Heating Ohio pole barn

LD1 · Nov 19, 2016

IIRC is internet short hand for if I recall correctly.

It was...."if I recall correctly, for wall insulation........30 cents a sq ft.

Walls are just stapled. No tape.

I live bout 30-40 miles north of Columbus. Southern part of Morrow county.

Solar07 · Nov 19, 2016

Oh got ya. Not too far at all. Nice country up that way. I need to just enlist your services for a fee.

LD1 · Nov 20, 2016

Not that I wouldn't be willing, but it's not something that I do for hire. Just build my own buildings is all. I'd shop a few contractors and see if you cannot come up with something a little more reasonable. Any amish around you?

KennyG · Nov 20, 2016

LD1 has a good approach and similar to what I did. I would add that it's a good idea to put plastic under the metal on the ceiling as a vapor barrier.

Solar07 · Nov 20, 2016

KennyG said:
LD1 has a good approach and similar to what I did. I would add that it's a good idea to put plastic under the metal on the ceiling as a vapor barrier.

When we put the new roof panels in, the roof panels now lay on top of the foam boards. So it's the purlins, foam board, heritage metal.

Something like this...

Shop Expanded Polystyrene Foam Board Insulation (Common: 1-in x 4-ft x 8-ft; Actual: .937-in x 3.875-ft x 7.875-ft) at Lowes.com

You think I need a vapor barrier under the Purlins then too?

KennyG · Nov 20, 2016

Solar07 said:
You think I need a vapor barrier under the Purlins then too?

I was always told a vapor barrier needed to go behind the inside finished surface, isolating the insulation from the interior space. So, looking up at the ceiling you would have the metal liner panels, vapor barrier, then the truss bottom chords filled with insulation. If I understand, you have an old roof, purlins, and then foam board and new roof. I wouldn't have done it this way, but until you have a ceiling, most of your heat will end up in the rafters. And the R value of that expanded polystyrene is only 3 or 4, a fraction of what you would like to see in a ceiling.

coffeeman · Nov 20, 2016

Hi all, i have always thought about building garage. I have 5 shallow gas wells. Heat & insulation no problem as gas
is free. Of course i'd want to be environmentally conscious and use insulation. Problem, I don't need more garage space.
Cheers....Coffeeman

Rustyiron · Nov 20, 2016

Solar07 said:
When we put the new roof panels in, the roof panels now lay on top of the foam boards. So it's the purlins, foam board, heritage metal.

You think I need a vapor barrier under the Purlins then too?

Insulation/vapor has really become a science. It's my understanding that in my climate, 2' of foam is enough for the dew point to be inside the foam and the foam is the vapor barrier. I believe that the vapor barrier is mostly an issue for f/g insulated buildings, but I do wonder if your 1" of foam is enough. If you added a couple of inches under the purlins and sealed the edges that would do the trick.
There are places that sell used foam from flat roof commercial building re-roofing that are very cheap. IF you can find some locally, do your whole building with it.

Solar07 · Nov 20, 2016

Here are some pics of what I'm working withard. Looking up, it's perlins, foam board taped tohether, then metal roofing. Foam on both sides of board. Attached are some pics of the walls as well. Not sure why the corners have those long 2x4s.