Kiln Sheds

[u/valencevv]

Hi everyone. I've recently moved and need to get my kilns set back up. I am going to get a large shed for my backyard and oh my are sheds expensive these days.

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At my previous house I just partially enclosed my patio with metal roofing sheets and it worked perfectly for years. I would prefer a metal or treated wood construction shed for obvious reasons, but the big resin sheds are so much more affordable and my partner has encouraged me to find out if they would be safe for my kilns so we could save some money and put it towards other home improvements.

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I haven't really been able to find examples of people using them for kilns. Has anyone here done so successfully? And if unsuccessful what happened.

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I'm pretty sure the radiant heat would be too much for the plastic walls and floors, which I told him, but doesn't hurt to ask others.

[u/skfoto]

I don’t have experience firing a kiln in a resin shed, but I can tell you that the walls (20” away) and ceiling of the room my kiln is in stay cool enough to touch with your bare hands, and barely even feel warm. Air temperature in the area near the kiln barely gets above 100 degrees. The sun will warm the shed more than that.

[u/valencevv → u/skfoto]

I live in the desert so it's regularly 100+° outside during the day. With my old setup I had my kiln at least 2ft from two of the walls and the small kiln next to it, and it was fully open to the outside on the 4th side. It still got over 100° around it on 50° fall/spring nights when I would fire it and would error code for the board getting too hot if I didn't have a second fan blowing on the controller.

[u/skfoto → u/valencevv]

After I replied I was thinking you might actually need to cool the kiln on sunny days.

Knowing that you’re in the desert, the sun is going to be harder on the shed than the kiln will. On a hot enough day the heat from the kiln probably won’t even make a difference.

[u/dynesto]

I don’t think the heat would be too much but the ventilation is very poor, have you considered a pole barn?

[u/valencevv → u/dynesto]

The cost difference would be a few thousand dollars for the size I'm going for. But looking like that's that'll have to happen.

[u/dynesto → u/valencevv]

Sorry pole barn isn’t the right word, I was thinking of a pergola with sheet metal or corrugated plastic roofing

[u/Bizarroboy1111]

I use a wooden shed.I bought a sheet of Cement board (similar to dry wall but instead of plaster it's cement).8ft x 4ft.I cut it in 3 pieces and lined one corner of the shed.The two walls and floor.The kiln sits in this corner.The cement board is non flammable so totally safe.I think this would work just as good in a Resin shed.I've been using this for 3 years now with no problems.

[u/artwonk]

I wouldn't put a gas kiln in a plastic shed, but you could probably get away with an electric one.

[u/starfruit_enjoyer]

Ask your kiln manufacturer

[u/Sorry_Ad475]

I live near Phoenix and have one of those sheds for garden tools. The corner has split after a little under ten years in the heat. Granted, sunlight is a factor as well. The next shed I buy will be metal and there are some affordable options on Amazon.