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Double-Insulating Pole Barn

AviationMan

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Joined
Feb 12, 2021
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11
Location
Pacific Northwest
I have a 1600sqft pole barn with rolled insulation. I added a unit heater a couple winters ago, but the damn thing has to run all the time. I want to beef up the insulation and put AC in next summer, am I safe to frame between the post 24in, use rolled insulation, and some sort of interior panel. Will the white wrap on the existing insulation cause any problems. Any suggestions on what to do in the ceiling?

IMG_2414.jpeg
 
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Firebrick43

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May 12, 2015
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13,998
Location
West central Indiana
Its not insulated, thats a condensation blanket. Might be R 3 or 4 at most.

I don't see an issue with it as long as you don't put another vapor barrier and are not running a ventless heater.

I would buy unfaced roll insulation the width of the distance between the post and place girts just like the outside. Framing inside the post is wasteful and you loose a lot of insulation value due to non continuous insulate because of the studs.
 
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AviationMan

Member
Joined
Feb 12, 2021
Messages
11
Location
Pacific Northwest
Its not insulated, thats a condensation blanket. Might be R 3 or 4 at most.

I don't see an issue with it as long as you don't put another vapor barrier and are not running a ventless heater.

I would buy unfaced roll insulation the width of the distance between the post and place girts just like the outside. Framing inside the post is wasteful and you loose a lot of insulation value due to non continuous insulate because of the studs.
Thank you! After reading your post, I realized I have a bunch of insulation left over from a steel building, R30 rolls that are like 6FT wide. Should I just run 2x6 girts in between the posts and tie them directing into the posts? Do I need studs in between the girts and the posts? Bottom plate? I'm planning on putting corrugated steel panels on top of the girts/beams (not in-between them) and want to be able to hang stuff on the walls.
 

wrenchguy

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Joined
Sep 22, 2011
Messages
4,697
Location
NW Indiana
Is your floor insulated?
Get a IR temp gun and check your concrete floor around the inside perimeter and 4' in. This prolly will tell you where your greatest heat loss is.
 

Firebrick43

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Joined
May 12, 2015
Messages
13,998
Location
West central Indiana
Thank you! After reading your post, I realized I have a bunch of insulation left over from a steel building, R30 rolls that are like 6FT wide. Should I just run 2x6 girts in between the posts and tie them directing into the posts? Do I need studs in between the girts and the posts? Bottom plate? I'm planning on putting corrugated steel panels on top of the girts/beams (not in-between them) and want to be able to hang stuff on the walls.
For roll insulation I take 2 2x4's a little shorter (about an 1") that between the post, and screw them together with the insulation in between. I then screw a scrap pieces of 2x the depth of the post up in-between the top inside/outside header with the top of the block 4" down from the top of the header. Do just one side but have the other block pre drilled with some screws in it. You then have help to lift it up and stick the side with a block already installed first at an angle and set it on the block. Lift the other side up and screw in the block. The 2x4/insulation sandwhich is just setting on the blocks now, up above the bottom edge of the header and out of site. If room stuff some insulation up into the header after its installed.

Some people in addition screw in some screws into the outside girts through the insulation leaving a lot sticking out.(obviously just an inch of the screw is in the girt. I am dubious this helps at all, I don't do it.

I would then put 2x4 girts on face of the post on the inside no different than you did on the outside. Use screws not nails if your are hanging things on the wall.

Now, many are worried about weight of things hanging on a wall, and it really depends what. OSB/drywall/R panel will support tremendous weight straight down. Even the thin R panel well connected to the girts will. Problem comes from cantilevered loads such as cabinets deeper than 14" that are heavily loaded, cantilevered shelf, or your in the habit of putting cast iron big blocks one the wall as memorabilia. This can be solved by T beaming some of the girts in select locations where you plan on putting these things. Place a 2x4 on the back side of the girt perpendicular to the girt. It will compress the insulation some right there but will still be much better than all the gaps that building a stud wall creates or the higher cost of wood in a stud wall.
 
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