Greetings All-
I am fortunate to have a large garage/barn on my property. Its 28′ x 50′ with an interior height of 15′ to the bottom of the roof trusses. Its a balloon framed structure on a concrete slab with full dimension 2×4 studs 24″ OC. The exterior is 1″ thick rough cut pine board and batten.
I am an aspiring woodworker and I’d like to build a woodshop in the barn. I will most likely frame out a section of the barn for this purpose since I live in Maine and insulation/heat is a requirement and I don’t want to heat the entire space. The heat source will most likely be a wood stove.
My question is in regards to the best way to insulate the exterior walls. There are places in the exterior board and batten where there are small gaps that allow moisture from hard rains and piled up snow to get in. I’m concerned that if I use kraft-faced fiberglass batts the insulation would get wet and be ruined. I’ve thought of using a poly VB or house wrap between the exterior wall and the insulation, but that would be a very tricky installation (wrapping around studs and fire blocking) that I suspect could create other problems.
Any suggestions or ideas would be appreciated!
Replies
Getting those old barn walls airtight and insulated is a big challenge. They probably also don't have much of a foundation, and move around with the seasons. Fortunately, you have lots of space inside the barn. Have you considered not touching the existing exterior walls at all? Instead, build a new, modern structure inside the old barn. The new walls can be straight, insulated, and airtight.
I like leaving those walls open to breathe because they have no siding to keep water out of the walls. Insulate and cover up and you can have something like this happen and never know it untill too late...
.
Excellence is its own reward!
What is that, caulking all the seams in a board and batten siding? Let the thunder crack and the waves roar.
We're going on.
Yep, It's a beach camp that somebody built with a self designed, panelized, studless, board and batten. Never got paint or stain that I can tell. Here's shots of same wall from outside..
Excellence is its own reward!
Edited 10/26/2002 8:26:35 PM ET by piffin
Ya Kevin- Jamie has a good point there.
A different option would be to leave a quarter inch or so rain vent between the inside of the sheathing and 1/2" asphalt impregnated fiberboard Celotex which can be cut tight to fit between the wall studs and hammered in for a tension fit. Then fiberglass batts and drywall.
Let the thunder crack and the waves roar.
We're going on.
I like your idea of using the 1/2" Celotex and leaving the 1/4 inch rain vent between it and the sheathing. Is there any specific structure to the rain vent or does that term simply refer to the space between the Celotex and the sheathing?
I have thought about the structure within a structure idea put forth by Jamie. That is my fall back plan if I can't find another way. Obviously I'd like to only have to build one wall instead of four.
Thanks!
find your nearest R-control EPS dealer and order some Performguard panels with 1/2" osb facing... a 3" or 4" panel would do good... then attach them inside to make your walls and partitions.. the ceiling can be any type of insulation you want..
http://www.r-control.com/Mike Smith Rhode Island : Design / Build / Repair / Restore
It's just the space. It gives moisture a place to drain down if needed and a little air to flow through. Make sure moisture has a place to go at the bottom. If you really want to get a wind barrier going seeing your in Maine then you might want to take the time to put wooden spacers against the studs and sheathing to push your celotex up against after you run a bead of cheap caulk on those spacers. That'll help decrease any air flow over your fiberglass batts thereby maximizing your r-value. Mike's suggestion is really the best way to go if you got the bucks to spend. Let the thunder crack and the waves roar.
We're going on.
Hello,
I have a shop with about the same frameing I 'm going with the Icynene foam insulation , check there web site out , icynene.com
I had done the celtex thing a well back to keep the snow out etc..
glenn
Kevin- Another thought on building the workshop within the building. A wall built 4 or 5 foot out from your exterior wall would supply you an ideal shelving location on both walls for long length wood storage with easy access. Wish I had that. No more piles.
Let the thunder crack and the waves roar.
We're going on.