Insulation for Pole building ceiling ?

Robert in Md. · Jan 9, 2014

Finishing up interior of my new shop 36 x 56 with 12 ft. metal ceiling. I need some new ideas to insulate above the metal. Trusses are 4 ft apart.
I was considering 6 inches of fiberglass but I am having trouble finding it 4 ft wide. Probably the least cost wise would be to blow in 6 inches of loose insulation but it tends to blow everywhere.
Side walls are about R-15. Also what are my heating options.

Thanks

Robert in Md.

David G · Jan 9, 2014

blow it in

VicS · Jan 9, 2014

My shop has insulation between the metal and the purlins. installed when building was built. Just R 5 or 6. My son got his building blown with closed cell foam, I would guess 1 1/2 inches. Even makes roof and walls stronger, and the roof can't leak. It is the best No heat and is still 32 in there. But cost 1.70 a sq ft.

Larry NEIL · Jan 9, 2014

I put 6" of batt insulation in the walls and blew in 1.0' in the ceiling. Costs much less to heat my 42 X 62 shop than it does to heat my house!

I put in a boiler and in floor heat in my shop and absolutely love it!

Pops1532 · Jan 9, 2014

Blow in cellulose or loose fiberglass.
6" fiberglass batts will only give you an R19 rating. You'll want double that.

Frank 41 · Jan 9, 2014

My friend has a FBI building that he used rejects from CHI doors on his shop. Works super.

504 · Jan 9, 2014

cellulose, it has Borax in it to make it mouse and fire proof. The professionals will blow it in with some water to make it stay where they put it. I have had it in the house for 11 years and you can just start to see where the rafter are by the humps.

big jt · Jan 9, 2014

Gonna stir the pot here.

DON'T BLOW IN CELLULOSE. Found out from my insurance rep AFTER A SMALL FIRE, that the fire retardant in cellulose is only good for 10 or 15 years. After that it can smolder if conditions are there.

In my situation it was related to installing a different type of door. Installers used a angle grinder to cut away some steel siding. First time we were all there when the smoke started pouring out. Got it put out in short order. Second time I was gone and the installers were gone by the time the smoke was rolling. We got home and after the fire was put out I found damage to rafters.

When we built a house last summer I insisted on blown in fiberglass. Told the builder and the onsite contractor of my experiences and informed them there was to be no cellulose. No arguments from them.

Blown in fiberglass isn't near as itchy as it sounds and goes in just the same.

jt

big jt · Jan 9, 2014

504

Hate to disagree but please read my post above.

Yes it has fire retardant in it but that is only good for a relatively short (in the life of the building) period.

BTDT

jt

Oldiron29 · Jan 10, 2014

Most all R values are avalable in 24" But may be special order at your supplier. blown in fiber glass would be easyer, to what ever deepth you want. oldiron29

Blackhole49 · Jan 10, 2014

I heat my 24'x40' with an 8' cieling with a 125,000 btu natural gas radiant tube heater. I have 4" of fiberglass in the walls and ceiling covered by 7/16 osb. I keep it at 55* all winter (SE MI). I costs me about $300 a year to heat.

Ray · Jan 10, 2014

My shop walls are insulated with spray foam.A local company does it.No drafts anymore.

Adirondack case guy · Jan 10, 2014

I sincerely hope you had a very tight vapor barier installed on your interior walls and ceiling. If you didn't you will have soggy poor performing insulation, leading to rotting structure. VERRY CRITICAL for controlling condensation in the truss area.
If you don't have a vapor barier, be sure you have an effective ventalation system in the truss area. to remove the moisture laiden air befor it gets a chanch to reach the roof panals, and condense.
An exaust fan controlled by a humidistat may be necessary. Monitor the truss area regurlarly, to monitor frost buildup in the truss space.
Loren, the Acg.

J.Wondergem · Jan 10, 2014

I have 18 inches of cellulose blown in mine. Sure holds the heat in.

Adirondack case guy · Jan 10, 2014

couple pics of comercial shops that I built before retirement. I am also a big fan of closed and open cell spray foam. The interior wall panels you see in the one pic. are a Dupont product, 2" thick and each panal is calked into a vinyl tracking system yo create a vapor barier. The panal system also has the required one hour burn rateing.
Loren, the Acg.

showcrop · Jan 10, 2014

DIY or contractor? I helped my wife's stepfather build a big garage. he was pricing fiberglass insulation and found that he could buy it installed cheaper than he could buy it to go.

John A. · Jan 10, 2014

Robert, Even here in Texas the "Blown in" "Closed cell".. hopefully I'm right on nomenclature..turns hard, water will not soak into it like open cell is becoming the norm!
A neighbor did an all steel 3 car garage/shop ajacant his home... on the Hottest Aug/Sept day his shop is a min of 15* cooler than outside.
When he is doing things inside, a single AC unit keeps it nice and cool.
Hope this helps!
Later,
John A.

El Toro · Jan 10, 2014

One of my retired co-worker's had spray foam installed in his building. It was nice and warm in there. He installed an oil burner furnace. Even has an office built with steps leading up to it. He lives in Rising Sun. Hal

Pops1532 · Jan 10, 2014

Addmittedly this is from a pro-cellulose site but it's a good read...
http://www.rtekinsulation.com/cellulose-fire-resistance.htm

Sid · Jan 10, 2014

Good point that is often overlooked.

MSD · Jan 10, 2014

Blown fiberglass will let drafts through. We quit using it for that reason in the new homes we do. Cellulose is better at stopping them. Foam is the best way to go.

fixerupper · Jan 10, 2014

Blown fiberglass. And would you believe it doesn't itch. You shouldn't have the need to seal drafts with the insulation. The drafts should all be taken care of before the insulation goes in. Jim

Dave Sherburne NY · Jan 10, 2014

One more opinion. The best heat for a shop is hydronic in floor heating. Tubes in the floor. and don't put a drain in unless you plan to wash projects inside. I built a shop in Wi.back in the early 1990s no drain. I could put an icy vehicle in there and by morning all the ice would be melted and floor would be dry. I put 8" of Fiberglass Batts in the wall covered with vapor barrier and plywood with a steel ceiling with blown in fiberglass in the ceiling. I did everything I was supposed to do under the floor plus underground perimeter insulation too. I miscalculated when buying the ceiling insulation and wound up with almost 2 feet in the ceiling and never regretted that mistake. Had a big insulated bifold door with a small entrance door on the side. The floor was heated by 2 30 gallon water heaters. I wish I had never sold that place.

Ted in NE-OH · Jan 10, 2014

Gonna stir the pot here. Heat in the floor is not the best solution always. Heat in the floor is slow to respond to changes in demand for heat.You have to keep it set at a constant temperature say 65*, whereas a forced air you can turn it down to 45* or 50* and walk into the shop torn it to 65* and in less than 1/2 hour it is 65*. If I don"t go to the shop for a few days or go on vacation for a week or two I can save heat. Depends on how you use your shop.

Rick Kr · Jan 11, 2014

Robert,
I have the same climate as blackhole and j. wondergem.

I have a 40x60x14. Overhead radiant heat. I have R21 in the walls and approx. R50 in the ceiling. I made sure the place is sealed tight.

If you are going to the time of doing the ceiling I would put a lot more in than 6 inches of blown. At least 12 inches, 15 or so would be better. Get a good respirator and a couple of guys to load the blower. Paint your trusses so you know how high to blow, and go to work.

I used 7/16 OSB on the ceiling. 125K btu Gordon Ray BH heater, way overkill. HVAC company spec'd 80-85K btu, that would have been plenty.

Rick

Insulation for Pole building ceiling ?

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