closing up the ceiling/insulating

[jakeb]

I just installed a overhead forced air heater in my 24x36 garage. Right now it is not insulated at all and the attic space is open. Pole building construction, truss style roof 24" OC.

I will not heat it that much over the winter, maybe 20 6hour or less periods.

Right now I know all the heat is going to go right up into the attic space and out the ridge and soffit vents. So I am looking at options to close it up and keep more of the heat in. Not sure what all I can afford right now but I want to at least go in the right direction. So should I just close the ceiling in with 1/2" drywall? Then later on put fiberglass insulation or blow in above the drywall?

Could I just use those 4x8' foam panels nailed to the bottom of the trusses? Not sure if I can just leave those exposed.

Also since I am posting...can I build a pocket in my trusses to allow a little extra head room for a my lift? I have 10' ceilings with a floor plate 2 post lift and if I had another 6" or so I would be able to get the car high enough to walk under.

Any help/ideas would be great

 

[brad d]

That foam is not cheap, vapor barrier and sheet it IMO then blow in...

I dont no if the poly with out being boarded up would hold... thick poly might with lots of staples (not the best idea to punch a bunch of holes)..

 

[jakeb]

Would it be ok to use kraft faced fiberglass rolls and then staple from the bottom up so the kraft is facing down? Then down the road cover with drywall. Trying to do this in steps, aka cheaper small steps. Or would it be better to start with the drywall and then insulate later on?

 

[brad d]

If it was me I would do the vapor barrier and the rolls, dont want water getting up there.

 

[blkhonda1991]

anything is an improvement over just letting the hot air escape from the vents...even if you just slap drywall in there it will improve it

 

[rodnok1]

Don't modify the trusses esp on a larger span . Easiesy would be foam panels with refl side nailed to trusses. I've seen several and they hold up well, somrtimes you need batten between trusses to keep from sagging, you could add some fiberglass batts on top later.

 

[jakeb]

thanks for the added replies. I think I am going to start with just closing it in with drywall and then maybe next summer I will add fiberglass rolls above the drywall.

I will look into the refective foam as well. I think the drywall +insulation down the road will be the most cost effective as well as look the best.

I will not mud it at first. Again maybe next summer, mud and paint the ceiling. The drywall should make it a lot brighter in there are well. Something for the light to reflect off of.

 

[dbird]

Using 4x8 foam boards on my roof 40 boards $400.00.

 

[IHI]

Why not just get steel and tin the ceiling? then blow in loose fiberglass? drywall is nice because it's cheap initally, but then you have to figure in the cost to paper the floor off so you dont get mud ground into the cement, the labor of taping and mudding the entire thing, priming, and then paining...you add it all up and boom, price of steel panels/tin the ceiling and your done....it gets dirty (and it will) you pwr wash it if you want to.

We just got doing a truck bay for a fella in his pole barn, same situation, for years no ceiling. We furred it out and installed the tin and that in itself made a huge difference, then once we furred out the walls (flush with post face) he had them blow in loose fiberglass (they stapled the matting to the wall surface and then blew it all in the walls and attic) what a dramatic difference. The only heat until we get electrical redone is through the man door connected to his other shop and this bay even in our single to 20* temps right now is t shirt weather!!!

did'nt get a shot of the insulation when it was done since we just wanted to finish this bay up asap. but it came out pretty nice and is waaaarm now!!!

Ceiling was 18'x36' and we had $680 in steel panels/screws from maynerds, so figure that up sqft wise and you'll have an idea of what to expect for yours...but i think in the big picture you'll see it'll more than give the drywall a run for it's money, and the best part is it'll hold up better/longer than drywall.