How can I make my shed cooler?

Currently I have my 7x7 shed sitting in the full sun for over half of the day. My plans are to turn part of it into a creative workshop for my carving work but I have found on really hot days, even with the window open it's still pretty unbearable.

Has anyone else had this problem and if so, how did they get round this? The obvoius solution would be to move the shed under some shade, but unfortnatly I can't do that.

 

Assuming it's got an electrical supply install a small extract fan at high level (opposit end to door) controlled by a thermostat and have a mesh covered vent at low level (in the door perhaps?) for intake of cooler air.

+ Insulation, but that's a major project.

 

2 inch Cellotex or similar. You can cut it to fit between the rafters.

 

Paint the roof white. Will reflect a lot of the heat back.

 

Plant a tree next to it:

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Albedo

 

I would insulate the roof as Zigs suggested . Then simplest way is to fit a good sized desk fan to blast the hot air out of the open door . You would really need an opening window at the opposite end to the door to get a tunnel effect for venting . If a window is a little awkward and expensive to fit ( can you buy ready made shed windows ?) maybe a large hit and miss vent would be OK.
http://www.wickes.co.uk/Hit Miss-Vent-9x9in/p/713014
You can buy shed windows !
http://www.windows4sheds.co.uk/wind...p?pass=product&range_num=7&stock_code=WF1#WF1

 

I would make an opening at the eaves (or better still the ridge), and then an opening / louvre near the base, and with those both open you should get some convection. Insulation and white paint will help too.

 

There's a single layer PVC sheet roofing system that's available in some very light colours, but it's been about 15 years since I worked on a job when it was specified, and the system uses welded joints and is only available in large rolls.

 

I should have mentioned that I wanted to get another shed window installed. I currently only have one and that's not really letting much light in as it's north facing. Am contemplating building a stable type door too in the future too.

I guess I will certainly have to insulate the shed ceiling. How do you fix this celotex stuff to the roof without causing leaks then?

Also I should have added that I've got a lot of mould growing on my sheds ceiling. I had this with both my sheds now so am presuming it's a problem with the conditions and not the sheds themselves. Could it be a mixture of warm air and condensation causing this? Will Kristen suggestion of putting in vents help to tackle this too as well as the heat issue?

 

You cut it to size and wedge it in, like I did with my big shed

 

If you can leave them open in the winter (or open them periodically) I reckon it would.

I have used a circulating fan in my unheated conservatory, stuffed with plants, over winter. It reduce a Rot & Mould problem, in previous years, which meant I lost quite number of plants to nothing - so air movement, without heating etc., is probably enough.

Could you have a suspended ceiling (or do you use the Ridge void?). That would allow a vent above, which would remove some heat from the roof in summer and condensation in winter, but the (lower) insulation would then keep the shed pleasant - Summer and Winter. If you store plants in the shed over winter, i.e. frost-free for tubers like Dahlias / Begonias, then insulating the walls would help too.