I have a smallish corner of our barn that is my designated shop/garden area. My husband and I have long called it the Funk Room because it was the repository of miscellaneous extra concrete runs and has a very lopsided rough floor. I don't mind the funkiness. The walls are just the back side of old barn siding, laid side by side but without any battens, so it is pretty drafty. I get a lot of mail order, and have lots of broken down cardboard. I thought I would staple these to the back of the barn siding and then cover that with something, leaving the studs exposed. It's all pretty old wood and/or rough cut so I'd like to preserve the barn-character. Any thoughts on what to go over the cardboard (which is mainly a draft blocker) - I'm considering burlap, canvas, upholstery fabric, 1/4" door skins, ? ? ? Insulating is not a real issue, we are in a temperate area and I don't spend much time out there in the winter.

We just finished off my husbands shed and used underlayment from HD. It is thin ply on both sides covering a thin foam. It is less than a quarter inch in thickness. We used it on the walls and ceiling cut in strips (12") to look like boards run horizonal and solid with a poly protective covering for the floor. A 4x8 foot piece runs $15 a sheet. You could run cut strips vertically between the framing on your barn. HD cuts it free just take in your measurements. The cuts do need to be more than 12" wide though. You'll notice one side of the underlayment is knotted like boards and the other side (used for flooring) is more solid. Here's what the wall looks like (untreated) and the floor with poly. It worked really well for us since it is only an 8x8' shed. I also used the same underlayment in the office space (converted garage) for a wall (10x10') but painted the strips white. That wall gets a bit of moisture from old plumbing (air vent pipe shown) so I didn't want dry wall. It has held up well.. Good luck with whatever strikes your fancy to use. It is nice having that extra little space outside the house.

I like both the ways you've used this. I guess I should go tour a big box store (I tend to stay away from them unless I really need to go) and see what they have available these days.

I wish I could stay away from HD, but have had too many projects of late. Feel like I am helping out their shareholders way too much.

>> I'm considering burlap, canvas, upholstery fabric, 1/4" door skins,

Maybe whatever remnants the fabric store has marked 'way down? You would eventually get a layered "patchwork quilt" effect.

Or pages torn from last year's seed and plant catalogs. Bakers Creek and Somebody-and-Perkins Roses have such gorgeous photos that I think of them as "Gardening Pornography".

I don't know if this would work for a wall, but it's very interesting.

http://www.yankeemagazine.com/...

Arlene, I may try this on the floor. It is currently very mismatched and rough concrete with a definite slope to it. Thanks!

Yeah, that wouldn't work for the walls then. Have you decided what you will do though?

Nah, I'm on slow-mode with this project. Something will capture my interest at some point. I'll post before and after pics.