Drop Ceiling in Metal Building?

[poci1957]

OK, I am just brainstorming here, would welcome any input. I have a large quonset, bigger than I need (for now) but I like the open space with no posts to hit, so have held off building walls and such to divide it up. However, it has about a 16ft high roof and I think a ceiling might help me heat and light it better. Has anyone with a large metal building installed a suspended ceiling? I have considered using the bolts on the building to hang the support wires from and would be covering an area about 36x36 ft with a ceiling height of 8-10 ft, and again with no walls, the whole ceiling grid would "float" hanging from the roof. Any ideas? Thanks, Todd C

 

[Just A Beginner]

I don't see why the hanging ceiling would not work "In Theory"
with the only issue being how to seal the edges.

A friend has a Pole Barn that is used to store LARGE equipment like a combine in the winter.

What he did was actually make a "stick structure" inside the barn with a gas furnace mounted on the flat roof of the "stick structure". He basically wound up with a very efficient three large room shop in a much bigger building. A Paint Booth, an engine building room, and "Dirty Room" (an area where he had a lathe, Bridgeport, grinder, welder, etc. for fabrication work.

The floor of the Barn had slotted buckets installed when the concrete was poured that allowed straightening a frame or other body work with "come-alongs". He also had a surface plate in the actual fabrication room. The founding fathers of the city would not allow a commercial building but would allow a barn so he built a barn.

It can be done I guess.

Tom V.
grinder,

 

[OldCarGuy]

I put a drop 14’ ceiling in a 30x50’ pole barn. “Drop” may not classify it correctly, as I just laid the main “tee’s” on 4’ centers on top of the trusses' bottom cord. To seal off the ceiling to the walls, I ran the edges of the ceiling tile into standard wall angle to 2x6’s that I screwed into the structure. I used 2x4’ glass tiles that were 3/4" thick rather than the composite to save weight. Then added R-19 of the pink stuff to add to the insulation. The barn is very cozy and uses far less heat now. Besides making the interior of the barn look more finished off, the lighting is far brighter. Now I'm going to paint the walls white.

 

[poci1957]

Thank you both for the reply, the "coziness" and the improved heat and light are just what I am trying to do, Todd C

 

[W-Cummins]

Hey I know you have alot of info, but I thought I would throw my 2 cents in.

You can keep your 2cents and your spam

William...

 

[rsanter]

what if you were to apply a spray on insulating coating for the insulation and make the inside white for the reflective light

bob

 

[TNToy]

You can keep your 2cents and your spam.

Spam? Now what could possibly make you think that?

Reported it. (Note the black "report" button at the bottom left corner of each post)...

 

[Franz©]

My wiff refuses to post for me, and I don't have any intrest in this manufacturer, nor do I know anybody in the next town over who does.
http://www.erico.com/products.asp?folderid=39

They make every possible hanging device for hanging Tbar grid, and you can duplicate most of their designs if you don't want to buy their product.

My wife's cat says this isn't SPAM