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Wall insulation in finished metal building

Jwbfx4

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Mar 13, 2017
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Bama
after finishing building my shop a couple months ago I’ve came into another project. I just purchased some land that adjoins my place that has a 30x50x16 red iron building on it. The building was built 3 years ago and has the roof insulated. The building has no wall insulation. Is there any good way to add it after the fact without studding the walls and doing bats? Live in Alabama and it doesn’t usually get real cold here or stay cold for a while. Thinking maybe I should just leave it as is. Any thoughts? Thanks.
 
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19Vert64

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Someone will be in shortly to tell you about spray foam...... please stand by


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Jwbfx4

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Hah I know that’s an option but was hoping to stay cheaper than that if possible. Or I may just leave it uninsulated.
 

lakeroadster

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Central Colorado
This site does a good job of showing you the options:

Link---> http://homecomfortinsulation.com/pole-barn-insulation/

If there is a warranty on your steel siding be aware that spraying foam directly to the steel may void that warranty.

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pgilmore7

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Riverview Florida
I’m in the same boat, I think I’ll put up studs, insulate, and drywall. Seems like other than spay foam( out of my budget) the best way is to insulate while the building is constructed.


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readhead

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Durango, Co.
The first photo in John's post is the easiest and least expensive way to do it. Pins are applied to the sheeting and push on discs hold the installation in place. There is a potential problem however. If the building wasn't insulated when it was erected there is no thermal break between the sheets and the secondary framing which may cause condensation on the secondary steel.

There are conditions where the building designers specify full depth insulation and in those circumstances we install a 3/8" x 3" foam tape on all the surfaces where the sheeting contacts the secondary steel.

In your climate condensation may not be a problem. If it is another layer of insulation can be applied that will cover the purlins and girts also.

Andy
 
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astrohip

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Mar 7, 2015
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Brenham TX
after finishing building my shop a couple months ago I’ve came into another project. I just purchased some land that adjoins my place that has a 30x50x16 red iron building on it. The building was built 3 years ago and has the roof insulated. The building has no wall insulation. Is there any good way to add it after the fact without studding the walls and doing bats? Live in Alabama and it doesn’t usually get real cold here or stay cold for a while. Thinking maybe I should just leave it as is. Any thoughts? Thanks.
Does this mean you want to insulate to keep summer heat out? Or that you don't need much insulation as it doesn't get cold?

If it's for the summer, I would re-consider spray foam. I have a 50x50 metal building in Texas. Spray foam took the interior in the summer from "unbearably hot" to "very comfortable". It was so hot you couldn't even touch a metal wall without feeling like a frying pan. Now... a whole new world.

Not cheap, but it turned my barn into a year-round building.
 

cajunfirehawk

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Ms Gulf Coast
Does this mean you want to insulate to keep summer heat out? Or that you don't need much insulation as it doesn't get cold?

If it's for the summer, I would re-consider spray foam. I have a 50x50 metal building in Texas. Spray foam took the interior in the summer from "unbearably hot" to "very comfortable". It was so hot you couldn't even touch a metal wall without feeling like a frying pan. Now... a whole new world.

Not cheap, but it turned my barn into a year-round building.
He lives in Alabama so heat would be my guess his biggest concern.
 
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Jwbfx4

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Bama
Does this mean you want to insulate to keep summer heat out? Or that you don't need much insulation as it doesn't get cold?

If it's for the summer, I would re-consider spray foam. I have a 50x50 metal building in Texas. Spray foam took the interior in the summer from "unbearably hot" to "very comfortable". It was so hot you couldn't even touch a metal wall without feeling like a frying pan. Now... a whole new world.

Not cheap, but it turned my barn into a year-round building.


Summer heat is definitely a concern without insulation. Believe I will do some calling tomorrow and try to get a couple quotes for spray foam and go from there.
 

OH_Varmntr

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Apr 2, 2017
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Ohio
FYI, I had 2 quotes to do my shop and they both came out at $1.23 per square foot per inch thickness for closed cell.

I had 1" sprayed to seal the walls and am filling the cavities with fiberglass prior to installing metal siding on the interior. Pics in the link in my signature.
 
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Jwbfx4

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Mar 13, 2017
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Bama
FYI, I had 2 quotes to do my shop and they both came out at $1.23 per square foot per inch thickness for closed cell.

I had 1" sprayed to seal the walls and am filling the cavities with fiberglass prior to installing metal siding on the interior. Pics in the link in my signature.

Thanks for the information. I should hear back in a couple days with what I’m looking at.

Also shop and build thread!!
 

OH_Varmntr

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Ohio
Awesome, could you post your quote numbers when you get them? I'm curious how much it changes based on locations.

And thank you!
 
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