Options for insulating 40x30 pole barn

[Daubs]

In Nebraska, mainly want to keep it above freezing in winter, and be able to warm up to work on occasion. Thinking Mr. Heater propane unit. Not worried about AC for now...I can sweat. Trying to keep costs down & wife happy ; )

The main wall supports are three 2x6's nailed together, and are spaced 10' apart. I'm thinking running 2x6 studs along the walls @ 24" centers, then R-19 fiberglass insulation. Plywood or OSB board for the walls.

Main rafters are 2x6's spaced 10' apart, but just 2x4's between them. What are my options for a ceiling material? And insulation above?

Thanks! Daubs

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[braidmeister]

I didn't want to spend a lot on insulation for my 30x40 & 40x60 buildings. I wound up going with a radiant barrier instead - TekFoil from FarmTek. Same as Reflectix Double Bubble. Works good. It was like $2500 for both buildings a few years back - not including labor.

 

[Daubs]

You're in Nebraska, which means you are in the same region as I am. You have a Menards every other block. They constantly have R-19 rolls on sale. I think I did my entire 1250SQFT building for around 500.00 buying the rolls. I just waited until they had a sale, and that's about every 2-3 weeks. That sale was also on an 11% week, so I got money back.
Some stores pricematch as well. If you took the Menards ad into Home Depot, for example, you can get the manager to pricematch the sale price, then hand the associate a Lowe's 10% off coupon, and then turn your receipt into the HD 11% pricematch online. It's all in how you play the game. For the attic, blown-in is the way to go. Once you buy a certain amount of "blocks" of blown-in, they let you rent the machine for free. 24" is the least recommended, I'm doing 36" in mine.

Great advice, thanks!

What could/should I use as a ceiling material, especially with those large 10' spans? I will probably have to add supports...

 

[b-boy]

I'm in the process of doing the same thing as you. I'm in Buffalo NY. Your setup looks a lot like mine. My posts are 8' on center, and my trusses are 4' on center.

I decided to go with 2" XPS foamboard glued/screwed into the girts between the posts. I sealed that with spray foam and house tape to make it airtight. I get a lot of wind, so closing up the building was my main goal. The XPS does a good job of that, even though it's a lot of work to install.

Next I framed out the walls with 2x4s and added fiberglass batts. My total R-value is R21 for the walls.

For the ceiling I have metal panels. I'll add a vapor barrier above that. I'm planning to blow in insulation above the panels. I'm looking for at least R40 in the ceiling. More if I can afford it.

So far I've done the walls. I spent about $800 for the XPS, and about the same for the batts. I'm looking at around $1K for the ceiling. My total insulation costs will be ~$2700.

 

[PDXCummins]

I used pocket holes to add bookshelf girts and then ran r19 batts horizontally between the posts. My shop is also pole barn construction and is a similar size. I’ll try and post a picture of the insulation installed later

 

[cupcakemike]

I just did exactly what you are planning for my 30x40x10 shop, so my costs should be similar to yours. Posts are 8 ft apart, trusses 4 feet apart.

I purchased my materials from home depot and menards because that's what I had easily available.

My walls are are a true 6x6, with 2" rigid foam, then studded out 2x4 walls on 16" centers with r15 batt insulation; I am nearly r30 in the walls. The blown in insulation is r50. The wall covering could be done much cheaper, I used rigid plastic panels for the bottom 4 ft, then 2 ft of slatwall, then the remaining 4 ft is cedar pickets laid like shiplap, cause they were on sale. Ceiling is steel liner panel. If you did it all in OSB or drywall you could probably shave off a few hundred bucks. Obviously you need to add the cost of screws/nails, taxes, whatever but you should still be less than 4 grand to go from bare interior to insulated and finished.

Quantity Cost Total
Wall foam insulation 40 13.37 534.8
Batt insulation 26 8.74 227.24
Ceiling insulation 90 4.54 408.60
Cedar siding 170 2.89 491.3
slatwall 6 35 210
plastic panel 12 19.98 239.76
Ceiling panel 1330 0.64 851.2
framing 550.00
Total 3500.00

 

[Daubs]

Great suggestions.

I'm concerned about the 10' span between trusses(?). Plan on adding 2x4's or 2x6's to hang lights and ceiling panels.

What about this plan...
- Add 2x4's or 2x6's cross members
- Add a plastic barrier between trusses and ceiling material
- White Acoustical Liner Panel for ceiling (order in 10' lengths)
- Then blow-in insulation

Should be light weight and fairly easy to install. Only adding the plastic to keep the blown-in insulation from falling through the acoustic panels. I could just go with interior weight steel panels(?)

Thoughts?

 

[Daubs]

Or these...

12' 2" White Pro-Tuf Interior PVC Liner Panel

 

[Marctrees]

If you are going to use fiberglass batts... Be aware you can get it w the white reinforced face in wide rolls, like 5', any thickness and, if you want, custom cut to length.

Also, be aware of the steel strap or banding batt support method.

We will soon be using both above, but our trusses are 5'oc, so the bands only need to span the 5'... yours being 10, will need somekinda extra support system.

We will be paying 47 cents/ sq ft for 6" white faced batts, 5 ft wide, precut to length, facing tabs along two edges if needed for stapling, or just tucking in to make look good,

The link below is one of the best I have found. most steel buildings, but most ideas work for wood also... also, you will see a photo showing little "ribbons" hanging from the top chords... that is the "Banded system", but using reinforced plastic strapping vs steel.

Marc

https://www.metalbuildinginsulation.com/insulation-ceilings.html

 

[Marctrees]

This is by far the main producer of facing material in the US.. lots of info here.. they make the facing, THEN hand off to companies that glue it on.

Marc

https://www.lamtec.com/

These guys do the laminating.. you can buy directly from them.. regional locations across entire USA..We are buying ours direct from them.

http://www.bayinsulation.com/

 

[Marctrees]

Putting your batts under the roof purlins will negate need for any framing and ceiling panels... the small added cubic footage will make little difff in heating/ cooling.. give you a more spacious feel, allows exposure of lower existing framing for wiring, etc.

I'm thinking.. all told.. in your situation.. to get 6" 5' wide rolls.. run them in the ridge to eave direction, underside of your purlins , and fasten to them using long screws w the big plastic washer.

Or, banding supported by somekinda lumber scab standoffs to reduce your spans.

Many ways to do your job, but I really think the above may be overall easiest/ best.

 

[Daubs]

Just off phone with my building manufacturer. He looked up specs on my Lester building.

It was delivered in March 2005. Trusses are 10' center, and rated to handle 5 lbs loading. He recommended steel ceiling material run parallel to the trusses. I can add 2x4's to brace. Recommended 36" to 48" centers.

Said I can use blow in insulation, and hang lights. Shouldn't be a problem.

He suggested considering the "simple saver" insulation, looks close to what Marctrees recommended. Said around $3,000 to install.

I have options to consider...

 

[charlez]

We finished our building a few years back and it has worked out well. ( Hello from just West of Lincoln. )

First we stapled reflective foam insulation to the existing horizontal runners in the wall. The idea was to reflect back some of the radiant heat coming from the steel panels. (This stuff was kind of pricey.)
Next we installed 2x6 lumber horizontally using joist hangers and 24" spacing. We then stapled in roll insulation and OSB over the top.

The ceiling was similar. We filled in between the joists with 2x6s on 24" spacing. If I recall we just rolled in 24" wide batts up to the top of the joists and then rolled another layer of non-faced bats perpendicular to achieve the desired R value.

We also insulated under the slab but I see you are past that point.

Overall this building (30x40) is pretty efficient to heat and cool. I think we are cooling the whole thing with a 10k btu window air.

 

[bobbyjean]

just my 2 cents here....why add all the framing lumber...use foam to cut/cobble between girts and behind posts (1 inch)..add another layer on top of that...story pole/mark posts for girt location..get some great stuff pro-cans...cover it with osb...done

 

[Lk4z-slc]

I just did my 30x40 In upstate ny also with the brutal winters. I see no need to run 2x6 framing on the walls, its a waste of lumber. i got 24" wide rolls of r19, 39' long so i cut them in 3 13' sections and hung them from the top header and let them hit the floor. Overlapped and taped the seams, then did 2x4x16' 24" o/c over the face of the poles horizontally. After that , metal sheeting. Ceiling, i did metal and r38 unfaced batts up top, but im 4' o/c.

 

[Lk4z-slc]

1700 sqft of vinyl faced r19 4' wide rolls were about 3 times the cost of this, although easier to install, i see no advantage. Yea its got a vapor barrier, who cares. Put 6 mil plastic up for 100 bucks and you have the same thing.

 

[Marctrees]

Reinforced Vinyl face wide fiberglass batts, width and length to customer order, R 19, IIRC, is about 47 cents/ sq ft last I recently checked.

Direct from Bay insulation.

Not sure about shipping, may vary quite a bit depending on this and that.

Marc

 

[Lk4z-slc]

Few diff. quotes i got were double that plus shipping for the wide rolls i just said forget it. Never heard of bay insulation wish i did when i was looking. Seems awful cheap though.

 

[Marctrees]

Google Bay insulation, HUGE company.

Marc

 

[kk7xx]

Reinforced Vinyl face wide fiberglass batts, width and length to customer order, R 19, IIRC, is about 47 cents/ sq ft last I recently checked.

Direct from Bay insulation.

Not sure about shipping, may vary quite a bit depending on this and that.

Marc

Good info, bookmarked for the future. Thx

 

[JeffsJeeps]

Hello all, i have me a brandy-new 30x32 outside here in NJ. i Googled Bay Insulation and turns out they have an Easton Pa. location (about 20 minutes from home)!!! Gonna reach out to them and explore my options. Thankx for the Thread..

Jeff

 

[Marctrees]

Jeffs - They will direct you to a regional salesperson... mine, in my area, works out of her home office.

They can also provide you w different Lamtec options.. they stock most of them.. more than enough to choose from for the typical needs.

Also, you can get custom "tabs".. where the facing goes past the batting, as a stapling flange

Bay is a very major company.. they supply many, if not most, of metal building dealers.. that's most of their sales, BUT will gladly deal direct w you, at least in my area..

Lamtec is who makes the facings.. Bay buys that from them, then bulk insul from the likes of Owens/ Corning.. THEN Bay laminates them, creates the custom cut sizes, and sells it.

Thats how that all works.

Marc

 

[fdkss03]

I read blown in insulation for the ceiling.... but is there any moisture barrier above that for condensation dripping off the roof?

 

[dfrantz]

I just did my 30x40 In upstate ny also with the brutal winters. I see no need to run 2x6 framing on the walls, its a waste of lumber. i got 24" wide rolls of r19, 39' long so i cut them in 3 13' sections and hung them from the top header and let them hit the floor. Overlapped and taped the seams, then did 2x4x16' 24" o/c over the face of the poles horizontally. After that , metal sheeting. Ceiling, i did metal and r38 unfaced batts up top, but im 4' o/c.


how did you hang/attach your rolls to your header?