame and partition is as strong as possible to help support any extra weight in the loft...

The partition wall is a single layer of 18mm chipboard rather than a conventional plasterboard cavity wall - it's much easier to attach shelves to and avoids losing 5 inches would otherwise be wasted space! The only problem is the timber framing remained visible, and sawn pine doesn't look all that nice...

For the bench, I chose 22mm MDF. Three pieces were cut by a local supplier to form the 'n'-shaped bench, supported by a simple 4-by-2 frame. The two 10 foot horizontal lengths of 4-by-2 sit in slots cut in 4-by-2's fixed to the wall and partition frame. The outer edges of the small benches are also supported by a piece of 18mm MDF (see below). You can also see the box that will contain the power and light switching.

I experimented with some lengths of angle-iron and determined that centre supports were adequate. Timber supports were cut to length and installed - the front one covered in an offcut of the floor carpet - a nice touch, given that you'll spend your life banging your knees against it... Annoyingly, the cat uses it as a scratching post!

Suspended floor:

The next stage was the floor. The concrete floor was reasonably flat and even, but I decided to build a simple suspended floor using a 4-by-2 frame. This was mainly for insulation reasons - although I wish I'd stuffed it with fibreglass at this stage - currently there are 2 rolls waiting in the loft, but I can not summon up the enthusiasm to clear the floor and lift the boards!

I added the membrane 'just-in-case' - the concrete floor might already have one. You can see the small blocks of wood that are used to shim the frame to get the floor more-or-less level...

This picture shows the finished floor, complete with carpet...

You can see the 18mm MDF panels that support the ends of the small benches (mentioned earlier). These are supported by the floor framing - if you look at the previous pictures you can see that this was thought of - there's a 4-by-2 directly underneath each...

The final result is OK but could be better - partly because the timber for the frame (bought from B&Q) is much poorer quality than the stuff used for the bench... Extra lengths had to be installed between the joists to straighten them out. You can see how I ensured the frame supported all the joins in the boards - this is because I didn't want to use T&G - it's impossible to remove individual panels once the floor is down...

The door-frame is visible here, although the door has yet to be hung. Also not yet fitted is the doorstep - I remember that being slightly complicated for some reason...

Insulation:

After considering the dry-lining options, I realised I'd collected enough off-cuts of something far better. At work, edit suites, small studios and dubbing areas are lined with a product called SoundSorba.

It's a 1 inch layer of compressed fibreglass, with decorative cloth bonded on the front surface. The product offers excellent acoustic and insulation properties, and can be used to cover a multitude of sins.

I was able to fold the product by making 45 degree cuts in the layer of fibreglass behind the fabric... You can buy special metal brackets (covered with matching fabric) to hold the SoundSorba to the wall. While I used these in places, I also cheated by using tricks like spacing the skirting and dado (see bottom of page) away from the wall with 1" batons. 16mm quadrant moulding was used to hide the gaps where the SoundSorba meets the bench...

These pictures show the main shelves taking shape. I used Spur brackets (well, the ScrewFix ones, but I'm sure they're the same). These are spaced away from the walls with 1 inch batons to align the brackets with the SoundSorba... Also, you can see the pine fascia which holds the top of the Soundsorba...

Here is a view of the computer corner, where a small brick pillar was in the way. Looking at the moulding detail, you might correctly guess that I was practising with a new mitre-saw! Ironically, all that detail is hidden completely by the PC that sits there! The picture also shows how I mounted the Cat-5 network point and the telephone socket.

Yes, the PC has been moved to the right to allow this shot! But I felt the need to share this with the world! It's a bad affliction, being an engineer!

Shelf Unit:

The other main construction is a set of shelves that stand on the floor behind the bench. These were made from veneered Conti-Board and assembled using glue and dowel-joints. The top surface is an off-cut of laminate worktop. The final height is the same as the benches, and they form a useful additional space...

I left them unfinished until relatively recently, but these pictures show the effect of a couple of coats of Danish oil. It's my favourite finish for wood, and almost everything I build gets treated this way. The MDF benches responded brilliantly to this - they've lasted remarkable well, despite the abuse they've had. The right picture compares the shelves an untreated offcut - although to be honest the differences are more marked in reality.

Roofspace:

This picture shows the roof-space of the garage. I insulated the roof, which was a horrible experience!

The space is surprisingly useful, and is currently full of junk. The installation of a loft-ladder and a hatch that can easily be opened with a simple pole has made the space much more user-friendly.

On to the next section - later developments in Phase 2...