Insulating an insulated pole barn?

[jwvess00]

Hi there!

I bought a new-to-me house at the end of October, sitting on 2.25 acres, with a 36x50 pole barn behind the house. The building is a steel shell, metal roof, pole-barn construction. 6x6 posts, poured concrete floor, trusses on 5' centers.

It was wrapped in insulation for the walls and roof.

Since the previous owner didn't cover this with anything, and worked in this shop (he was an avid Jeep guy), there are a few damaged spots. I mention this because it shows what the insulation looks like inside:

You can see the outside metal behind the fiberglass in that shot.

I have quite a few things I want to do inside this shop, and I'll post about that in a build thread, but that gets to wait until warmer weather.

I intend to add studs to the walls so I can hang a finish material (either OSB or drywall, not decided), and I will be installing a ceiling (probably metal).

I'd like to insulate more, but I don't know what to do with what I have. It was suggested to me by a relative to slit the existing insulation so I wouldn't have a vapor barrier with insulation on each side of it.

I'd like to use blown cellulose or similar (no fiberglass bats, I hate working with that stuff). Thoughts?

If it helps, I'm in Paris, KY (just outside of Lexington, KY). The shop will be heated but not cooled. Summers here are hot and humid, and winters are cold and dry.

Many more pictures here

Thanks!

 

[maybe smith]

Very interested, I'm in the same situation. I'll be following to hear the answers to this situation........

 

[CNGsaves]

What is PVC pipe for in that last picture??

Will it be buried in the wall when you add more insulation & wall covering??

 

[jwvess00]

Hi there!

What is PVC pipe for in that last picture??

Will it be buried in the wall when you add more insulation & wall covering??

Oh man, I knew someone would ask that

When I insulate, the only thing running inside the walls will be the electrical.

The previous owner ran PVC pipe from his air compressor around the shop. It is in the wrong place for what I want so it has to go.

The previous owner divided the shop into three rooms, one of which contained his air compressor, a urinal, and a sink. He ran the PVC from the "compressor room" into the main area in the shop. I'm removing all of the existing interior walls as well as the plumbing fixtures (plumbing's already gone, actually), and dividing the shop into two rooms instead -- a 32x36 space for cars/mechanical work, and a 18x36 space for a woodshop.

 

[CNGsaves]

^ ^ You ARE a very smart man Charlie Brown ! Yank that PVC **** out as worthless for air line system. That PVC "could" become low voltage conduit for ethernet CAT 5e/CATV RG6 or just junk it.

However, if you have the time and gumption, you could install black pipe steel air line system IN wall that you pressure test before proceeding with expansion of wall with more insulation. That I would recommend in your situation. Good luck.

 

[maybe smith]

And another good question turns into a stupid PVC rant. Just saying!

 

[jwvess00]

Hi there!

I didn't mention the tubing at first because I didn't want to derail the conversation.

I'm mostly concerned right now with how to insulate the shop given what's already in the walls. I don't want to trap moisture but am also not sure if that's even a concern with this stuff. I don't have any experience with this wrap. Will that wrap cause me some grief with more insulation on top of it? Is there an insulation I should definitely not put over it? Is there any special work to do because this is already in place?

What I'm thinking for a wall system -- build a stud wall, 2x4s on 24" center since they don't do much more than hold up the wall covering. Put them flush with the posts, which leaves a gap between the back of the 2x4 studs and the shop's exterior wall. I think that will make hanging the wall covering easier since I won't have to work around the posts. That also means I can have a full uninterrupted layer of blown insulation.

I have noticed that the building seems pretty tight, in that I don't notice any drafts or hear any wind noise. It's not as well insulated as Dad's stick-built shop with blown insulation in the walls and ceiling, but it does seem to be helping some. I just want to get it as good as I can, and can afford, before closing up the walls.

Thanks!

 

[swvega]

Pull the pipe out as you dont want that inside your walls. Then go get some 2x4s and if your 5 ft on center on the post get either 10 or 20 footers. Less cutting and waste that way. Install them on the inside of your post either at 16" or 24" on center. Just the way they did your outside wall. Now get as much insulation with the paper back vapor coat as what will fit in your wall without stuffing it and staple this to your 2x4s. Then put a plastic vapor barrior up over everything and tape any holes or spots where air can leak. Then put a tin liner or osb or sheetrock over everything. Remember that your outlets have to be moved to what ever your end wall thickness will be. And you should be set to go. This is just the way I did mine with r-25 in the walls and r-50 in the celling.

 

[hippie2cams]

I have 2x6 run horizontally spaced on 2ft. centers with r-19 in wall and ceiling under e-foil reflective insulation with no problems but my space has a/c and heat with heat pump system in southeast texas work fine in winter and summer. I used 24 in. batts which was no problem just staple to 2 byes and done

 

[dieselgarage]

I'm in a simular situation and have asked this question here before. Never really got a clear direction. But after pooling info from various sources I have decided I'm going to run a spiked roller over the Vapor barrier then add batt insulation of some type and cover in heavy plastic and finish the walls. I had my building built with bookshelf girts so I will not need to do any additional framing work. See the link below for some examples of the rollers I'm referencing. The negative of just slitting it open is over time that insulation has a good chance to sag and or tear apart. So I think perforating it a a better option.

http://www.aliexpress.com/price/metal-spiked-roller-price.html

 

[Will S.]

I see where you might be trapping moisture between 2 vapor barriers, if you add insulation over the vinyl facing that is already there. But what if you cut away sections of the vinyl vapor barrier, before adding more insulation? Maybe as simple as taking a utility knife, and cutting the vinly along the poles and purlins. The frame in the new 2x6 wall studs on 24", then insulate in the normal way, and sheetrock.

Nice building, BTW. Will make a fantastic shop.

 

[Highbeam]

Yep, get that vinyl out of there. The risk is huge for what little value the existing stuff provides.

I sticked my pole barn out between the posts as you mentioned. It worked fine. Here's a pic.

 

[Jbullfrog]

I ran my 2x4's horizontally between the posts and have my sheeting seems on the posts. the extra 3" of space is worth it. You can get osb in up to 12' lengths from most lumber yards. I used concrete nails to attach a green treated 2x2 to the floor between the posts around the bottom.