workshop - building material question

Finally after lots on unnecessary argy-bargy with our lovely planning people I finally have approval to build a small workshop.

The walls will be conventional construction ie. brick and breeze block. My existing garage is partly lined with the popular 'Thermalite' type of block and I expect the architect to specify these for the workshop for all the usual reasons, low heat-loss, light-weight etc.

However I'm likely to make lots of wall fixing inside the w/shop and in the past have found Thermalite type block just too soft and crumbly for important weight-bearing fixings. I would like a block that's harder and more suitable for rawplugs and rawbolts.

From experience, does anyone have any suggestions please ?

Gerry

I have such breeze blocks and I use rawbolts or hefty wall plugs for fixings. Simply drill the holes and coat the fixing with eurathane glue (gorilla glue). Doesn't matter if the fixings are a tad loose, when the eurathane glue sets, it expands and the fixings are very firm. I can load up shelving with very large and weighty kit and experience no problems.

Andrew.

I had the same issue, plus a wonky floor

I put up my good shelving and braced it over the top with 4x6 wood, so zero screws/bolts needed

Got an extra storage area up top as a bonus too!

Even 'thermalite' blocks can take a lot of weight with the correct fixings. They are also available in different densitys. If it is a cavity wall with insulation in the cavity, the building inspector won't (in my experience)  specify the block used and you can simply use concrete blocks.

Edited By Gavlar on 03/02/2023 19:41:36

I put an extension on my house and didn't want to use thermalite blocks for much the same reason as you. I spoke to the building inspector who was happy for me to use solid concrete blocks, the considerations being the footings coping with the extra loading and still complying with the insulation requirements. For a workshop I can't imagine that there are strict requirements for insulation, but I'm not sure? So assuming you have a good footing I can't see there being a problem

I converted a large brick built garage into a workshop. I lined mine with a sandwich of 70mm Celotex over battons with a surface ‘skin’ of 12mm MDF. This allowed me to run my power cables down the gap and then out at appropriate points. I have 2 cuts, a heavy duty one in 4mm and a more normal 2.5mm. Probably around a dozen double outlets in total. When I want to fix anything to the wall I just screw straight into the MDF. The idea came from the kitchen fitters trick of lining the walls with sheet material first and then screwing everything to that.

regards Martin

I would opt for 'paint grade' concrete blocks, lot easier when it comes to finishing, we used them in a couple of workshops at work.

I used concrete blocks as an inner skin in my workshop as advised by my very good builder. His reasoning was that they take a better fixing in a workshop than thermalite blocks. On reflection I don't believe that I have fixed anything  that couldn't be adequately fixed in thermalite blocks. In view of the cost of energy I think it would be better to gain every advantage you can. It may also be that a change in use in the future would also benefit from good insulation.

Edited By Sakura on 03/02/2023 22:23:23

In my workshop I had the inner walls made with smooth faced concrete blocks for strength and the cavity insulated with standard insulation bats, like a house wall. The blocks are not plastered, just painted with emulsion paint.