Insulated panels

[yanmars]

I have hard foam insulated panels. The insulation "looks" like expanding foam. It is metal on each side. Steel I think and not aluminum but I will check with a magnet. They are 4 inches thick. Panels up to 4 feet wide and 16 feet long. I would like to insert those between studs for insulation. The building is built on 16 inches on center with 2x6 and true 2x8s.
Leave the metal on or try to peel off? Unsure how difficult that would be. Any moisture issues if the metal is kept on. The panels came off a commercial building of some type. The edges are kind of a tongue and grove. There will be heat in the building and the studs covered with plywood. Thoughts? I have about 800 plus square feet of the product.

 

[fruitcakesa]

They sound like structural type panels similar to the stress skin panels used in home building which are rigid P/U foam sandwiched between chip board. Used as a total wall and ceiling construction with splines joining the panels.

 

[Dwellonroof]

probably refrigerated building panels. I have seen small garages built with those.

 

[Carl_NH]

Size of building? Do you have enough to do all the walls? Do you have sheathing on the exterior already?

I would think attaching the panels to the exterior with the splines connected with some new foam between as one option. Cutting these into 15" panels is not going to yield a tight wall, so you will need some more foam between the sides of the studs.

What part of country, hi/lo temps?

 

[yanmars]

The building is exterior sided. Vinyl siding with a thin fan fold and vapor wrap. 3 block high foundation on floating concrete slab. Western Ohio. Planned to spray the gaps with foam. The building is 26x36 with 8 foot high sidewalls on the bottom and 9 foot high on the top floor. Kind of a gambrel building. Probably more use on the second floor. Not enough to do it all. Would come closer on the bottom as it will take two thicknesses on the top floor and angled. More sun exposure on the top, the bottom has a lean to on the south side and the west has a deck attached.

 

[Rustyiron]

It's pretty much impossible to remove the metal skin without breaking up the foam.

 

[jthibodeau89]

Those panels are pade to be the exterior wall of a steel frame industrial building. We have them on the walls of our plant. They could be attached to the girts on a pole barn or engineered steel building. Ripping them to 16" to fit your walls will be tough. If you try it, be sure to wear a respirator or N95 mask. The foam dust is not good for your lungs.

Note, you will likely use more $$$ in foam to seal the edges than if you buy R19 insulation batts.

 

[Rustyiron]

A $45 foam "gun" that takes the screw on cans and your best choice. With any luck one of those skins will be aluminum and a normal skillsaw and blade will be fine. You'll need to cut it from each side unless you can find a big worm drive saw with a 10'' blade. I've cut very thin steel like the skin would be also with a regular wood cutting carbide saw blade but the edge it leaves is rough and you will eventually want a new blade.
With your free 4" foam panels, I would definitely make the effort to use it and the little expense that you make in a foam gun and a few cans WILL BE WORTH IT
Without exterior and interior control of air movement through fiberglass insulation, your pizzing in the wind!

 

[jyoutz]

Why cut them for a storage type building? Use roll fiberglass insulation between the studs and screw the panels to the studs. Double insulated and a finished wall.

 

[yanmars]

These thoughts are all appreciated. Working on a plan. Ideas are always welcome.