In May of 2001 I decided I just had to have a heated workshop. It would be big enough for bikes but not a car. I started adding on to the back of my Garage.

For heat I decided to put in radiant heat into a slab floor. I chose 1/2" PEX tubing. I laid out a double spiral pattern, hottest on the outside spiraling in toward the center. I put 5" of concrete over the tubing. The foundation is made of wood with 2" of foam insulation.

My shop was completed late in 2001. Initially I used a hot water heater electric heater element to heat the water.  It was to expensive, so I built a heat exchanger for my hot water heater.  I use natural circulation through the water heater, but pump the coolant through the floor.  I need to improve it a little, but it works.  The shop is functional, but a little small. I put in an overhead I-beam with a trolley for my chain fall. Lots of windows.

Last Updated:    08/10/05