heat/Ventilation in a shed studio

[myrtle]

Hi everyone, 

I'm in the process of setting up an un-temperature regulated shed to house a Skutt 1027. The shed has plywood floors which I plan to remedy by building a 56 x 48 "hearth out of 2" thick concrete pavers. I will leave 16" clearance from the walls. 

The kiln will be placed beneath a window so there will be some passive ventilation. I'm also planning to instal a down-draft enviro-vent. My question is this: will my shed get too hot for the  kiln electronics to function properly?  The shed is not large (aprox 10 x 12)  but I will adhere to spec clearances.

How many of you have a kiln in a back yard shed? How hot does it get and what do you do for ventilation? Also, my shed has insulation. Should I take it out? 

[PamelaLBL]

In very warm weather I open the window in my kiln shed, as well as the top of the Dutch Door to allow for more air flow. I also have a down draft vent to the outside. My shed is 12x20. I have not had any issues, but then again I have not fired in temps over 80 degrees.  

 

[Chilly]

I have a Max\Min digital thermometer in my greenhouse, where my kiln lives and is fired.  There is never any more than a few degrees difference between the overnight temperature between a firing night and a non-firing night.  I haven't fired when it's been freezing tho'.

[Bill Kielb]

9 hours ago, myrtle said:

Hi everyone, 

I'm in the process of setting up an un-temperature regulated shed to house a Skutt 1027. The shed has plywood floors which I plan to remedy by building a 56 x 48 "hearth out of 2" thick concrete pavers. I will leave 16" clearance from the walls. 

The kiln will be placed beneath a window so there will be some passive ventilation. I'm also planning to instal a down-draft enviro-vent. My question is this: will my shed get too hot for the  kiln electronics to function properly?  The shed is not large (aprox 10 x 12)  but I will adhere to spec clearances.

How many of you have a kiln in a back yard shed? How hot does it get and what do you do for ventilation? Also, my shed has insulation. Should I take it out? 

Not sure where you are located but if your summer temps  are 80f and above The 1027  likely has a kiln master controller that will stop working if the board gets to be 150 degrees.  So In summer I think this will likely  get every bit that temperature unless you have a hood  and exhaust for that kiln.

Again depending on your location the Skutt controller likely will not start below 32 degrees so if you live north with cold winters you might need a small heater just so on cold days you can keep everything 40 degrees or so to avoid the startup hassles. 

Since you are setting this up, you may want to look at the vent a kiln which is a hood style vent designed to remove fumes and much of the heat produced by the kiln.

[Stephen]

If you want to avoid all the work of those pavers you can just use cement board under the kiln. Be sure and extend it a couple of feet in each direction. I used it in a studio I build with a subfloor and the kiln installer thought it was fine. Maybe give Skutt a call for an opinion

2nd the window being added to let the heat out. Windows are not hard to add and cheap at the big box lumber/hardware stores. Good luck!

[neilestrick]

Like Stephen saids, use 2 layers of cement board under the kiln instead. It'll be a lot less work, sit more level, and keep the top of the kiln lower so it's easier to load.

You should have some way of venting heat out of the shed, either by opening a door, or having vents in the sidewall and roof.