Just Cannot make up my mind on insulation

[protegeV]

First plan was to put up the building with no insulation and do foam in the future. Then I saw the price of foam and went

So I figure if Im gonna do the fiberglass roll insulation on a metal building it has to be done when the building goes up, which is some time in the next 3 weeks.
Then I talk to my builder and he highly recommends foam. I get another qupte and it's 2x the price of fiberglass($9k vs $5K) for 1/3 of the insulation (r6 vs r19)

Ive read and read and my head is spinning over this decision. I know once the building is up I can do foam later when Im ready, but I cant get the fiberglass sandwiched between the walls and the beams/purlins after the building is built...

 

[kj_mustang]

I foamed and installed blanket insulation after the building was built. Not sure how yours is being built that would prevent it. You can check my signature build link for pictures.

 

[b-boy]

Foam is crazy expensive.

I went with 2" rigid foam board (R10) followed by a layer of fiberglass (R11). I'm still trying to figure out the ceiling.

 

[protegeV]

I foamed and installed blanket insulation after the building was built. Not sure how yours is being built that would prevent it. You can check my signature build link for pictures.

Yours is wood, mine will be 100% metal. The rolled insulation would end up looking like this.

 

[yeldogt]

Well -- ask your builder if he knows someone who will let you see one he did in foam. Then you will want the Foam.

The only way to keep using batts is to never spend any time in a building with foam -- once foam .. always foam.

I hear all the naysayers -- read GBA with all different types of walls -- double studs --thermal breaks/ taped sheathing. External foam sheets (taped) .. Roxul (rock wool) w/ vapor barrier. Blah Blah Blah.

3" - 4' inches of foam on the inside of any thing .. it's done. The problem with foam is trying to convince the HVAC people to put a small enough "whatever" in the building.

 

[protegeV]

Well -- ask your builder if he knows someone who will let you see one he did in foam. Then you will want the Foam.

The only way to keep using batts is to never spend any time in a building with foam -- once foam .. always foam.

I hear all the naysayers -- read GBA with all different types of walls -- double studs --thermal breaks/ taped sheathing. External foam sheets (taped) .. Roxul (rock wool) w/ vapor barrier. Blah Blah Blah.

3" - 4' inches of foam on the inside of any thing .. it's done. The problem with foam is trying to convince the HVAC people to put a small enough "whatever" in the building.

3-4" !?!??!?!

My quote was only for 1" walls, 2" ceiling and it was double the price of FG.

I don't think I can even wrap my brain around spending twice the cost of the building on just the insulation and double my overall costs.

 

[aardquark]

One word on an outbuilding with fiberglass insulation: mice.

 

[mrpizza]

I did two inches of closed cell walls and roof in my building.

Two words: worth it.

 

[Randy in Maine]

It is Texas. Tornados, floods, termites,or wildfires will take it out soon enough.

Put 3" of high density spray foam everywhere and just use it. Forget about the money, it is just part of the build.

My shop has the better part of 6" inside the SIPS. You buy insulation just once and heating/cooling every month.

 

[woodzy]

This fall in the "you only cry once" category. You cry when you pay to have it done or you cry every time you wish you would have done it in the beginning.

 

[jnyost]

If I had it to do all over again I would foam. My dad used foam and he had no drafts at all. I could feel the wind blow through my insulation before I re-did it.

 

[crankshaftdan II]

First plan was to put up the building with no insulation and do foam in the future. Then I saw the price of foam and went

So I figure if Im gonna do the fiberglass roll insulation on a metal building it has to be done when the building goes up, which is some time in the next 3 weeks.
Then I talk to my builder and he highly recommends foam. I get another qupte and it's 2x the price of fiberglass($9k vs $5K) for 1/3 of the insulation (r6 vs r19)

Ive read and read and my head is spinning over this decision. I know once the building is up I can do foam later when Im ready, but I cant get the fiberglass sandwiched between the walls and the beams/purlins after the building is built...

Yours is wood, mine will be 100% metal. The rolled insulation would end up looking like this.

One word on an outbuilding with fiberglass insulation: mice.

This fall in the "you only cry once" category. You cry when you pay to have it done or you cry every time you wish you would have done it in the beginning.

I don't know what you will be doing in your palateial estate building when it is finished-both foam and the white vinyl fiberglass as shown cannot be cleaned easily with power wash/hose etc.
Have you looked into blown-in cellouse for ceiling and walls? The finish walls/ceiling could than be steel sheeting/vertical on walls etc. in white which will give you excellent reflective quality for your LED/Or whatever lighting. I had it done on mine for 1/2 the cost of foam! Mice have a hard time chewing thru the steel panels-can be power washed-reflects light-can attach mounting peg boards or other items with self-drive screws. I think I wound up with R-39 wall and R-80 ceiling values-presently do not have any heat/cooling installed and the temp. stays very consistent-unless I open a garage door for some time. I also have 2" pink board under the slab. Just my two cents worth-might be worth looking into? I'm in N. Wisconsin 100 miles from Canada so we are talking different climate changes from Texas.

 

[theoldwizard1]

2" of foam as soon as it is built. You can add fiberglass (roll, batts, or blown in) later. Just make sure it is designed so that you can add more in the ceiling later.

 

[Radix2]

So by the time you squish your fiberglass flat between metal roofing and metal framing...how much insulation are you going to have ????

Sure it is easy... but is seems kinda expensive when you factor in what you will end up with.

 

[ddawg16]

I don't miss the Texas heat.....or cold....or bugs....or bad drivers....but I do miss the TexMex and BBQ

BTW.....Pancho's is NOT TexMex

 

[8mpg]

Check out Franklin Foam out of Ft Worth. I have used them many times and I think their pricing is fair. They just did my shop (wood frame) with open cell. Its very comfortable in the building. Im actually going to buy an ERV to help bring in fresh air because it feels so tight.

I paid for 3.5" in the walls but they sprayed almost 5" deep. Roofline was 6" deep and again they sprayed way more.

What are your goals for it? A/C for cooling? If so, Id go foam. A metal building is very leaky. Batt insulation doesn't do well in areas around the purlins because the fiberglass is smashed flat. You will probably get thermal bridging (or close to it). Also, if you spend all this effort of insulation, don't forget your doors. They need to be insulated too

Last bit, I did a free online load calc and went with a 2 ton unit for just under 2000sqft. You can downsize quite a bit.

 

[protegeV]

So if I do spray foam, all the electrical has to be done first, correct?

 

[Randy in Maine]

All of the wiring in my shop is in surface mounted EMT conduit. Looks good and it is very durable. My air lines are surface mounted blue "Max Air" hoses.

 

[kj_mustang]

With a metal building and using foam, I would do a minimum of 2" closed cell foam for the air and water vapor barrier before doing any open cell foam or fiberglass over that.

 

[Falcon67]

With a metal building and using foam, I would do a minimum of 2" closed cell foam for the air and water vapor barrier before doing any open cell foam or fiberglass over that.

Having grown up in Fort Worth - I'd agree with this is you go foam. It gets humid over there, way more than out here. More condensate issues in DFW than west Texas. LOL - why I went stick built, none of the metal building BS issues. If I was going to do a metal building, it would be decent size with fiberglass and for anything really conditioned that would be an "office" built inside.

>I don't miss the Texas heat.....or cold....or bugs....or bad drivers
I've been a lot of places - Phoenix most recently - and we do not have a lock on bad drivers LOL.

 

[8mpg]

So if I do spray foam, all the electrical has to be done first, correct?

Yes, electrical first

 

[Zaks]

Another vote for foam.

 

[HAULNSS]

Spray foam may void the steel warranty if applied directly to metal. My builder required poly vapor barrier first before spray foam. I went with fiberglass, R19 walls and R38 ceiling.

This is in MN, so your situation may be different.

Randy