Pole Barn: Insulation During Construction?

[Ryan10700]

Hello everyone! New guy here with my first post. I've been reading through the forum and checking out everyone's awesome garages! I do have a question though that I haven't been able to find the answer to.

I notice that rolled insulation is used over the purlins/girts and under the metal roofing on steel framed buildings, but I haven't seen any pictures of anyone doing this on pole buildings with wood framing. I have heard that you can use 2x6s laid down between the posts for girts and insulate this cavity, and would assume that turning the 2x4 purlins up would create another cavity for roof insulation. Unfortunately, I do not plan to finish the interior with drywall or paneling so am seeking something that could go between the panel and framing.

Is there a solution for this that I am missing?

 

[D KRAGER]

Yes they do it on wood framed buildings also, my Dad is putting up one right now and they are using the white wrapped fiberglass smashed between the tin and purlins.

 

[Steve in Mi]

If that white wrapped smashed down fiberglass is all the insulation you think you need then I won't waste your time telling you to use rigid foam around the perrimeter and under the slab.

 

[larry_g]

Hello everyone! New guy here with my first post. I've been reading through the forum and checking out everyone's awesome garages! I do have a question though that I haven't been able to find the answer to.

I notice that rolled insulation is used over the purlins/girts and under the metal roofing on steel framed buildings, but I haven't seen any pictures of anyone doing this on pole buildings with wood framing. I have heard that you can use 2x6s laid down between the posts for girts and insulate this cavity, and would assume that turning the 2x4 purlins up would create another cavity for roof insulation. Unfortunately, I do not plan to finish the interior with drywall or paneling so am seeking something that could go between the panel and framing.

Is there a solution for this that I am missing?

That rolled insulation that you are refering to is also known in this area as 'insulated vapor barrier'. Its to control the condensation in the shop. Not knowing where you are at, and how you intend to use building its hard to say what you should do. Me here in the Northwest That is all that I had in my building. It worked for me. I do not strive to heat in fridgid weather or cool in the heat. With the radiant floor heat the ambiant would be a nice 50-60 degrees when the outside was 30-40degrees. My building is a pole building with metal roof and walls.

lg
no neat sig line

 

[Shadowdog500]

They used heavy duty thermax between the frame and the metal on my new Morton pole barn.

Chris

 

[aar0s]

The pole building at work that we keep our drywall in sweats on the inside sometimes on cool mornings when the sun hits it, this insulated vapor barrier would keep that from happening and save us a few sheets of drywall! sometime guys around here use what we call double bubble, and it is what it sounds like, a big sheet of real tough bubble wrap that has the bubbles on both sides. not great for insulating but it will do the job to keep the condensation to a minimum.
If your going with a wood frame roof system then i would HIGHLY recommend some kind of insulated vapor barrier on at least the roof. Im having to fix pearlings that have rotted from 20 or so years of the moisture being drawn against them. would help if we knew where you were.

 

[Ryan10700]

Thanks for all of the replies. I'm located in central Missouri, so we have quite a bit of variation in our temperatures throughout the year. Thus far the winter has brought us quite a bit of snow and single digit temperatures with negative wind chills. The summer months reach 100 with high humidity and heat indexes in the 110s.

I'll check out that heavy duty thermax because even though it isn't going to be completely finished on the inside, I would like to minimize the condensation. Heating to 60 degrees or so would be nice in the winter to work on projects, but I'm going to have to tough it out in the summer with the doors open.

 

[Shadowdog500]

Thanks for all of the replies. I'm located in central Missouri, so we have quite a bit of variation in our temperatures throughout the year. Thus far the winter has brought us quite a bit of snow and single digit temperatures with negative wind chills. The summer months reach 100 with high humidity and heat indexes in the 110s.

I'll check out that heavy duty thermax because even though it isn't going to be completely finished on the inside, I would like to minimize the condensation. Heating to 60 degrees or so would be nice in the winter to work on projects, but I'm going to have to tough it out in the summer with the doors open.

The heavy duty thermax that they used on my building has a heavy duty grainy white coating that is actually aluminum on the inside that looks pretty nice. The construction crew told be that the inside coating was originally made for stables because the horses break through regular thermax.
It looks finished enough for me. See photo below.

Morton had it in great big sheets that ran the full height of my walls and were about 8 feet wide. If you look around you may be able to find the same stuff. you can see pieces of the thermay in the bottom left side of the photo (behind the box) as well as a big long scrap piece with foil that goes to the outside.

Chris

 

[Ryan10700]

The heavy duty thermax that they used on my building has a heavy duty grainy white coating that is actually aluminum on the inside that looks pretty nice. The construction crew told be that the inside coating was originally made for stables because the horses break through regular thermax.
It looks finished enough for me. See photo below.

Morton had it in great big sheets that ran the full height of my walls and were about 8 feet wide. If you look around you may be able to find the same stuff. you can see pieces of the thermay in the bottom left side of the photo (behind the box) as well as a big long scrap piece with foil that goes to the outside.

Chris

Awesome! Thanks for the pic. Looks really nice I'm definitely going to look into this!

 

[346ci]

National Barn Company uses "Ply-foil". It has been mentioned I think but it is a thin sheet of bubble wrap and 2 layers of foil. That is what will be used in my 30X30. Here is a link:
http://www.nationalbarn.com/building-options6.html

 

[lawfarm]

Plus with P2000 you don't need to wear breathing masks or get all covered up to install it...

Spaminator on all 3 first posts. Not a good introduction to GJ. Reported to mods.

 

[willymakeit]

Put insulation on the outside of your slab to below the frost line at minium. This will prevent thermal transfer from the outside into the slab. Its not a bad idea under the slab also. If you can afford it put 20 mil poly down as a vapor barrier with taped joints.

 

[OldtruckDude]

I had the P2000 1/2" board put in my barn during the build.
I am just now installing the radiant tube heaters, so I don't know how well it keeps the heat in yet.
The temp in the barn is staying around 40 with the outside temps dipping into the teens and twenties.
I think this system will work good with the radiant heat. I hope to find out for sure in the next couple of weeks!

john

 

[Ryan10700]

I like that P2000, I'm going to give it a look as well!

 

[digdug18]

What about spray on insulated foam? The closed cell variant of it also would act as a vapor barrier, thus you wouldn't need the white plastic. Though it is somewhat expensive to use, depending on where your at in the country.

Andrew

 

[Jbullfrog]

It's great to install, but birds and mice love it. They will have all of the foam eaten out and you won't know until the inner skin starts to fall. It is also not the greatest insulation, it is more for noise and keeps the steel away from the posts. You need to make sure and fill every nook and cranny around the eves, with steel wool or stainless mesh to keep the birds out. Also, if you have much for snow load, the sheets will compress the foam across the roof rafters and leak around the screw holes after a few years.

The heavy duty thermax that they used on my building has a heavy duty grainy white coating that is actually aluminum on the inside that looks pretty nice. The construction crew told be that the inside coating was originally made for stables because the horses break through regular thermax.
It looks finished enough for me. See photo below.

Morton had it in great big sheets that ran the full height of my walls and were about 8 feet wide. If you look around you may be able to find the same stuff. you can see pieces of the thermay in the bottom left side of the photo (behind the box) as well as a big long scrap piece with foil that goes to the outside.

Chris

 

[tkrum5]

When I had mine built I asked for vertical studs so It could be insulated. For your now I think I would go with the p200. Will you be covering it with something or sheet rocking it?

 

[Ryan10700]

That's good to know about the spray foam insulation and rodents ruining things. From the sounds of things I should make sure I use bird blocking on all of the posts as well. I'm not going to do any finishing of the interior. The shop will just be used for working on vehicles and small projects throughout the year.

 

[Shadowdog500]

It's great to install, but birds and mice love it. They will have all of the foam eaten out and you won't know until the inner skin starts to fall. It is also not the greatest insulation, it is more for noise and keeps the steel away from the posts. You need to make sure and fill every nook and cranny around the eves, with steel wool or stainless mesh to keep the birds out. Also, if you have much for snow load, the sheets will compress the foam across the roof rafters and leak around the screw holes after a few years.

Morton did install stainless mesh around the eves and ridge vents to keep the birds out. This is standard on every building. I hope the roof don't leak, but if it does, Morton will fix it for free for the next 50 years. I doubt that Morton would use an insulation that causes leaks knowing that they are responsible for fixing these leaks for the next 50 years, but I guess time will tell. I have had two heavy snows since the building went up in November and the snow slid off the roof within a day both times. I was thinking about having Morton install snow guards next summer, but after you comment, I don't know if I will. The insulation in my building is mostly to keep the humidity down in the building. A friend has a metal building without insulation and everything is soaking wet in the morning and rusts within 6 months. They have every exposed part of the foam surrounded with aluminum which hopefully will keep the mice out of it. So far I have had one bird in my building.


Chris