To avoid these ads, REGISTER NOW!

Prefab Insulated Panels for Metal Building

badbascom

Member
Joined
Nov 30, 2008
Messages
18
I am looking a for residential metal building company which uses insulated wall panels. I'm not sure about the terminology but they are basically factory made foam panels with metal skins for the interior and exterior, you can even get stucco pattern if you wish. They appear to bolt up to the exterior of a red iron building with no further labor required, roof & walls. I am looking at 40x60 shop and would love to skip all the spray foam and interior finishing process plus I hate wood materials. I see they are popular with commercial buildings but I would like a supplier for residential purposes like Mueller, General, etc? I hesitate to call a commercial building supplier as I wish to take advantage of the economies of scale found in the standard designed residential buildings.

Anyone know of such a supplier?
 
To avoid these ads, REGISTER NOW!

Voi

Well-known member
Joined
Oct 10, 2010
Messages
5,148
Location
Western South Dakota
I am looking a for residential metal building company which uses insulated wall panels. I'm not sure about the terminology but they are basically factory made foam panels with metal skins for the interior and exterior, you can even get stucco pattern if you wish.

Anyone know of such a supplier?

I believe you are looking for SIPs, or Structural Insulated Panels. Typical SIPs are OSB on both sides but there are metal SIPs as well. The stucco type finish is likely an MGO SIP or possibly a CSIP or Concrete Structural Insulated Panel.

There have been SIP manufacturers that have made both steel and MGO SIPs so I'm guessing it's MGO.

I hope those terms help you with your search. I should add that one SIP company in Colorado that made both steel and MGO SIPs appears to be out of business.
 

readhead

Well-known member
Joined
Dec 8, 2012
Messages
6,185
Location
Durango, Co.
Not SIP's. They are a panel product that you can apply to any structure. Any metal building company can provide the panels for your building.

I have done several buildings with them and we charge a lot of money to install them. They are available in several thicknesses depending on what R value you need. There are a few different fastening systems. Some use a visible screw just like any sheeting and some use a blind tongue and groove system. Which ever system you choose you need to buy at least two extra panels of the longest length for replacements. It's not like buying another sheet if you need one. They are a long lead and making one panel can cost an arm and a leg. With the blind system if a panel is damaged you have to disassemble the wall back to the bad one, remove and replace and reassemble the wall. Imagine what that costs. Trim at windows and doors can be problematic. I have never done them on a roof and don't know if they are available for that application.

It is a cool product but very expensive. If you are looking for something different there are a lot of profiles available in standard sheets and if you don't want to see the insulation liner panels can be installed.

A metal building is a metal building. There is no difference between residential and commercial. Try not to deal with brokers like General steel, Rhino and lots of others.

Have you generated plans for what you want? It will be much easier to get pricing if you have a plan to distribute to different suppliers.
 
OP
B

badbascom

Member
Joined
Nov 30, 2008
Messages
18
Not SIP's. They are a panel product that you can apply to any structure. Any metal building company can provide the panels for your building.

I have done several buildings with them and we charge a lot of money to install them. They are available in several thicknesses depending on what R value you need. There are a few different fastening systems. Some use a visible screw just like any sheeting and some use a blind tongue and groove system. Which ever system you choose you need to buy at least two extra panels of the longest length for replacements. It's not like buying another sheet if you need one. They are a long lead and making one panel can cost an arm and a leg. With the blind system if a panel is damaged you have to disassemble the wall back to the bad one, remove and replace and reassemble the wall. Imagine what that costs. Trim at windows and doors can be problematic. I have never done them on a roof and don't know if they are available for that application.

It is a cool product but very expensive. If you are looking for something different there are a lot of profiles available in standard sheets and if you don't want to see the insulation liner panels can be installed.

A metal building is a metal building. There is no difference between residential and commercial. Try not to deal with brokers like General steel, Rhino and lots of others.

Have you generated plans for what you want? It will be much easier to get pricing if you have a plan to distribute to different suppliers.


Sounds like these may be more expensive than I realized, I figured they might be rare since I couldn't find any threads on the subject. When u say try not to deal with brokers why is that. I thought that was the process, I was hoping one of them could give me a turnkey deal. I just want a 40x60 standard shop other than longer eves. I want a good engineered project not a economy deal.
 

readhead

Well-known member
Joined
Dec 8, 2012
Messages
6,185
Location
Durango, Co.
There is no such thing as a standard shop. Every building is built to order.

Brokers take orders and then find builders to supply the metal building. You have no idea who is supplying the building and problems can be difficult to resolve since the guy that sold you the building has no skin in the game.

What do you think turn key means? The building company supplies a pile of steel and that is it. By the way extended eaves are some of the most expensive options. If you want a turn key project you need to engage a building contractor.
 
To avoid these ads, REGISTER NOW!

Playwme

Well-known member
Joined
Sep 13, 2012
Messages
2,032
Location
The Lucky Country Down Under
Aren't SIPS a foam filled metal skinned panel like the OP mentions?

I don't understand the replies in this thread. They seem misleading.
I used SIPS on my walls. It was VERY fast to install, would take no time at all to replace a damaged section, and probably cost less for materials per square foot than any other brand new insulated option.

I'd give you details of my supplier, but he's in Sydney Australia so shipping might be expensive.
 
Last edited:

readhead

Well-known member
Joined
Dec 8, 2012
Messages
6,185
Location
Durango, Co.
The S in SIPS stands for structural. The metal clad panels are not. I explained that there are two types of panels. One uses a locking joint and hidden screws. The only access to the screws is to dissemble the panels next to the one to be replaced. The system is simply an exterior cladding that includes insulation.

To be clear there are metal panels that have some structural qualities. The most common use is commercial refrigerators. But they would not be suitable for large scale construction.
 

Cobradriver

Well-known member
Joined
Apr 4, 2009
Messages
93
Location
Port Charlotte,Fl
My brother just built an aircraft hangar. 45'x55'. 20' to the eaves. One wall has a door that is 18'x48'. Long story short....he priced the three walls and it would have added around 15-18K to the price of the building. He ended up not needing to use them....
 
OP
B

badbascom

Member
Joined
Nov 30, 2008
Messages
18
Well I am disappointed with the metal building kits I have researched. I was hoping to find a manufacturer who's design considered the interior as much as the exterior. I know in reality I can have a builder build anything I want for the right amount of money but I was hoping for a standardized, engineered, and historically tested kit, much like buying a car. My experience with houses is that the workers will always make a number of mistakes and there always is something that needs massaging to fit. I was hoping these insulated panels might be the ticket but I have not found anyone who includes them in a kit.

Thanks for everyone's replies.
 

readhead

Well-known member
Joined
Dec 8, 2012
Messages
6,185
Location
Durango, Co.
You are not looking very hard. American Building Company, Varco Pruden, Muller, Olympic and the list goes on can provide insulated panels. These are well established manufactures not brokers. Brokers are not going to put any effort into alternative siding materials when they can sell R panel all day long.

You are looking for something that doesn't exist in the metal building biz. Metal buildings by their nature are simple shells that can be finished inside however you want.
 
To avoid these ads, REGISTER NOW!
Top Bottom