Insulating Metal Building

[kdenhead]

I've got a 40 x 50 metal building on slab. Plan to use it as shop / storage.

What's the best way to insulate the building?

I've got quotes on both open cell and closed cell spray foam insulation. Open cell is 1/2 the price. Closed cell is structural /rigid.

Any opinions on what would do the best job for me?

[hunt247]

Close cell for roof and open for walls. Also have them paint it.

[bowhntrmatt]

My metal building guy does 1-2” of closed cell on ceilings and walls. Seems to work very well. Makes the building very quiet too.

I’m having him do roll-type insulation on mine only because its on the coast and one day I may need to re-sheet it, and that would be a nightmare if it were foamed.

[seeing reds]

Looking to building a new barn as we speak. My last metal building at my old house didnt have insulation and I never really thought about needing it. Curious how much of a temperature difference it actually would make though. Any ideas?

[scotth89]

Looking to building a new barn as we speak. My last metal building at my old house didnt have insulation and I never really thought about needing it. Curious how much of a temperature difference it actually would make though. Any ideas?

It’s a world of difference. I can’t stay inside my shop in the summer without the doors open and a breeze. My brothers shop is insulated and noticeably cooler.

[Draco]

My neighbor has open cell on walls and ceiling of a 40x40x14 tall and cools the whole thing with one normal size window unit.

[sharkhunter]

My neighbor has open cell on walls and ceiling of a 40x40x14 tall and cools the whole thing with one normal size window unit.

That’s the exact size of my shop. Did he say how much it cost to do it?

[Draco]

He paid a dollar a sq. foot.

[texansfan]

He paid a dollar a sq. foot.

Of wall space or floor space

[cj7zrcool]

I built a 40x60x16 three years ago and had to go with rolled vinyl covered fiberglass since foam was 2x the price and I was already over budget. Suuuure with I could have foamed it.

[Mike D]

I did a 30x50x16 and had 1” of closed cell sprayed and painted. It’s amazing how well it works and it made the building noticeably stiffer.

Open cell is permeable and will allow moisture to penetrate and possibly hold it. Closed cell is mostly non-permeable and will act as a slight moisture barrier.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

[Stetsonoverton]

I’d spray it all with closed cell looks a lot better works as a moisture barrier as open does not

[Codie]

I sprayed walls and ceiling with Closed Cell and have not been impressed at all with the "insulation" factor of it. It is still a toaster oven when it is hot and a meat locker when it is cold outside. Looking back I would not have wasted money on the insulation if I had known that the roll up door was not going to be as air tight as the walk in door.

[roughneck266]

Cost me a little shy of $4000 for mine. It's 30X40 single slope roof, 14' in the front and 12' in the back.

[Puncher51]

Good information in this thread! We are currently in the process of getting a hunting cabin built, looking at options on insulation.