Insulating new post frame 40x60 in Ohio

[Mcfire12]

I'm in the process of quoting insulation for my 40x60x14 post frame building that will be going up this spring/summer. Can I please be educated on some things?

The inside will be finished with white ribbed metal.

My buddy just put up a 30x40 and used 1.5" rigid pink board that's R7 value between the girds and then put 6"x24" batting on top. He did seal all the seams with tape as well. Is this overkill? I started pricing it out and it's over 3 grand for just the pink board.

I believe this takes care of any vapor barrier as it seals the building?

The ceiling will be finished at 14' with the same white ribbed metal. How do I figure out how much or how many inches of blown cellulose insulation I really need for me area?

I don't plan to live in this building, but will be putting forced air heat in it and I would really like to be comfortable out there and not have a propane bill that will kill my wallet.

Attached pictures are from his build which will be similar to mine obviously.

 

[racecougar]

IMO, yes, that is a little overkill for the climate. Again, that is just an opinion. I'm near St. Louis (potentially similar climate depending on where you're at in OH), and I've been completely happy with my setup (R-19 walls and R-55 ceiling) for the past four years and counting. The building is exceptionally easy to heat and cool. I'll suggest bookshelf/commercial girts to reduce lumber and make installation of insulation simple.

 

[jlrut]

I’m not so convinced that boards of insulation create a vapor barrier. There will an unsealed gap between the boards and the outside sheathing.

I just built a pole barn myself. Spent a lot on foam boards under the floor and rat walls, and spray foam for everything else. I also found the steel building is very drafty without being sealed.

Insulation is an investment.

 

[toyotadriver]

I would put 1 inch rigid foam on the exterior over the entire exterior minus the roof. Tape all seams. Then, screw the metal on using longer screws. Now your entire framing is insulated. Go around with canned foam and seal up any gaps and penetrations. Then, use the fiberglass blankets like your friend uses. Your building will be better insulated than his because you have insulation on the outside of the framing so your framing will stay warmer than his (reducing thermal bridging). If you really wanted to increase your insulation, you could go with foam sheets between the girts like your buddy did. You could use EPS to save a little money.

We built a metal sided house 7 years ago and put the foam on the outside. It's impressive how cheap it is to heat and cool. The pay back time was about 3 years. We have heating and cooling bills 1/3 of the cost of friends with even slightly smaller houses.

Remember, it's not getting cheaper to heat and cool buildings. Insulation pays off for the life of the building. I'd much rather have substantially upgraded insulation than a super efficient HVAC system.

 

[billconner]

The continuous insulation - foam just under siding - is a very good idea from Toyotadriver.

 

[BrianS]

I'm in SW OH. I'm not sure you can overkill insulation, if you are going to condition the space, it will eventually pay off.

I'd look in to a mini-split for heating and cooling. I installed a Mr Cool DIY unit in my garage and have been really happy with it. I have a forced air propane heater as backup and it only runs very rarely when it is below 0* for multiple days in a row.