By Bill & Kevin Burnett
Q: We bought a neglected 1960s ranch-style house last year. We have done a lot of sweat equity work and have fixed most of the problems but are puzzled about what to do with the studio.
The problem is that the room is unbelievably dark. It measures 20 feet by 30 feet with a 15-foot ceiling. The walls are pecky board, and one end has a wall-to-wall-to-ceiling stone fireplace. The ceiling is also wood.
There are sliding doors, which bring in some light. We installed two skylights, which have helped a little. We also replaced ceiling lights with directional spotlights and fans, which also helps minimally.
The room isn't insulated, and we are thinking of removing the pecky board, insulating and then plasterboarding just to get some reflective light. We have plenty of wood for the fireplace, which has a large opening, but most of the heat just goes up the chimney. Eventually we will install a gas-burning insert for heat. There is an electric wall heater, but that would be too expensive to use.
We are both artists and this is where we work. Unfortunately, right now it is too dark and cold and we don't want to spend much time there. Can you come up with any solutions to lighten the room and make it warmer?
A: What a neat project! It sounds as if your '60s rancher has undergone a number of "improvements" before your stewardship. Your studio has all the earmarks of a less-than-satisfactory "remuddle."
You face a number of challenges to make this room work in terms of climate and light. We'll try to take them in turn.
First, climate control. You're right about heat escaping up the chimney, and a single electric furnace doesn't even come close to providing the BTUs necessary to heat 600 square feet of living space.
Replacing your wall furnace with a fireplace insert is heading in the right direction, but we think you should investigate even more efficient solutions.
One of the areas we'd take a hard look at is making sure the fireplace damper is closed and installing a pellet stove. Pellet stoves burn wood byproducts that look like what little animals leave behind. In colder climates they are quite popular and cost efficient, especially in areas where people must rely on electric heat.
Pellet stoves are engineered to mechanically feed fuel into the stove. This allows the pellets to burn at a steady rate. The user controls the flow of fuel, which makes for a more even heat. Fireplace inserts and wood stoves require more attention.
Regarding the walls, your instinct is right on. Removing the pecky paneling and adding insulation and wallboard will make your studio more comfortable and a lot lighter.
Pecky, by the way, is a grade of lumber that is unique to cedar. The rather rustic-looking wood has indentations and furrows in it that were caused by a fungus while the tree was still living.
We're assuming that because the ceiling is 15 feet high and the house is ranch style, that you have a vaulted ceiling. If this is true, insulation should be installed between the rafters.
Insulation is relatively inexpensive, and it pays to get as much R-value as possible in the ceiling.
Rather than placing fiberglass batts with a vapor barrier between the rafters, you should consider placing batts without a vapor barrier, then covering the rafters with rigid insulation board.
Apply the plasterboard over the rigid board. Make sure that you use long enough screws to go through the insulation board to the rafters.
You can bypass the rigid board when you insulate the walls. Most heat loss occurs through cracks around doors and windows and through glass. If the sliding doors are single-paned, consider replacing them with more efficient double-paned models. Also, weather-strip and caulk around the openings. Heat can also escape around electrical outlet boxes. Caulk between the sides of the boxes and the plasterboard and seal the gap where the wire penetrates the boxes with urethane foam.
Ceiling fans are of great help to circulate the warm air that rises to the ceiling and disburse the heat more evenly around the room. Although your fans don't seem to be helping much now, once your studio is tightened up, they will.
When the insulation and rocking is done, paint the room in a light color to maximize the reflection of the ambient light from the doors and skylights. This will make a huge difference.
For general lighting we suggest recessed lighting. It's inexpensive, looks good and is easy to install as part of the insulation and plasterboarding project.
For task lighting, first decide where you need the light. Because this is an artist's studio, you may find that lamps that can be moved and attached to a workbench are the best solution. Don't overlook industrial lighting supply houses.
All this sounds like a lot of work, and it is. But once you're done, you'll have a wonderful space to work and play in. Better yet, you'll have the satisfaction that you did it yourself.
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