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My basement was growing what looked like mushrooms on the dirt floor in the back room last year. Last year I was cutting out puzzles. Now I need to find a place to set up "Kitchen Guitars". I have 3 - 4 siterns (spelling?) up against the house and have to fill them with gravel, but have not on my list of stuff to do. Sandstone painted walls, 150 year old house. I can run 2 dehumidifyers and see if I can keep it to 45%ish I have run 2 in the past with some luck. Option 2 The attic of my Photography Studio is a 3 year old unfinished 50 x 20 room. The roof pitch is is 17' on each side (I don't know the tech way of saying it) So, a triangle with headspace 10' side to side, not dormered. This room is underpowered and has no insilation at this point. But, the walls are open and easy to run wire. The basement has power galor and all of my stuff has a place. So dry one out or fix up the attic and hoof the stuff?
Assuming you vote attic. I don't want to bother with Drywall. What insilation should I use? Blue foam? Backed roll? I would love this to be a cheap project.

My guess is that neither, if done right, will be cheep.

Setting up a shop is not a cheep project.

What are the other factors? Who lives in the house with you? Will the sound of power tools bother them? The attic will transmit more vibration (thus sound) to the rest of the house as everything will be on the ceiling of the floor below.

The basement will need to have concrete at best, or at minimum a vapor barrier and a sub floor installed. You want to do more than remove the moisture with 2 de-humidifiers, you want to try and eliminate the problem by sealing off the dirt floor and the seepage from the foundation walls.

If it were me. I'd choose the attic (if the wife allowed it) but I would totally insulate it and try my best to really reduce the sound level. You'll have more light in the attic (assuming you can add a window or a skylight or 2) and 20X50 (even if not all is full height) is a lot of space to set up shop.

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If you finish the attic space, unless you do it all yourself and don't let the authorities know, you'll have to cover the insulation with drywall to decrease the fire hazard. Foam board insulation has higher R value than the same thickness of fiberglass but is flammable. Also, when insulating a roof, you must give consideration to a ventilation space between the roof sheathing and the insulation. (The jury's out on whether it's really necessary, but the warantees of many shingle companies require it, and many building inspectors think it's necessary.)

Joe

Also, consider what tools you will be using in the attic? Bandsaw? Tablesaw? other heavy tools? You would want to consider load factors of the ceiling joists as to ability to handle the weight to be safe.

MK

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I'm outside looking in, just farther from the window than most.

The Attic/2nd floor is in an outbuilding so sound is not a factor. I would drywall next year. I'll slap in the insilation. Darn it I want to build guitars! I had the outbuilding /Photography Studio built with a 10' cieling downstairs and a full blown I beam runs down the middle of it. I told him the upstairs would be a workspace. Noise is the basement factor. Looks like 2nd floor. Oh goody. More money

What kind of roofing is on the building with the attic? You can't insulate up against the roof sheeting or it will literally burn up a shingle roof. I'm not talking about flames or anything, just too much heat for the roofing material. There has to be some air space (that's vented) between the actual roof surface and the insulation. That's why buildings have either ridge vents and/or vents in the ends of the structure as well as vents in the eaves. My Dad is a (retired) building contractor. I can get a better explanation, as well as solutitions from him if needed.

BTW, John, have you ever lived in NC. I knew someone with your name30 or so years ago.
Feel free to e-mail me with any construction questions. I'll be glad to ask my Dad.

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Yam,-The Building/Wood Storage Room is really the only room that needs to be insulated, for humidity control. You could use 4 mil plastic sheeting and the de-humidifiers in one corner.

And for dust, you need to plastic/containment where the thickness sander/dust collector goes. Everything else could (probably ) be in/out quickly. If you could place the dust collector 'outside' you would be the envy of every woodworker around.

That may get you building this summer.

No guarantees on any of that advice, of course!

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Here is what a Parlor Guitar is for!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oEa8PkjO6_I

Well, at least the wood is safe till I get the room ready. My Guitar room is humidity controlled. I took out the easy chair and put in stack shelving! I have been cutting Stickers a few boards a day. I pick up "the stuff" today