I’m interested on any info regarding the correct way to insulate a metal covered building. I’m putting a shop in one end of my metal building, I plan to construct 2x stud walls and suspend a ceiling over the space. I’m familiar with residential construction techniques – should I use a vapor barrier?place framing&insulation against metal skin or should I place some sort of thermal break?Any suggestions or references for this type of project?
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Timbo, what else is the building used for? How big is the building? How big is the proposed shop? Do you plan to heat the shop area only? How heat? Joe H
The building is 40x80(10hsidewalls) with the shop space in one end. Shop will be 28x40, slab is in place with tubing for radiant water heat. The remainder of building is used to park 2 trucks, camper,duckboat,tractor,lumber,& misc. storage with a gravel floor (to be concrete in the future). I live in the cold dark north so my plan is to keep the shop temp above freezing with the radiant system and use supplemental heat system (woodburner & propane heater) for addistional heat when I use the space, mostly w/e use. The building is like a pole shed but with steel trusses instead of wood on 20' centers,it is set on a poured concrete frost wall. Main concern is the way moisture now condenses on the interior walls,runs down to the base, puddles & freezes as the building warms up during the day and cools at night. I think moisture may get into my insulated walls this way from any uninsulted space above the shop.
Look at Morton Buildings website. (Leading pole barn supplier) I have used their insulation system with very good results in a 30 by 45 shop. It uses full width (7 - 1/2 feet) 6 inch insulation that you hang from the top down between each set of posts. Over this you run a series of horizontal 2 x 4 nailed flat on about 24 inch centers. Then cover with you vapor film or better 1/2 inch foam board. Next comes dry wall or metal siding or wood siding, what ever you want for the inside of your walls. Other wall inside the building -- frame, insulate and finish as you would any where else. In my case I did the whole building, with a metal ceiling and blow in insulation for the ceiling. I got my 7 1/2 foot insulation from Morton.
Deblacksmith